Public Relations: How to Write Tip Sheets That Catch the Media's Attention
Connie St. John of the St. John Group in San Francisco, whose client is the California Association of Naturopathic Physicians, writes:
“I love your newsletter. I recently sent out a tip sheet titled ‘10 Tips to Stop Smoking Naturally’ and piggybacked off the Great American Smokeout. We are getting hits throughout the country. Boston.com, associated with Boston Globe, picked up the entire release.”
When PR pro Bill Lang wrote a list of tips called “Six Ways to Prevent Deer Collisions” on behalf of his client, Progressive Insurance, he never dreamed that sports writers would jump on the story.
But then his timing couldn’t have been better. Lang, director of Public Relations for Lewis Communications in Birmingham, Alabama, offered the  tips to media who responded to his initial news release in November 1999, just as deer season was getting under way.
“We were on two radio networks with live programs that went to a total of 12 different stations for four minutes each,” Lang said. “We were in major papers in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Montgomery. It really helped position the client as an expert.”
Why the Media Love Tip Sheets
All because of a short list of tips that explained how motorists can beware of Bambi. Lang and other PR practitioners view the tip sheet as a valuable tool in their publicity arsenal. No wonder.
Editors love them because they’re ready-made lists that require no extra work on the part of the reporter. Publications can simply reprint them verbatim. TV stations love them because they provide content for the short bulleted lists that are flashed on the screen and often accompany stories. Sometimes even editorial writers use the sheets as fodder for their editorials.
A tip sheet is a simple list of from six to a dozen tips that tell people how to do something—usually how to solve a particular problem. Examples:
- “7 Ways to Stay out of Jail When Doing Your Own Tax Return”
- “9 Ways to Ward Off Winter Colds”
- “11 Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make When Hiring Your Children”
- “Tips for Winterproofing Your Home”.
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