Evergreen News Story Formula

The origin of the word “ever+green” dates back to 1545. One definition states: retaining its relevance, popularity, usefulness, etc.; enduring. In this blog, we’re going to discuss a formula you can use to ensure your pitches stay relevant all year. ?? Humans started to combine the words ever and the word green and viola, we’re still using that word today. If you are a word origin fan, as I have always been, I highly recommend the movie, The Professor and the Madman starring Sean Penn. It’s based on the book The Surgeon of Crowthorne by Simon Winchester. It’s not only a fascinating illustration of how the Oxford dictionary came to be, but it also explores mental illness/injury and PTSD and the need for society to become trauma-informed. This is a topic I’m deeply passionate about. That’s for another blog, though. In this entry, I’m promising you a formula to use to develop “evergreen” news and story angles to pitch press so they include you in their editorial news cycle. I pull this formula from page 81, 82, and 83 of our PR workbook you can download for no-cost, no opt-in during the pandemic at PitchRate.com

To make your expertise and the soundbites you pitch relevant all year, use this formula:

Write one sentence on a societal problem or issue. (Make it evergreen, meaning a societal problem or issue affecting all humans any time of year.)
Write one sentence to establish yourself as an expert or credible source on that issue.
Write one sentence that is an overview of your unique offering (or your tips, tools, insights, soundbites).
Put the three sentences you wrote for each hook together: problem sentence, expert sentence, and what you offer.

For example, let’s look at a local fitness trainer:

People have gained weight in the pandemic.
I am a certified personal trainer.
I coach clients on how to lower inflammation in their system through low-intensity exercise and plant-based meals.
Dear Media Friend: Let’s face it, people have gained weight in the pandemic. I’m a personal trainer who can coach your viewers/listeners/readers on how to lower inflammation in their system through low-intensity exercise and plant-based meals. If you’d like to interview me, I’m available at XXX time and contact me via email at XXX or after hours here is my cell XXX. I’m especially available in the early mornings if you need a guest or cooking demo/recipe for your morning news cycle. I look forward to hearing from you.

What’s great about evergreen news stories, like the one above, is press friends can call you any time. Shoot, last fall I heard from a contact on a pitch I emailed four years ago. Yup, that happens all the time. You can do this! I will hold your hand through doing this. Any time you need help, email us at [email protected]. We have support developed for clients who prefer to do pitching themselves. Perhaps you only need a list, or a press kit or something else. Just contact Hannah. She’ll direct you. Consider her your PR buddy. Speaking of support! We’re in the middle of a PR series supporting more than 150 people through learning the PR industry secrets. In last week’s video, I discuss this in our live, six-part series Real PR in Real-Time. You can sign up for the series here ?️

Here’s a breakdown of what I cover: Pitching the Press in their Love Language

0:03 ? Welcome and first breakout: How do you make a difference for other people/press? (Hint: Find out what the media is talking about at news.google.com)
5:00 ? Media (Press) have a “love language” just like lovers do. Press’ love language is “Making a Difference” so include that in your pitches.
19:41 ? Pitching the Press
1. What difference will you make.
2. Who serves audiences best suited to your message and book/service/company/event.
3. When does your story/pitch impact the public (evergreen is any time of year, breaking is day-of/week-of, seasonal is specific to seasons or holidays.
4. How you will pitch press is based on their preferences. (Hint: If they are a print journalist, write an email to them. If they are a radio or podcast host, they might like a voicemail or video versus a written form of communication.) Like YOU, they have preferences and you can often find those preferences on their owned assets (website, social media, front door of their building).
40:00 ? Breakout session on what and who you will pitch upcoming week plus question and answers.