No News, No Blues

Some clients just don’t have any (interesting) news — or, if they do, they’re sure not telling their marketing director or PR agency about it.

It might be tempting to down tools at this point, or be reactive only. Yet there’s still value to be had in sending out a press release when in a news desert.

There’s definite merit in simply reminding us journalists, subtly, about a company. Every blue moon, you’ll happen to do just before one writer is penning a piece in which, well, “actually, Dream Holidays would fit perfectly, yes, thanks”.

Personally, when it’s a company that I hear about irregularly, I always file the release even if it’s of no interest so I can find the PR contact in my inbox if later needed.

Obviously you don’t want to send out any old rubbish. But maybe you could get creative and write the release in the voice of an imagined character? Maybe flexing your writerly muscles might be fun. Alternatively, how about “10 facts about [client] that you didn’t know”? If nothing else, it’ll teach you more about them, and a real gem or two might emerge

Perhaps there’s some investigation to be done into a hotel’s local area, or fun facts about things left behind or stolen. Perhaps you could collate a rental firm’s 10 best bathrooms, with photos to prove it, or describe the process by which a holiday company researches and adds a new tour. Perhaps you might delve deeper into your client’s history.

Maybe, perhaps, could, might. It’ll be different in each case. Have a think, though — it’s always worth producing something, and you never know where that something might lead.