An exclusive report is a piece of news that’s not shared with other media outlets. It can be a powerful way for PR professionals to communicate impactful news to a targeted audience. It’s also risky and requires careful consideration, research and preparation.
It’s important to remember that a story that’s labeled as an exclusive doesn’t automatically guarantee media coverage or readership. It’s still up to the journalist and their editor to decide whether or not to cover the story.
Often, journalists will have multiple requests for exclusives, and they need to choose which one to pursue. To help them determine which story to pursue, you should provide them with the facts and evidence of what makes your unique report different. This will give them a strong sense of what is worth covering, and it will encourage them to push for your exclusive article.
PR experts agree that you should only offer an exclusive for a news item of significant importance. This includes an acquisition, a partnership with a celebrity or high profile figure or a launch that will change the industry.
A successful exclusive takes time and effort to plan, develop and write. It involves selecting the right journalist and media outlet, researching their reach and previous coverage, and ensuring that you have a clear agreement on an embargo period to avoid hiccups during the reporting process. If an exclusive is offered to a journalist and the company does not honor it, it can damage the relationship that took months, if not years, to build.
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