An exclusive report is news that has not been shared with other media outlets or journalists and gives a brand the opportunity to create a big buzz around a particular development. This can be anything from a major partnership announcement, a unique project launch or even the acquisition of a competitor. However, determining when an exclusive is the best route to go can be difficult. PR pros must balance a number of factors including the type of news, level of trust with the journalist, timing and more.
PR experts like Joseph suggest that brands consider a few important things before deciding on whether an exclusive is the right move. First and foremost, they should make sure that their news is truly unique and worthy of a first-to-file story. It could be a new angle that hasn’t been explored, a development that is highly sensitive and so on.
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to offer an exclusive, it’s vital not to alienate other journalists or publications in the process. You should only offer an exclusive to one reporter at a time. Doing so can cause confusion, annoyance and potentially tarnish your relationships with other journalists and publications.
Finally, PR professionals should give themselves and the reporter plenty of time to work on the piece. Creating an exclusive requires time to craft the narrative, conduct interviews and provide assets for the story. Keeping this in mind, you should pitch the story under embargo to allow both parties to work on it and avoid any last-minute hiccups.