An exclusive report is the opportunity to give a single journalist or media outlet “first dibs” on distributing your news. This approach can help ensure that your story rises above the din of competing announcements and reaches your key audiences and business goals.
It can also signal to journalists that you value their audience, trust them with your news and are willing to forge a long-term relationship. But it’s important to keep in mind that “an exclusive is not a shortcut to great storytelling,” Joseph and Prewett explain. The key to success is ensuring that the news you’re sharing warrants exclusivity in the first place and providing journalists with the tools they need to develop a compelling, comprehensive story.
A strong exclusive will focus on something that no one else has access to or information about — this could be data you’ve obtained through interviews or public records, a high-profile acquisition or partnership or a big project launch. It also helps to work with a journalist that you have a strong rapport with and has the ability to quickly and effectively turn around a story.
Finally, ensuring that you’re able to provide enough time for the journalist to publish your exclusive before other deadlines loom is critical. This can help avoid hiccups like rewrites, legal approvals and other delays that can derail an exclusive.