With that promising title, you might already be thinking, “Why bother with the Wall Street Journal then?” However, this article will show that it is possible to get your story covered by the Wall Street Journal. The number one rule is by being ‘on point.’ Your story needs to be attention-grabbing, well-researched, factual, and above all else it needs to be timely. The Wall Street Journal is the world’s leading newspaper and their material is always a step ahead of the game. So when you are framing your article, be sure that the topic is important right now and covers a subject that no news outlet has covered before.

Here are some ideas to keep in mind and as you write your story pitch:

1.     Keep current on events, writers, and editors- This goes back into making sure that your submission is ‘on point.’ You need to know what has been written previously about your subject, what the viewpoint was, who wrote it and when they wrote it. Write your story with new insight and new factual research to get attention.

2.     Follow the rules- When submitting your pitch, you must know which reporter or editor in which department should receive your story. Don’t waste time by sending it out to multiple departments or to the wrong ones. Do your research.

3.     Subject lines- Most likely you will be emailing it so put an attention-grabbing statement in the subject (most likely the headline from your piece.) You want the reporter to actually click on your email, so this is vital.

4.     Try, try again. Don’t spam the reporter or editor on one story. If they didn’t bite on the one you submitted, try again with another story. Building your credibility with well-researched, timely proposals will help in the long run.

So you have an fresh scoop that is ‘on point’ and a step ahead of the game, now you need to write it. The Wall Street Journal actually has their own guide to writing articles in their style, but for a press release or story pitch, you will need to:

1.     Headline- Hit them with your best headline. Keep it short (60-80 characters), factual, and interesting. Don’t bore with jargon or try and fluff your way through this one.

2.     The Lead- This is the most vital information of the whole piece. Here is where you need to have the who, what, when, where and why (also known as the 5W content.) This information needs to be brand new and in keeping with your message.

3.     Following information- Include a new quote from a well-known person to further your story’s relevancy. Make sure that you include their name, title, and contact information in case clarification is needed.

4.     Contact Information- Here is where you can include a very brief synopsis of who you are and how to get in touch with you, including your name, phone number, and email.

Remember that it’s incredibly difficult to get something in the WSJ, but don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen after the first, fifth or twentieth try.

Have you had something published by the WSJ? How did you do it? Tell us in the comments.

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download How to Get Your Company Covered on Top Blogs here: http://www.ereleases.com/offer/blogs.html

The post It’s Easier to Get a Camel Through the Eye of a Needle Than to Get Media Coverage in the Wall Street Journal appeared first on PR Fuel - Public Relations News & PR Tips.