8 Media Hooks for Newsletters That Increase Publicity Success: The SUNNY SIDE UP Method (Newsletter Writing Edition)

The “SSU PR Methods” series explores PR techniques and branding know-how suited to today’s era.

This time, we will explain how to write newsletters, which form the foundation of PR activities! (Previous PR Methods articles can be found here.)

Last time we covered how to write and distribute press releases, but this time we will focus on newsletter writing.

Previous article available here
Explaining Key Points from Writing to Distribution of Press Releases! The SUNNY SIDE UP Method from a Team That Handles Hundreds of Press Releases Annually
https://blog.ssu.co.jp/pr_methods/20167/

Without further ado, this article will cover the following:
❶ Differences between press releases and newsletters
❷ How to write newsletters
❸ Media hooks necessary for newsletters

❶ Differences Between Press Releases and Newsletters

What is a newsletter?>>>
Unlike press releases, newsletters are materials that compile and provide information that media outlets seek, such as current social needs, trends, and seasonal events. Even previously announced or existing information can secure coverage when presented with these elements as angles. Think of it as providing complete story ideas to media outlets that continuously create content.

Simply put, press releases are “fact-based information (such as official product information) distributed at appropriate timing,” while newsletters are “materials packed with content that media outlets want to feature in articles or special reports.”

❷ How to Write Newsletters

As with the previous article, preliminary preparation and structure for writing newsletters are explained in other articles, so here we will focus on key points.

[5 Key Points for Newsletters]
1. Clarify the theme and make it easy to understand what kind of story the media can use it for
2. Include multiple pieces of information on the same theme, not just a single product or service
3. Incorporate not only product or service information but also social needs, trends, seasonality, and other contextual information
4. Use many images to create a page layout that evokes imagery
5. Set distribution dates and times that are mindful of media schedules

❸ Media Hooks Necessary for Newsletters

Since newsletters lack the freshness of new product information, the information value and context that make media outlets want to cover them are crucial. PR professionals often refer to this information value as “media hooks,” “PR hooks,” or “media value.”

This time, we will introduce the media hooks that SUNNY SIDE UP considers important.

[8 Media Hooks That Increase Publicity Success When Even One Applies]

❶ Scarcity

Limited “time, location, people, quantity,” and other elements available only here
Example: A restaurant limited to 10 guests per day opens in Akasaka

❷ Market Performance

Elements such as sales performance of services or products, rapid growth in user numbers
Example: App registration users surpass 100,000 just 2 months after launch
Example: Highly anticipated restaurant with over 2 million video views on Twitter before opening finally has grand opening

❸ Novelty

Elements that can be called “world’s first” or “Japan’s first”
Example: Popular overseas fashion brand arrives in Japan
Example: World’s first technology finally put to practical use in the food service industry

❹ Supremacy

Elements such as “No. 1,” “most” (including worst)
Example: Adventure spot where you can see Japan’s earliest autumn foliage opens

❺ Seasonality

Elements aligned with seasons or current events
Example: Christmas-limited flavor fruit tea goes on sale

❻ Future Potential

Elements that show a better society or vision
Example: FOSHU-certified snacks that support people’s health with soybeans debut
Example: Seaweed venture that will save the planet with seaweed succeeds in raising 1 billion yen

❼ Unexpectedness

Elements where the opposite of what is generally imagined becomes a feature, such as collaborations with “unrelated services or brands”
Example: Elementary school classes introduce makeup lessons
Example: Major apparel manufacturer holds fashion show inside train

❽ Credibility

Elements with third-party or official evaluation and endorsement
Example: Service purveyor to the royal family begins offering affordable plans

If you reexamine your company’s internal information and resources to see whether you can incorporate or express the above elements, you may surprisingly be able to develop information with media hooks simply by changing the expression.

In this edition of “SSU PR Methods,” we explained newsletters. While we focused on key points, a book published recently called “SUNNY SIDE UP’s Step-by-Step PR” explains these topics with illustrations and easy-to-understand layouts.

It also covers a wide range of PR topics including planning and digital promotion strategies, so we would be delighted if you would consider purchasing it.

Article about publishing the internal manual as a book available here!
Publishing Our Internal Manual!? “SUNNY SIDE UP’s Step-by-Step PR,” a Manual Book Packed with Most of SUNNY SIDE UP’s Operations, Now on Sale!