The document discusses the mindset of a journalist and their day-to-day work. It notes that journalists receive over 60 press releases per day and have short attention spans, so communications need to stand out. It also covers structuring effective press releases, conducting interviews, pitching stories to editors, and working with clients as a freelance journalist. The document aims to provide insights into how journalists operate and what communicators can do to get their messages noticed.

1. The Mind of a Journalist
www.clapperton.co.uk Freelance Journalist

2. Guy Clapperton
• Contributor and podcaster, The
Guardian
• Contributor, Sunday Telegraph, The
Times, The Independent
• Broadcaster, BBC World Service, BBC
London

3. Exercise
• Take one piece of paper…

4. Real exercise!
• Take the press release you’ve brought
• Scrub out everything but the first
paragraph
• Discuss the sort of story you would have
based solely on what you have left

6. Client objectives
• Messaging
• Copy
• Outcomes from press coverage
Flickr: Dan4th

7. The journalist’s day
• 60+ Press releases
• Calls
• Follow-ups
• Writing
• Liaising
• Interviewing

8. For the freelance add:
• Cash flow
• Invoicing
• Pitching
• Credit control

9. So…
• Attention span of a hamster
• Things need to stand out
• Gimmicks? The military helmet…
Flickr: D’Oh Boy

10. What’s the story?
• Images
• Facts
• Supporting facts
• Brand – difficult for new clients

11. A BRIEF WORD ABOUT
FREEBIES…

13. Who are you talking to?
Staff Freelance

14. Roles
• Who does what in the press
• The editor you’ll never meet
• Commissioning editors
• News, features, comment
• Advertorial

15. Your approach
• Cold email
• More than one staffer?
• Pictures, graphs..?
• Social media: game changer?
Flickr: marc falardeau

16. Structuring the release
• Pyramid
• Our terms
• Speak our language

17. Interviews
• “What questions are you asking..?”
• Copy approval – the big no-no

18. Exercise 2
• Revamp your release
• Plan how you’re going to get it around
• Pitch it to me by phone
…and coffee!

20. Part 2
The journalist as contractor

21. When would you use us?
• Corporate writing
• Independent voice
• Panel discussions

22. Production
• We expect subs
• We won’t learn your house style
• We expect headlines

23. Independence
• It is what it says
• It has only one meaning
• Puff can’t be independent

24. Advertorials
• Raconteur, Lyonsdown et al
• By journalists, edited by us too
• Any old puff?

25. What to tell the client
• Honesty
• Train them – they’re not our client
• When to manage expectations

26. Remember:
• 60 press releases a day – “no” is the
easiest answer
• Followup calls may push you further down
the list
• Understand how we work

27. Q&A
Anything you want to ask

28. Thank you for your time
guy@clapperton.co.uk
@guyclapperton
www.clapperton.co.uk