An exclusive report is a piece of news that does not appear in any other media outlet or publication. This type of story may be embargoed (meaning it is only available for one medium until a specific date) or un-embargoed, meaning that anyone can publish the information once it’s released.
When to use an exclusive report
An exclusivity strategy can be a powerful tool to generate attention, excitement, and engagement for your news. However, this tactic can be challenging to execute successfully. It requires extensive research into the journalist or media outlet to understand their audience, editorial focus, and previous coverage in order to align with their content. It also means ensuring that you have the time to work closely with a journalist and to clearly communicate what is required for an accurate and thorough story.
As with any other PR initiative, it is important to set clear goals for your exclusives, including how much you hope to raise from them. This can help you determine if it is worth the extra effort that an exclusive often involves.
Ultimately, an exclusivity is only worthwhile for news that is truly unique and worthy of attention. Perhaps a round of funding that is closing with some interesting investors, or a new partnership that has the potential to reshape an industry. For these reasons, it’s vital to ensure you are pitching an exclusive only to those journalists who can give the story the attention that it deserves.