The value of an opinion told well

In PR, we work with brands day in and day out, with our strategy underpinned by how we can raise awareness of our client’s brand, usually through profiling a company spokesperson, product or service via media or through other stakeholder channels.  

Our goal is to promote our client as a thought leader and expert in their industry, with the ultimate goal that the journalists will eventually come to us first when they need credible comment on a trending subject, issue or event. 

The more traditional ways we do this is through a media campaign; drafting media releases and coordinating interviews with appropriate journalists who will communicate our client’s message positively and accurately.

While ‘gold’ for us is seeing one of our media releases printed word for word, or directly relayed in a broadcast (imitation is the best form of flattery, right?), we are often asked (and also pitch) to provide a specifically sculptured opinion piece for an industry magazine.   

Opinion pieces, usually referred to as columns, are particularly useful for companies with mostly business-to-business transactions or who sell to a niche consumer market.  

We write these pieces in an almost ‘ghost writing’ capacity, ensuring the words are authentic to our client’s voice, while applying our PR experience to incorporate key messaging in a well-structured, articulate and interesting format which compels readers to do something with this information – whether that be to research, enquire, or purchase a product or service.

This is the process of writing an opinion piece for a client:

Editorial expectations: We discuss the editor’s expectations including their idea of the article’s tone, angle, any particular points they would like addressed, the deadline, word-count and article release date to ensure timeliness.  

Interview: In order to understand our client’s voice on a topic or issue, we interview them and encourage them to speak freely. During this time we would advise the client if we plan to edit any terms of phrase to ensure clear messaging (this is a great learning process for the client and further opportunity for us to discover their thought processes).

Introduction: As we begin the drafting process, it is necessary to introduce the client at the top. This explains who the client is, where they are from and why they are a credible thought leader on this topic.

It is not paid advertising: It is important to remember this is an editorial piece and not paid advertising. The column should not be a hard sell which is likely to overwhelm the reader and risk being rejected by the editor.The product or service ‘pitch’ can be included as a solution to an issue, and must be backed by why it is important to the industry supported by facts, endorsements and anecdotes from the client’s experiences.   

Easy reading: Write with the reader in mind and ensure the words suit the audience. An IT client might get away with technical word use in a tech magazine, however, if they secure a column in a consumer magazine or newspaper, the wording must be adapted for mass-understanding.

Information: We sign off the column with how the reader can find out more about what the client does or how they can help. Include an email address (usually a specific email) and website URL.  

Seek feedback: At Elevate we have a stringent sign off process for any content released publicly. Once drafted, the column is sent to the client for careful review to ensure they are comfortable with the words used. The piece is then sent to the editor and we follow up with a phone call to check all expectations have been met.  

Opinion pieces are an exceptional way to give our clients a forum where they can speak directly to their target markets on a topic that is relevant and what they are passionate about.

It is a valuable opportunity to raise the profile of a spokesperson and should be used wisely to ensure positive exposure, while further building strong relationships with editors, journalists and readers.

If your company would like help writing an opinion piece, get in touch with Elevate on 07 3180 3666 or info@elevatecom.com.au.