An exclusive report is a media piece that has not been published in other outlets. This type of story is a great way to get in front of a specific audience or target market and generate buzz around your brand. It can also be helpful if you are looking to get a particular announcement in the news, such as a new product launch or a company milestone.
It’s important to only pitch one outlet at a time, and to be clear on the terms of your exclusive with each of them (i.e. if they accept it, they won’t share it with anyone else). This will make it easy to manage your timeline and prevent you from getting two outlets asking for the same exclusive at the same time.
PRO TIP: When offering an exclusive, be sure to include a deadline for response. This will give the journalist a chance to confirm they are interested, and gives you a clear sense of when it’s time to move on.
To be considered an exclusive, a story must be truly newsworthy. It can’t be something minor, like a brand participating in an event or a webinar, or a new website re-design (though even those have their merits). Journalists aren’t going to take you up on the offer of an exclusive for a story that doesn’t warrant being “exclusive.” They will quickly assess that the news angle is weak and will not stand up against competition. Plus, it positions you and your brand as the boy who cried wolf, and will damage your credibility in their eyes for future stories.