How to get a property story in the news

The property market is always in the news and that creates a great opportunity to put your name and business in the media spotlight – if you know how. The first step is understanding what a journalist considers to be “newsworthy”. The next is being able to recognise what you can offer in terms of comment, advice, and story ideas to help promote you and your business.

As a TV journalist I’ve interviewed real estate agents, auctioneers, conveyancers, buyers, sellers, developers, and builders. Now in public relations, I help people in the property industry identify data, trends, and ideas to help get them on the news. Media coverage is free publicity. It helps build authority, grow awareness, and can position you as a ‘go-to’ spokesperson in your field of expertise. When done well, it can deliver millions of dollars in media coverage and put your name and service in front of lots of people.

So, what do journalists consider newsworthy? And, what is your checklist for deciding if you have a story worth pitching to media?

There are “newsworthy” categories:

New – New sales data, new trends, a new service - anything new or "breaking" is newsworthy.

Journalists love to report on what is new, or a something that is a “first”. New market research, trends in sale prices, innovative services, expansion, new listings or properties that are unique, and new ways of doing transactions and business. ‘New’ creates a sense of excitement, importance, and urgency. Time though is critical.

Prominence: The larger your profile, or the larger the company, the more newsworthy you are. If you're prominent, then even small events are significant.

Prominence plays a crucial role in attracting media interest. High-profile figures, influential organisations, and large companies naturally attract more media attention, but journalists still often want to talk to smaller businesses particularly if they are local or experts in their field. For property stories the local real estate agent and local solicitor will know the local market and that is an enormous advantage. Think about opportunities to share expertise and provide unique perspectives through interviews or opinion pieces.

Proximity: Local is the key word.

The property market has no geographic boundaries when it comes to media. Whether you are in a capital city, regional town, or remote and rural parts of the country there are journalists looking for stories. News bosses want angles that talk to their audience and focus on issues and news that impacts their readership and viewers directly. By tailoring PR pitches to local markets, businesses can increase their chance of media coverage. Engage with local media outlets, participate in community initiatives, and highlight the impact of property projects on the local market.

Significance: How big is the issue? How many people are impacted? The more people affected, the bigger the story.

Human Interest: This story is one with a human angle that evokes emotion, which can be either good or bad. These types of stories generally are not time sensitive.

Conflict: Controversy! The media loves a scandal where people and/or organisations are pitted against each other.

This is one you need to be prepared for. If there is a crisis, or an incident that risks your reputation or business continuity, you should be ready to respond. In the highly competitive property industry there is potential for conflict between buyers, sellers, developers, communities, government bodies, environmental groups, the list goes on. Media outlets are quick to cover disputes and “no comment” is not the answer. It is why having a crisis communication plan and a spokesperson who is trained to manage the media is essential.

Advice to get started

Adopt the “water cooler test”. If something has you, your industry, or your community talking, that is a good guide there is something newsworthy in what is happening. The next question to ask yourself is – what can you contribute to put the issue into perspective, provide a local perspective, or offer up a case study. Do you have a buyer who could demonstrate the impact of the housing crisis, interest rate rises, or has bought into a new property hot spot? Do you have advice or insights you can share? In providing public relations and media advice to clients we consider all six of these categories in deciding if a story or angle is worth pursuing. If you have a PR agency, or internal communications staff, they will be doing the same.

Find out more about Adoni Media and how they can assist you with a whole range of PR services.