Just over two years ago, New York Times Letters Editor Thomas Feyer addressed his anxious audience of potential letter-writers with these words of encouragement:
"We welcome letters from all quarters, but especially from ordinary readers who have no titles after their names. Of course, we publish many writers speaking with authority in
their areas of expertise, and letters from officeholders responding to criticism in these pages. We enjoy hearing from literary lights about what interests them -- Norman Mailer
on Kosovo, Jane Smiley on the Bush administration, Roger Kahn on crying in baseball."
Fast-forward to the present day. The times (and Times) may have changed, but the business of writing letters to the editor has not. Despite a sharp decline in
newspaper readership, there are still hundreds (or thousands) of submissions per day vying for just a handful of spots, making competition for a sliver of real estate - and the
eyes and ears of the paper's many readers - fierce. So what's a PR practitioner to do when (1) he's not Norman Mailer, (2) a letter to the editor is a perfect vehicle to respond
to a story that harms his/her corporation/client or to get a message out to the general public, and (3) it's next to impossible to get a printed word in edgewise?
"The most important thing is to know the media that you're writing to," says Michael Gross, account executive at PR counseling firm Anne Klein & Associates. "And if you're
retorting to something negative, stick to the facts and be open and honest. Present the whole picture."
Responding to an attack in a letter to the editor may be appropriate, but it should not be seen as damage control for larger, esoteric issues. The letters page, be it as
visible as the New York Times' or as narrow as the Alexandria Times', is a forum for furthering a public dialogue, and submissions from PR execs must fit that bill
accordingly. They must be timely and brief (under 150 words) and, in the words of Feyer, an exercise in literary word play:
"What qualifies as a publishable letter to the editor? The answer is necessarily highly subjective. We are looking for a national (and often international) conversation about
the issues of the day - big and not so big - as well as fresh, bright writing that stands out through its own charm. Timeliness is a must; brevity will improve your chances;
stylishness and wit will win my heart."
If wit and charm don't sound like strong points of many PR managers, then the execs must court the letters editor with pointed, applicable responses (but NOT scathing
diatribes). You weren't granted fair coverage in a recent article? Say so, but back it up. A mistake was made? Point it out, include the correct information and always choose
battles wisely. Can your client/CEO comment with authority on a current news issue? Develop a relationship with the letters editor and alert him or her to your submission
ideas.
"The big mistake PR pros make is that they treat letters differently than they would treat pitching a story," says Fred Pfaff, president of Fred Pfaff Inc. "Pitch it first.
Find out who's in charge and say, 'Hey, I want to write a reaction to this story.' Then you won't be flying blind."
And, finally, know when to leave well enough alone.
"If your company is under attack and a lot of what is written is right, leave it alone," Pfaff says. "Otherwise, you are amplifying the negative."
Instead, wait until you can comment to highlight the positive: "Plant some letters to make a point," he says. "Then you'll have people calling you as a source."
Contacts: Michael Gross, 856.988.6560, [email protected]; Fred Pfaff, 212.572.8353, [email protected]
When writing a letter to the editor, keep these tips in mind:
- Keep it Short: Since these letters are so popular, editors receive an abundance of them. Keeping it to a 250-word maximum helps get it printed.
- Keep it Factual and Rational: Since a letter to the editor expresses your chapter's view on an issue, you want people to find it credible. Support your opinion with
facts will help convey your message. - Catch & Keep the Audience: Start with a strong, assertive message to hook the reader. From there, keep them interested with organized, compelling key messages
that stay on topic. Also, make sure you have a strong and direct closing statement that leaves the reader thinking. - Identify Yourself: Most publications require letters to have a name and address, but they do not print the address. You are much more likely to get your letter
printed with this information included than without it. - Respond Quickly: Whether writing to respond to an article or to voice your opinion on a current topic, get it in the hands of the editor quickly! Editors must receive
it in a timely fashion to keep it newsworthy - or they will not print it. This means you might have to e-mail or fax the letter instead of sending it by "snail mail."
Anne Klein and Associates developed this list of pointers for BetterInvesting's Chapter Public Relations Web site.