It is easy to get used to securing similar coverage formats for clients, from expert commentary and research data to thought leadership articles and mentions.

But the, not-so-common, letters to editors are an exciting addition to the list of ways for our clients to show off their expertise. 

How do letters differ from other forms of coverage?

Letters to the editor provide a forum for not only our clients but for anyone to express their opinions on a particular issue, or offer feedback or an opinion in response to articles that have been published in the newspaper or magazine. Letters to the editor also have the power to help hold the media accountable for their reporting and to correct any factual errors or misunderstandings that may have been portrayed through the articles.  

Letters also often have a more personal or informal tone than say a normal article which features a client, since they are written from the perspective of an individual reader rather than from the perspective of an organisation or business. 

You will normally find letters to the editor in the very well respected letters pages of big national press publications or trade titles. Our clients have had their very own letters featured in The Financial Times and The Grocer!

How does it all work? 

In our experience, we have been most successful in securing coverage in letters to an editor because of timing and by being succinct. Putting our skills as newshounds to the test and identifying a story to respond to is step one. Then it is essential to act quickly – there is a tight seven day window for responses to recent articles. The letter itself must be snappy, punctual and succinct, no more than 200 words. Finding the correct contact information is vital too as each publication differs and letters pitches have specific requirements in order for the editor to even read it. This seems a lot of work in a short amount of time but trust the process as the benefits of the letter finding home in a top national publication make it all worth it. 

Why do we like letters?

Positive enjoys working with our clients on letters. Despite the quick turnaround  and making sure they’re written concisely but also still communicating key messaging, they are fun. Sometimes the national press is hard to crack from a B2B tech perspective, but letters open the door to coverage. They are also  credible for our clients as letters tend to be published in print as well as online.  Despite living in a digital world, it is still exciting when client coverage is published in print!

Letters are a powerful tool that can help our clients break into conversations they wouldn’t normally have access to. By adding letters to our toolbox of reputation-building methods, we look forward to more success for our clients.