Old standards like the press release still have their place in the marketing landscape. They're useful as informational sources about your product, business or event, giving the vital facts people need to know in an easily readable format that can lead to real exposure to an audience. But sometimes the signal-to-noise ratio is too low for your release to even be read. Keeping in mind some best practices can help achieve your goals and make sure your releases aren't a waste of you and your organization's time and energy.
A press release is simply that—a newsworthy item intended for publishers like newspapers, magazines and online news outlets. It reads like a newspaper article because, if need be, it can be published with little to no editing.
1. Understand your audience
Your release shouldn't fall on deaf ears. If you're pitching an idea to a news organization in hopes of it including you in its coverage, understanding that organization and its audience is necessary to ensure your message is relevant and well-received. A publication geared toward a general audience like a local newspaper might not be the best place to send material that's only relevant to a niche of readers.
Think like an editor. Would your news item be of interest to that publication's readers? If so, explain why in your message. If not, find a better outlet. The magazine industry in particular is full of very targeted, niche publications. There's probably one for you!
News values that help editors make decisions about what to publish include things like proximity, timeliness, usefulness and human interest. Let these values steer you when choosing how to "market" your release to your recipient.
2. Be concise
Let's say you're sending a release to an editor at a local newspaper. Your goal is for him or her to read your email and be interested enough for it to develop into a news or feature story. If your release is hard to access or read, chances are he or she will simply skip right over it. Your subject line should be to-the-point enough someone reading it will know what it's about and why they should be interested without even reading the rest of the message. Remember: you're competing for attention in a probably overflowing inbox.
It's also a good idea to forgo attaching any files in your email release. Attachments can fill up email accounts with limited storage space and can quickly draw the ire of your recipient. If photos or other media are necessary or useful, say you have these files available upon request, or provide links for them in your message body.
3. Be considerate
Two words: Don't spam. No one appreciates being hassled. You should send your release because you think it might be useful or interesting for the publication and its audience, not because it fulfills your own self interest.
4. Build a relationship
Messages from your friends are way more important to you than messages from strangers. The same is true for working with the media. Drum up as many relationships as you can—they can be your ticket to achieving your awareness goals. Attend networking events and use social media to build up your list of contacts.
5. Be accessible
People in the publishing and news industry in general work under tight deadlines. Be as available as possible should editors or reporters need more information. Have information they might want to know handy in case a last-minute interview is required.
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