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PRESS RELEASE CORNER
Basics | Tracking results | Press Release Service
PRESS RELEASE BASICS
These links were compiled by Cathy DuPre, editor of the excellent newsletter, Internet InfoScavenger.
- A Publicity Primer from Kirk Hallahan at Colorado State University's Journalism and Technical Communication School is a good place to start. Find out the "mainstream notions of what's newsworthy" and see 32 ideas for generating news. Under "Writing a News Release: A Checklist" he outlines the format, important items to include, and common problems seen in many press releases.
- The Care and Feeding of the Press by Esther Schindler, for the Internet Press Guild. Labeled a "guide for press relations staff (or those who play them on TV)." Provides good feedback on what the media wants, and what irritates them.
- Pet Press Peeves. Excellent pointers from the Future Media Organization on what you shouldn't do in dealing with the press. For example, don't send attachments with your e-mail press releases and avoid following up to see if the journalist received your release.
- The Desktop Journal, a Wisconsin-based computer monthly, outlines the nuts and bolts of writing and sending press releases. Get ideas on how to structure a release and ways to make it newsworthy.
- Press Release Tips for PR People by Andrew Kantor, Senior Editor of Internet World, offers tips such as "Don't annoy me with follow-ups. Trust the mail. Trust the Internet. Trust my fax machine. If you sent it, I got it. If I have questions, I'll call."
- The Well-Tempered Press Release. Writer Daniel P. Dern provides ideas on newsworthy events. Stay away from hype like "proudly announces" and other self serving phrases. He suggests sticking to the "five W's -- Who, When, What, Where and Why" and gives some do's and don'ts.
- How to Get the Press on Your Side. In Marketing Without Megabucks, Shel Horowitz says it's easy--just make yourself newsworthy. Horowitz outlines events and situations that may lead to free publicity, and how to deal with the press effectively.
Electronic Press Releases
- Media In Cyberspace Study III by Steven Ross & Don Middleberg. Learn how members of the media use online resources. Find out often they go online, their feelings regarding submitting press releases via e-mail, and other issues that affect how you communicate with the media.
- Wired Style: Principles of English Usage in the Digital Age. "When does jargon end and a new vernacular begin?....What's the language of the global village?....When we turned to the traditional style manuals for answers, we found them inadequate.... Nothing quite answered the editorial questions we confronted daily. So we created Wired Style."
- A Quest for Insight: PR in Cyberspace 1996 by Craig Settles of Successful Marketing Strategists. This summary report shows how to use cyberspace to work more effectively with the press, and build relationships that benefit your organization. Gain valuable insights into developing information that will draw journalists repeatedly to your site.
- Good Release Bad Release. This article from Who's Marketing Online points out the differences in paper and electronic press releases. Get the scoop on the most common mistakes made in preparing electronic releases and view examples of "good, bad, and awful" electronic releases.
Why & How to write a Press Release
(From 123 Promote)
The former Editor of The Denver Business Journal, Linda Schneider said, " releases fall into one of three categories: the good, the bad and the ugly." She defines "the good" as those that "...contain what is known in journalistic circles as the 'five Ws and the H' - who, what when, where, why and how. They are provocative, plant seeds of interest and leave the reader wanting more."
Reasons to Send a News Release
The first question an editor asks is, "Does this have an immediate effect on our local readership?" The second question is, "Does this have a national influence?" Press associations receive hundreds of releases daily, with more than half of them thrown away. If you frame the event from a readership perspective, along the lines of what Editor's are looking for, you'll do better than most.
Where You Send Releases
Depending on the type of news you offer, you can send releases to magazine and newspaper editors. You're looking for phone numbers. Call the News Desk of the papers or magazines you wish to appear in. Ask for the name of the person in charge of space for [your topic]. If available, get their phone, fax, address, email and column title. So you'll never have to do this again, save this information in your database or address book.The following helpful hints may result in media coverage depending on how and what you write, and who you send it to.
Use a Standard Format
Always double space a story so editors can make comments and changes. Whenever possible, keep your release to one page; maximum, two pages. If longer than one page, be sure to end the first page with "continued" or "over please." See an example made for printing.
Keep it Simple and Straightforward
Get to the point. Provide names, dates, times, places. Avoid jargon. Editors need facts laid out clearly, concisely, and in an orderly fashion.
Write an Attention-Getting Headline
In talking about "how to write potent copy," ad man David Ogilvy says, "The headline is the most important element in advertisements. It is the telegram that decides the reader whether to read the copy." You have only a few seconds to grab someone's attention. Appeal to the reader's self-interest. Try to inject news into headlines. Make the reader want to read on.
Target Your Market
If you send a message to the wrong audience, you'll get poor results. If you've just won an award, then sending out a release to local weekly or monthly business publications may be enough. If you've just launched a new software product that saves time and money, then computer and high-tech publications are more likely to bring you better results. In each case, call first and find out who you should contact.Photos & Samples
You can include a 5x7 black and white photo if you think it will add to the story from the Editor's point of view. Or, if you don't have a picture, a sample or demo can be worth a thousand photos.
If a Journalist Calls...
- Meet the Media: A Guide to Successful Interviews. This resource from the University of California at Irvine Communications Office offers good advice on how to handle yourself with the media. Once the release is out and you're deluged with calls from journalists, do you know how to talk to them to leverage this opportunity?
There are a number of ways that an individual organization can monitor coverage itself, including:
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OR DO IT YOURSELF AT
If your company has a new press release, or if you are planning an event that you'd like to announce to the national news media, add your event, and journalists from major news organizations such as AP, MSNBC and FOX will be notified when they visit DaybookNews or when they receive their mailing list.
http://www.daybooknews.com.You can get free help writing your press release. http://www.prweb.com/
Excellent source for sending your press release, but also on how to write it. http://www.newsbureau.com/
SUBMIT 2
Press Releases are distributed to Daily Newspapers, High-Tech and Business Publications, Online Media and Ezines, Radio, Television and Wire Services. http://www.submit2.com/pressrel.shtml
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Upated: 03/04/01
