Do you get a good response to your press releases?
One size does not – and never has – fit all! The epithet is applied to ladies tights, and those thin plastic macs you can get at festivals – its wrong! It is even more wrong when applied to press releases!
I have so often seen a press list that includes regional and national newspapers, monthly specialist magazines, tv and radio and website. One press release is being sent at the same time to the entire list – and the sender then wonders why the take up is so low.
Firstly – timing! The ideal time to send a press release to a monthly magazine is 3-4 months prior to publication. The ideal timing to send a press release to a radio station is about 1-2 weeks. Quite clearly the radio station will have lost/deleted the press release by the time it is relevant to them, leaving the sender very disappointed - possibly even angry that their communications appear to be "ignored"!
I’ve frequently seen press releases being sent to printed press – be it magazines or newspapers, without taking into account how that publication deals with events, news or articles. There is a far greater chance of a press release being used, if the sender is familiar with the publication and can tailor the release to the content layout.
At the very least it is essential to know what you are actually writing. Is it a listing? Is it a feature article? Or is it a news item? These are all treated differently by the press and very often need to be sent to different people.
It is also important to remember that if you are sending a press release to a news editor – then it needs to be NEWS! Does it tell them about something new? Is there a story to it? A choir holding a concert isn’t news – neither is a gallery holding an exhibition – they are events listings and its important to know how the publication/radio station/tv deals with this sort of thing.
It is possible to find a news angle to even the most basic promotional press release – does it have a local angle; does it talk about something that is the biggest, smallest, oldest, most famous etc – all of these can resonate with readers/listeners/viewers and should be highlighted.
Finally if you are sending your press release for print do you have good quality, relevant, high resolution images, both portrait and landscape to accompany it? This is essential, as shortage of staff means the press are less likely to send a photographer than they used to be and there needs to be a massive original angle for them to do so!
So if you need some help with your press releases, and making them relevant do give us a call as we can help.