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What is a Press Release

A Press Release is a specially formatted document that would be interesting to readers of a particular magazine, newspaper or other publication. A press release is not an advertisement! Having a third party, such as a technology magazine review your product or write an article about you will only happen if you provide news or entertainment and you deliver your press release the way the journalists want it.

The following tutorial on how to write a press release will go over the finer points of getting recognized and hopefully get you into the publication of your choice.

Understanding What the Press Want

Journalists are under deadlines, so be prepared to give them everything, in full detail as soon as they request it. Realize that if your press release comes across as an advertisement at all, it will get dropped.

Who to Contact for Press Releases

You should focus on a few local journalists first, both to build your press release skill and because you are more likely to get into print. Do your research and find out about the exact contacts you need to make. Find out what they like to write about, and what formats they want ( email, fax, etc ). Call them and ask them what they are looking for and what the best method of delivery is.

There are many companies that claim to blast your press release out to hundreds or thousands of contacts for a fee. I would strongly suggest that you personally do your own press releases.

When to Contact for Press Releases

Remembering that a press release is about news or entertainment, not an advertisement, here is a list of suggested times to do a press release:

  • New Products or Services - not slightly modified, but totally new, that nobody else has. What makes you different? Limit this to the benefits people recieve and make it newsworthy.
  • Partnerships - Announce partnerships with anyone that will be a benefit to the people.
  • Fundraisers - If you are giving away a percentage of this month's sales to a charity, or some other donation, let the press know and it will help your goal.
  • Anything Free - People love free stuff, from websites or in your walk in store. If there is a benefit to people, let the press know.
  • Winnings - winning a contest, lottery, sweepstakes or event.
  • Contests - announce the beginning and the results of your contest ( 2 press releases )
  • Events - announce job fairs, seminars, classes, anything that you lead or organize. Find things that are win / win and that help the community for guaranteed coverage.
  • Community Charity - Did you sponsor a community event? Do you offer a special program or training that helps the community? Do you provide a way to volunteer? Do you have free classes?
  • Price Changes - Significant price changes, like from $10,000 to $5,000. Explain why and give dates of changes too.
  • Business Opening or New Website - Let everyone know the benefits of your business and why you are different from others.
  • Celebrities - Is someone famous working with you or endorsing you?
  • Awards and Accomplishments - Anything that is a significant award should be put into the journalists hands. Tell them what you did to earn it too and how this will help others.
  • Releases - Release of a book or record, opening of an exhibit, etc.
  • Office - Running for office
  • Legal Stuff - Writing new laws

When to Use Cosponsorship

Cosponsorship .... need more info but looks like a good way to get your company mentioned over and over free. I need to call the radio stations and find out how this helps them exactly and why they would do it.

It is often used for live broadcasts where you see a van advertising the station at a hotspot.

What to Say in Your Press Release

  • Facts
  • Benefits
  • Entertainment / News
  • The 5 W's

How to Format a Press Release

Do not send out your full blown press kit, but make it known that it is available elsewhere. The important thing is to make it short, and cover the following areas:

  • who you are
  • what you're announcing
  • why they should care

The exact format goes like this:

  • Date Instructions: "For Immediate Release"; "For Release Before [date]" or "For Release After [date]", send your release out in advance and mention any deadlines you may have for signups if your event has them.
  • Headline: Show Benefits of Reading Immediately, Really Focus on a great headline without hype.
  • Contact: Your job is to make it simple for the Media to contact you; Include as much info as possible here. Numbers, addresses, hours of availability, emails, URLs, etc. are all important.
  • Summary: The entire purpose of the summary is to get the reader to continue reading. It must also summarize the entire article in few sentences though. Don't forget to mention the area where this event concerns.
  • Body: Write a story that entertains or gives news. Remember to write considering what the audience wants. Use good journalism style and answer the 6 W's immediately ( Who, What, Where, Why, When and How ).
  • The End: The end of a press release is shown by centering ##### at the end of your press release
  • Length: Keep your page to about 1 page
  • Adverbs: Very Very Very Good writing doesn't use too many of them.
  • Attachments: Do not send attachments, do not send word or pdf files, send as plain text only.
  • Vcards: Do not send vcards, include your contact info in the document as above.
  • Visual Formatting: Use Headlines and SubHeadlines that stand out. Break Paragraphs, use shorter sentences.
  • Buzzwords: Do not use buzzwords.

Here is a Press Release Template that you may copy.

Headlines should be descriptive, summarize what the release is about and not contain hype.

Where to Send Your Press Release

You will get better results from hand picking who gets your press release and sending out custom press releases to each of them, but there are also some Internet resources which might be useful:

Realize that building your media release list will take considerable time, but it is well worth it.

Newspapers are not the only "press". You can also try radio stations, websites, talk shows, magazines, etc.

Do not send out bulk mail, list only the person that you are contacting in the "send to" header, do not CC hundreds of people.

Control the Interview

When a journalist calls and wants to run your story, be calm and professional, but also excited and grateful. Here is a list of things you can prepare ahead of time to control the interview:

  • An outline, suggested questions, or things that you would like covered in the interview.
  • Facts - have the facts handy for yourself and for the reporter as well if they request it.
  • Gather information such as the journalist's name, number, what publication they are from, time and date of interview, unless it is going to happen over the phone.
  • Ask what angle the journalist wants to write about the story. Make sure you want this angle too!
  • Ask for questions that may be asked to make sure you are prepared.
  • Make sure your website URL will be published.
  • If you don't know the answer, let them know that you don't know but that you'll get back to them, and then do so.
  • Think about your responses, don't be quoted for saying something incorrect.
  • Do not use jargon, if you do, explain that term
  • Don't speak "off the record".
  • Look at the journalist, not the camera.
  • Ask the Journalist's deadline and make sure you get whatever info they need to them on time.
  • Announce the interview on your website, in your newsletter and let them know where they can get a transcript of it.
  • Also, get the card of the person who did the interview so you can keep them updated with your newsletters, and to send them a thank you card.

Your Press Kit

Your press kit shoul contain a short explanation about what the announcement is, who it's aimed at, and what features or capabilities make it worth a journalist's time to report.

Your press kit should be designed to give more information to the journalist, in an effecient manner. A digital version of this should also be available on the Internet and clearly labeled so it is easy for the press to find. Here is a list of suggested items:

  • Brief history of your company
  • Press Releases
  • Fact Sheet about Your Business
  • Biographies
  • Photos of Products and People Involved
  • Company Literature
  • Your Business Card
  • Samples When Applicable
  • list any prices that are applicable to your product or service

Web specific press kits should contain all of the above, and the following points should be considered too:

  • Use an opt in press release mailing list.
  • Inlclude an "email this" article script.
  • Give instructions on how to get a physical kit.
  • Don't force visitors to register on your site to get the information.
  • Make sure you have quick and easy contact information for the PR person.
  • A picture of people in the organization, and their title and bio

Product Reviews

If you are required to send a product for review, get it to them overnight, as they usually have deadlines.

Include your return postage to confirm that you want the product back and to make it easier to get it back as well.

Here is a list suggested from "The Care and Feeding of the Press":

  • Proper product name
  • Normal Configuration Details and Price (off-the-shelf--Street and SRP).
  • Reviewed Configuration Details and Price--Street and SRP, including price, for any and all installed options.
  • Spec Sheet including OEM vendors (printer engine maker, router chip maker, etc.) unless such are a trade secret.
  • Prices for any and all replaceable/consumable parts.
  • Proper company name (including the Inc., Corp., etc.)
  • Company address
  • 800 and local phone numbers for customer contact.
  • URL
  • E-mail for customer contact
  • RMA number
  • Return shipping form with all details filled in.
  • Direct phone number for technically skilled person for troubleshooting. Many of us don't want to wait for the PR person to muck about and find someone. When we need info, we need it ASAP; we also want somebody who knows the product inside and out. We aren't interested in talking to a marketing person who can't help us tune a printer driver, reset TCP/IP settings, and the like. (This doesn't preclude us from testing your tech support anonymously, but we always need the emergency troubleshooting number. Just in case.)
  • Direct phone number for product manager or person who can speak to product placement, marketing, and design. (If the PR person needs to be involved, that's fine; but if he doesn't want to give a phone number, he must be proactive about setting up an interview.)

Don't send demos or time expired software or items. You don't know when your product will actually get reviewed and crippling it in any way ( or sending in a beta version ) will only ruin your repuation.

How to Follow Up on Press Releases

Do not phone and ask if they received your email. If it is important, you will be contacted. A follow up email that contains all of your contact information is considered appropriate, but do not harass or pester. Include the original press release and information too.

While you may get more contact and feel like you are doing a better job, journalists appreciate the emails that they can respond to as they have time. Already they get possibly hundreds of requests a day, if everyone called them they could get no work done. Many journalists automatically can anything that gets a phone call follow up too.

Do not call to say you are following up, call to make your announcement. Focus on the message that is important, not if they recieved the message. But again, most journalists hate getting calls.

Thank yous are appropriate, but are not necessary as they are just more emails to answer.

Ethics and Journalism

If a journalist does not report accurately, the reputation of that entire publication suffers. Here are a few things that look bad and should not be done, as they insult the integrity of the journalist:

  • Cash Bribes - cash is the easiest to spot, and will greatly insult your journalist.
  • Paid Advertisement - telling them you pay for advertisements is an indirect bribe / threat. Do not mention this if you do.
  • Samples and Gifts - Some samples may be considered good form, but thinking it will influence their decision to write about you is the wrong mode of thought.
  • Previews - do not ask what they will write about you before it is released. If you do not like what they say, you could complain which makes them less biased. Do not ask what they are writing!
  • Threats - duh.
  • Pasting Other Articles - Sometimes people will send clips of their coverage in other magazines. This is good if you show that you've been covered, but not if you show that the same topic has already been covered. Journalists want new, fresh information

Correcting Errors

Don't sit for months or weeks stewing if you are angry, contact the journalist immediately and politely explain the facts that need correcting. Carbon copy the main editor and the journalist and be polite. Don't go on a rampage and flame them all over the internet, just be patient and polite.

Do no post hateful messages on bulletin boards or anywhere else, you don't want any journalist as an enemy.

Other Media Attention Ideas

Press releases do not have to be to newspapers and magazines only. There are other alternatives that may work just as well:

  • Letters to Editor - respond to other letters or articles and find a way to include your URL and why you're an expert. I've worked as a self employed Internet Marketer for the last 8 years and I think ... I have tutorials on this subject at www.DigitalCrunch.com. other ideas are telling a story, creating or participating in any occurrence, supporting, opposing, or even merely observing a trend or activity
  • Volunteer Speaking - Volunteer to speak at events to establish your expert authority.
  • Email Websites - send a personal email to websites and offer your content or help.
  • Articles - many websites and magazines are eager for good free content. Make sure they give a link to your site though.
  • Call Radio Stations - call in and talk about your business as it helps people, ask how you can get some notice to it.

Useful Press Release Links and Resources