Press Releases

Summary / Quick Tips

Your are now ready to send your press release to all the publishers that you previously identified.

  • Perform final checks for spelling, grammar, formatting and get someone else's perspective too.
  • Email your press release to the appropriate people.
  • Give them a couple of days to read the press release and then chase them up.

Final Checks

You need to carefully proof read your press release for spelling and grammar, and ask at least one other person / colleague to read the release to give an unbiased opinion. This fresh look at the release may detect any problems or result in improvements to the release.

Many press release only get glossed over before heading for the bin. Don't let yours be ignored due to spelling, grammar or formatting problems.

Press Release Distribution - E-mail

I recommend that you convert your press release to a pdf to make it easy for the editor or journalist to open, print and read. Download Open Office for free if you can't produce PDF documents and use their Writer application to create your press release. Use the File->Export As PDF option to produce your final document.

Name the subject of your email 'Press Release - your headline'. Write a short message on the email stating that you have attached a press release which you feel will be of great interest and value to their readers. You can then add a short sentence saying what the release is about and state that they can contact you for further information.

Send the email to the contact you have in your publication record, making sure you set the email option "ask for a read receipt" so you know when they have opened your email. Note that you won't always get a read receipt back.

Chase Calls

Call the recipient of the email a couple of days after you have sent your press release. Keep trying if you can't get through to them or they are out of the office. They are usually very busy people, so don't assume they are giving you the brush off just because you have to keep calling back.

You need to:

  • Introduce yourself and state that you have emailed them a press release, mentioning the date you sent it and the subject header. Many editors/journalists have to search for emails as they receive so many.
  • If they locate the email, and have read it, ask them if it is something they would consider using. If they say no, find out why not and how you can improve for the next time. If they haven't had a chance to read it yet, tell them you will call back in a couple of days or ask them when would be convenient to call back.
  • If the editor or journalist is undecided about the story, briefly mention why the content will be of interest to their readers and offer to provide further information or an interview.
  • If the editor/journalist says they will be using the story, ask which issue it will be printed in and if they could post you a copy of the publication when it is printed.

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