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Where possible, tailor the message to their audience - so one press release may not be enough
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When targeting magazines in your industry, make srue there is plenty of information in the OTHER INFO section so that they know how you fit into their industry and can choose to "remember your name"
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If timing doesn't matter - wait for days when there's nothing in the news. Don't release it on the day of a cyclone or during an election. Avoid Christmas time and Mondays. Most businesses are launched on Tuesdays because it's the dead news day :)
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Don't get too wordy. There's no point in sending in a 20 page press release on everything your business has ever done. Choose one thing (a promotion or a new line or whatever) focus on that and explain it concisely, clearly and with perfect grammar and spelling.
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If releasing it online (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) use a few choice keywords repeatedly so that it gets delivered to the right place. You can release it at sites like freepressreleases.com.au or free-press-release.com - google it, there's thousands of them. Fill in as much info about targeting on the site as you can.
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Remember that journalists and producers work to extremely tight deadlines. If there is a choice is between you and another press release, they may choose the on that can "just be copied" read straight out on air or cut and paste into print. Not one will ever admit to it, but it does happen!
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Always write press releases in third person
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Don't bother unless you have actual news - a press release about nothing will just brand you a time waster. Better to save them up and use them carefully. If you are just after links, limit your press release submissions to online.
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Delivery by email is better than by fax. I've seen far too many trees go into the recycle bin through completely ignored press releases.... Title the email with the most exciting hook from your story - don't use "press release attached" - use "AMAZING EXCITING HOOK FROM STORY"
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Even better, hand deliver it. If you are hoping to get your story on the local radio or TV station (it had better be GREAT) the difference between getting it read and getting it binned could be one person - the receptionist. Receptionists have an amazing amount of power. If you can hand deliver to the receptionist and get her/him interested in your story, they may just hand deliver to the journalist - and give you a quick plug....
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If you are buying ads in your local paper, always ask for free editorial too. Be nice to the sales rep - they might just be able to sway the decision about whether your press release gets some air time/column space.
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Contact local press and radio and let them know what you are an expert at - for example, if you sell organic skin care products and you keep a very close eye on what's happening in that industry - you may be someone they can call for a comment if there's a news item on toxic chemicals in skin care.... Big metro radio stations and newspapers have experts already, but community radio and news, interest group publications, regional stations and press - they're all worth keeping in touch with...
Chris Hull, Breakfast Producer for Brisbane Radio Station 4KQ offers this tip:
"Basically we don't have alot of time on our hands to read long, lengthy emails or press releases and 9 times out of 10 the announcers don't really want to hear alot of talk from us, just the main points so they can give a yes or no answer.
One of the announcers says - think of an email or press release as a post it note - whatever you can't fit on a post it note don't put on an email. Just give us the main points in a couple of lines, who, what, where, when and how we can get the talent and it will make your release easy to read for us and also maybe more successful for you in return!"
Thanks Chris. Hear his dulcet tones as part of the 4KQ Breaky show, Monday to Friday from 5 - 9am and popping up more and more on the airwaves of Brisbane!
In addition to writing press releases that get results, Talk About Creative can help with all kinds of
in your online or press ad. Just ask :)
