You want journalists to help you share an important company announcement with their readers. Are press releases still the way to go? Fit Small Business compiled the latest press release statistics, including that 74% of journalists prefer press releases over any other form of submitted content.
Does that mean that 74% of journalists want your press release? Not exactly. To reach top publishers, you need a strong press release strategy.
We’re here to share our top tips on how to send out a press release and get noticed by top publishers. Read on to learn the secret to effective PR campaigns according to our top press release experts at eReleases.
Start With a Compelling Press Release
Have you ever seen a really great press release and wondered what made it work? Here are some of the top three tips ways to craft a compelling press release that will capture the attention of journalists and their audience.
Tackle the Five W’s
Press releases are designed to announce a specific change or upcoming event to your clients or consumers. When you’re sharing any piece of news, you need to include:
- Who is involved
- What is happening
- Why it matters
- When it’s occurring
- Where it’s occurring
You should also make it easy for readers to get any additional information they may want. For example, you might include a backlink to a longer informational piece on your website.
Keep It Concise
There’s a big difference between editorial coverage and press release coverage. Your press release isn’t the place to share every detail or decision that went into the event that you’re announcing.
Ultimately, your reader should be able to skim your press release and come away knowing everything you need them to know. Research in Science Direct shows that the average reader reads less than 250 words per minute, and that’s about how long you can expect readers to stay tuned into your article.
Check Every Press Release Box
There are some industry standards you should meet in every press release you write. For example, your press release should:
- Include an informative headline
- Be written in AP format
- Include a boilerplate at the end
How you format your press release and what you include in it will determine how publishable it is. Journalists don’t want to do a ton of editing before sharing a press release, so aim for perfection the first time.
Create a Targeted Email List
The next step in learning how to send out a press release to top publishers is to create a targeted email list. This is easier said than done, so don’t skip our tips to reach the journalists who are most likely to share your press release.
Verify Industry Relevance
You need to understand the purpose of your press release to pinpoint who you’re trying to reach. From there, you can pinpoint which journalists to include in your email list.
Only send your press release to journalists who publish news stories related to your industry. For example, the lifestyle correspondent at your local newspaper isn’t interested in your B2B office supply company.
Find the Right Contact Information
When you’re aiming for top publishers, you need to narrow in on specific contacts. Don’t just email the customer support address when your goal is to get your press release shared on Google News.
Your best bet is to partner with a press release distributor like eReleases. We already have a database of 1.7 million industry contacts to pull from.
Don’t Overlook Smaller Publications
It’s natural to aim for some of the top news and press release publishers in the country. After all, they’re going to have a massive audience that you want to reach.
However, a combination of large and small publications can broaden your reach. Include niche industry publishers in your press release distribution list to directly tap into your target audience.
Put Together a Noticeable Email Pitch
Can your press release speak for itself? While you’ll need a strong press release to get traction with journalists, you’ll also need to put together an attention-grabbing pitch.
Use a Catchy Subject Line
When you’re crafting your pitch email, don’t just use your press release title as the subject line. For starters, your title is likely too long for an effective subject line.
You want your entire subject line to show up in the preview, so aim for 50 characters or less. Summarize the key point in your press release title while demonstrating value to the journalist.
Explain the Relevance
The body of the email is where you’ll craft your pitch. This is where you elaborate on the value your press release has to the journalist you’re contacting. Highlight:
- Why a journalist’s audience will benefit from the information in your press release
- What makes your press release newsworthy
- Any additional news or interviews that aren’t in the press release but that may be useful for the journalist
You want to make it easy for the journalist to understand what angle they can take that would be relevant to their readership.
Personalize Your Pitch
If you’re going to send out a bulk email to your email list, make sure you BCC each contact. However, we recommend elevating your pitch by personalizing it to each contact, or at least the ones who are most important to the success of your PR campaign.
Something as simple as addressing a journalist by name or using the name of their publication in your pitch can demonstrate that you’ve done your research.
Avoid Common Press Release Email Mistakes
Even when you’ve reached the right journalists, you can still miss out on your chance to get published. Here are some of the top press release email mistakes to avoid.
Copy-Paste Your Press Release
One of the most common mistakes we see in DIY press release distribution is including the press release as an attachment. Always copy-paste the press release into the body of the email directly below your pitch.
Attachments can cause issues for recipients that you want to avoid. For example, your attachment may get flagged by anti-virus programs, making it impossible to open. Don’t count on journalists reaching out to you to clarify issues.
Avoid the Spam Folder
According to Mail Chimp, it’s pretty easy for email campaigns to end up in the spam folder. Some of the top reasons why emails get labeled as spam include subject lines written in all capital letters or emails that contain more images than texts.
You should also avoid creating false urgency in your email. For example, don’t start your subject line with words like, “Important.” Natural and authentic language works best.
Avoid the Bottom of the Inbox
Finally, make sure that your email doesn’t get lost in the fray. Timing is an important component of any pitch, so try to avoid sending your press release pitch:
- On a Monday morning or Friday afternoon
- On the weekend
- After business hours
- Right before a major holiday
We recommend sending your pitch on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Aim to get the pitch in your recipient’s email box after the workday begins but before lunch.
Follow Up the Right Way
If you haven’t heard back from some of your top publishers, you can follow up. However, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do so. Here’s how to reach out a second time without causing frustration.
Don’t Get Impatient
You can’t expect a journalist to respond to your press release pitch within a few hours of receiving it. Remember, you’re not the only one trying to get information published.
If you don’t hear back, wait at least 48 hours before sending a follow-up. On the flipside, don’t wait over a week, or you may have lost your window of opportunity.
Don’t Get Pushy
When you’re writing a follow-up email, make sure that your language remains positive and professional. You can say things like, “I’m following up on the press release pitch my company sent on [insert precise date]. I was wondering if you got a chance to read it or if you have any additional questions.”
Don’t oversell your press release or how much it could benefit the journalist. Ultimately, you need to respect their time and their decision.
Offer Additional Angles
While you don’t want to sound forceful in your follow-up email, you can offer an additional angle or two. This is especially the case if other stories are breaking that bear weight on your press release or new information has come to light.
Don’t send a laundry list of reasons why a journalist should publish your press release. They know their readership better than anyone else.
How to Send Out a Press Release the Foolproof Way: Partner With eReleases
Are you ready to learn how to send a press release to top publishers and actually get noticed? eReleases has the expertise to make it happen.
We have a database of over 1.7 million media contacts and an exclusive partnership with PR Newswire, the oldest and most trusted press release publisher in the nation. Contact us and we’ll help you prepare a PR campaign that lands you a spot on top websites.