I’ve been on both ends of the press release. There have been times in my career when I’ve been the one to write and send them. At other times, I’ve been the recipient.
As a writer for various outlets these days, I’m on several media lists and receive quite a few releases. I also work with companies to write or edit their materials prior to distribution. This experience has given me a unique perspective on what makes a press release compelling. Writers and editors are all different, so I can’t pretend to speak for everyone. But if you want to make sure your release annoys its recipients, here’s what you should be sure to do.
1. Boldface the entire release. Don’t laugh. I’ve seen this. And as important as you think your message is, I promise you it does not warrant boldface body copy. At most, bold your headline for emphasis.
2. Use ALL CAPS as much as possible. It’s common to see all caps in headlines, though for me, this just makes it harder to read the headline. Al Stevens (@alstevens) recently reminded me of this one.
3. Make it really long. If you’ve been in PR for more than a day, you probably have been told (or figured it out for yourself) that people are busy. Your various audiences — whether they’re consumers, executives or reporters — are limited on time and bombarded with messages constantly. If your press release is longer than two pages, I’d suggest you start cutting. If you can keep it to one page, all the better. If it’s a real story, the writer will do some real reporting, meaning your release is there to spur interest.
4. Include large photos. Yes, art can sell a story. And publications like — and often even request — high-resolution photos to accompany a story. But when an e-mail comes through with high-res (read: large file size) photos along with the release, a lot of writers are inclined to delete the message to free up space in our inboxes. Let people know you have art available, and if they want it, they’ll ask.
5. Make your headline long and confusing. If the headline isn’t succinct and clear, most people won’t bother with the rest of the release.
6. Don’t put the news in the lead. It’s Journalism 101 — the first paragraph should contain the meat of the story. Starting with background information or a cute anecdote, rather than the actual news, might put off those busy writers you’re trying to appeal to.
7. Send it to nonpertinent publications. Everyone says they never do this. And I know this means that some people are lying. Sending information that doesn’t pertain to the publication or the writer’s beat is a surefire way to make sure it’s never read. When I edited healthcare magazines, I received more than my fair share of non-health-related travel and business story ideas. Usually, I didn’t have to read past the subject line to know I could delete the e-mail. And maybe you want to fire off as many rounds as possible and see what happens. That’s your “strategy.” I understand the approach, but remember, doing this too often has consequences. I have been known to set rules on my e-mail for certain individuals’ e-mails to go directly into the trash. I assume I’m not alone.
And remember — sometimes a press release is an overly formal and unnecessary tool in today’s fast-paced world. Sometimes a quick paragraph e-mailed to a writer or editor can do the trick.
Speak up — what else should people be sure not to do in their press releases?
I think my favorite thing I’ve seen in a press release is a page long boiler plate. I started reading it, thinking it was a part of the story, when it was the history of the guy and his company!
If the release didn’t have that, I might have given it a second chance. Instead it went right into the trash.
VERY nice list, I wish everyone would review this before writing a press release!!
#8 – Include highly technical speak. There’s nothing better than confusing the crud out of your audience at making them skip the article. Include it in a “for more information” link instead.