General Tips

Public Relations Tips

The Challenge

Note: These ideas are offered to assist those possibly unfamiliar with e-mail news distribution. We understand that for many public relations and investor relations professionals they are standard operating practices.

Newsrooms and editors are routinely swamped with mail and fax messages.

Your news release is competing with hundreds of others for attention. One way to make yours stand out is by making it easier on the editor.

Keep your release clear, concise and tightly focused so an editor can digest it and make a decision in a few seconds. That little favor can dramatically improve your chances of "making the cut."

Target your media carefully and the odds get even better.

Help Out and Improve Your Chances

Think about the Subject Line. Make it informative and eye-catching. If sending a related series, make the Titles very different to avoid confusion. Possible components:

Words "News Release" or "News Update."

"Revision" or "Correction" first on Re-sends.

Company Name.

Phrase reflecting release contents.

Suggest Internal Routing, if appropriate -- i.e., "Attention: Food Editor," "To: Entertainment Writer," "Attention: Travel Editor," etc. -- on a separate line, above the copy. Such guidance is helpful and welcome.

Daily Newspapers, General Interest, News and Lifestyle magazines, Wire Services, Networks and Syndicators have many such specialized editors, writers, desks and departments.

Routing guidance also helps categorize a release for those media without such specialties.

If information is For Immediate Release, state it above the copy.

Follow Up Intelligently. Most editors don't welcome calls simply checking to see if they received or remember a release.

On follow-up calls, be helpful, ready to provide an interview or other solid information.
Have the some quotes ready in case they are wanted.
Have back-up information ready and available.
Post a more detailed release on your CorporateNEWS Web page and refer to it.
Sometimes access to third-party endorsers is welcome and useful.

Hot Buttons

Journalism and public relations trade magazines consistently list these qualities likely to make a news release appealing to an editor or reporter:

Impact: Measure of overall relevance or interest to the editor's target audience. High impact stories are likely to be picked up.
Reader/Viewer Service: Something the editor reasons will be of interest to readers or viewers because of the help it provides.
Innovation: What's NEW? Why is it significant? How is it better?
Conflict: Often compelling, but not usually positive.
Personality: Celebrities can spark interest, whether from the entertainment, sports, academic, political or business arenas.
Novelty/Oddity: Human interest stories, stories with an odd or funny twist.

Other News Release Tips

The best writing style for a news release is the "inverted pyramid" which puts the most important facts into the first paragraph.
In organizing those facts, remember the journalist's five "Ws" and "H" - The Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of your story.
Avoid jargon. If technical language is necessary, be sure it is explained.
Make sure your news release contains all critical information, including times and dates.
Include names, telephone numbers and addresses (e-mail, Web and otherwise) of persons to contact for more information.
Let editors know if photos, audio or video are available and how they can be obtained.