A press release is a short, crisp one-page document you send to a magazine or newspaper editor. If published, it appears as if the magazine or newspaper editorial staff has written it. Here are 29 points to help you create a great release, increase your chances of having it published – and of getting a better response from a more highly qualified prospect.
29. Use 1” to 1-1/2” space at the top of the page as a header. The header contains contact information and is not considered part of the body of the release – the part that you would like to appear when the press release is published.
28. In the header print “Press Release” in a large, bold typeface. Alternate wording can be “News Release,” “For Immediate Release,” (my personal favorite), ”NEWS,” and so on. As long as a busy editor can see it’s a press release at first glance, it works.
27. In the header include contact information containing your name, company name, phone number, fax number, email and the date. I also usually put the name of the release (the industry and a one or two word description of the release), and a “T” or “C” indicating if it’s a trade or consumer release. (If it’s a trade press release we talk about “fast turnover and high profit margins;” if it’s a consumer release we talk about “customer benefits, product features and availability.”)
26. The header should include a “kill date,” after which you no longer wish the date to run. This information usually applies to events, the kill date being the day after the event date. If there is no kill date, state “No Kill Date.”
25. If you need the release to coincide with other media, indicate a “Start Date.” For example, if you are releasing information about a new product, and would like all your publicity to appear all at the same time, let each publisher know. Otherwise, you’ll have newspapers – who publish releases within 2 weeks – let the cat out of the bag, when your magazine press releases won’t appear for a month, but more likely three to six months later.
24. Create the strongest headline you can possibly imagine. Of all the time you put into your release, spend the most on your headline. Spend an hour or two just thinking up the one line that will 1. make the editor think it will be a good story for their readers, 2. make the publisher look good so they will be interested in publishing it in their magazine or newspaper, 3. make every reader who might buy your product or use your service put it on their “Must Read” list, and 4. if possible, make it unattractive to those who will not buy your product or service – so you will save on your literature costs and mailing expense.
Here are three formula and examples to help you create great headlines.
23. Use the Headline formula, “FREE Booklet offers Valuable Information!” For example, a moving company headline might say: “FREE Booklet offers tips on packing valuables when you move.” This booklet is simply two pages folded in half to 8-1/2” x 5-1/2” and nested together. It’s low in cost to print, and can even be made on a copier. Result: very high interest from their target market (people who are going to move), and no interest from people who are outside their target market and are not going to move. So the moving company sends the booklet with a nice letter to the inquirer, and saves literature costs because people who aren’t really prospects don’t inquire.
22. Use the headline formula, “New Product Offers Benefit, Benefit, Benefit!” For example, “New computer screams with blazing speed, has enough storage room for 5,225,000 pages, yet fits in the palm of your hand!” Or, “New Book Demonstrates How To Market Any Product – for Under $500 – in Under 6 Months!” (It’s for the book, How To Market A Product For Under $500!, by Jeff Dobkin. Best darn marketing book, ever! Ummm, not counting my newest book: “Successful Low Cost Direct Marketing Methods”).
21. Speaking of Jeff, use the Jeff Dobkin “100 to 1 Rule for creating the best headlines.” As found in the article of the same name on page 113 of the book, Uncommon Marketing Techniques: write 100 headlines, go back and pick out your best one. Hey, I didn’t say you’d like it, I just said it would help you create a strong headline. Well, now you don’t have to buy the book, unless you want the excellent low cost marketing tips and techniques – and bad jokes – that fill the other 269 pages.
20. Start your press release with the important elements first. Just like a newspaper story, press releases are created with a pyramid style of writing: the most important elements at the top. For example, a newspaper story may have the headline “Fire Kills 3;” the story starts, “three persons die, and seven more were injured in a 5 alarm…” and it goes on fact by fact in order of relevancy. Trailing at the story’s end may be what the neighbors said or how many donuts the firemen ate while putting out the blaze. Editors know to cut from the bottom.
19. Don’t use fluffy words or lots of adjectives. If it sounds like an ad, as opposed to sounding like a news story, it will be rejected by the editor, and consequently not selected for publication.
18. Start your body copy with one or two of your biggest benefits. This is an unusual style of release I originated and it’s an anomaly to the above point 15. I call it the benefits-first release. Since editors traditionally cut information from the bottom, if you are smooth in sneaking in one or two benefits in the very first line of the release they usually won’t be cut. Remember: benefits – what’s in it for the reader – are why people buy your product or call you with an inquiry.
17. Keep it to one page. You’re not writing the new version of “War and Peace.” Two-page press releases are much harder to get read let alone get placed. There are, however, “Feature Releases” – which are usually written for a specific magazine. If you think your storyline is worth a feature story, call the editor first (or write a query letter pitching the story proposal) to make sure you’re not wasting your time writing a long press release that’s going nowhere.
16. Use courier style type, 12 point, and double space your body copy. If it runs long – over a page, or you need more white space, go to 10 point. If you still need more room go to a more condensed face like Bookman, Century Schoolbook or Times Roman which are much more condensed typefaces. If you still need more space, take out a big red pen and cross out half of what you’ve written – it’s too long.
15. Take out a big red pen and cross out half of what you’ve written anyhow. Edit severely. The closer you can come to “This press release contains no apparent bullshit, er… extraneous material,” the more likely it is to be published.
14. Proof your work carefully. If your work is filled with typos, mistakes and poor grammar, the editor will think his or her readers will get poorly written literature (if anything at all) or a lousy product – either of which will reflect badly on his publication. Result: your press release won’t run.
13. Include contact information in the body of the release. The last paragraph of your release should contain your or your company name, address, phone, fax and email. If your release is direct-selling and you hope to get any direct sales, the price must be included. If your price is really high, leave it out and ask readers to write or call for more information.
Remember, the story appears as if written by the magazine or newspaper – so write about your firm in the third person: “Contact them at…” “Their address and phone number is…”
12. End with ### to show it’s the end. End newspaper releases with -30-.
11. Call the editor. For the top 5 or 10 placements you’d really like to have your released published (more if you like to use the phone), call the editor FIRST and ask, “Are you the person I should send this press release to?” This sets up a “Can you help me?” relationship in under 30 seconds. If they say yes, give them your 30-second to 1-minute pitch, then send your release. If they say no, get the name of the person who receives releases, and start this exact same conversation all over again.
(Note: most editors are usually helpful, except around the closing date of the magazine at the end of the month – then they’re usually cranky). Find out if they’re “on deadline” before you ask for them.
10. If you get nervous after sending a release and in hindsight decide to call the editor, never – and I mean never – say “Did you get my release?” This makes editors angry: you’ll be the 10,000th person who has asked them that very same question… this month. Instead, say “I’m calling to see if I can give you any additional information on our new…” and give your product. Then you can mention you sent a press release a week ago that’s in a purple folder/envelope (so it’ll be easy to find). If they like what you have to say, they’ll let you know that they’ll be happy to find your release, or I’m sure you’ll be happy to send another one.
9. How to estimate the value of the release. When your press release is published, take the number of column inches of space your press release consumes in the magazine, then figure out what that space would have cost you if you bought it as ad space. Then add 25%, because the value of editorial is much greater than ad space, because of the greater credibility as it appears as editorial.
8. Select your press release list with care. You can find the magazines, the newspapers and the editors’ names in some excellent, easy to use directories. The directories we use here in our offices are excellent choices: Bacon’s Magazine Directory and Bacon’s Newspaper Directory (800-621-0561), Burrelle’s Media Directories which include Burrelle’s Magazines and Newsletters, Burrelle’s Daily Newspapers and Non-Daily Newspapers) (800-766-5114); Oxbridge Communications Standard Periodical Directory, and the Oxbridge Directory of Newsletters (800-955-0231), and SRDS Publication Business Advertising Source and Newspaper Advertising Source (800-232-0772). These directories can also be found in most libraries, and now also online, where you can buy a subscription to the most up-to-the-minute editorial data.
7. Make an A and B list for each industry. The A list editors get a phone call before sending them your release. The B list editors simply get press releases with nice cover letters. For our press campaigns, we usually send 80 to 100 releases for a minor release, and up to 500 press packages for a major release. How many you send will all depend on the size of the industries or markets you are trying to reach.
6. Include a Photo. We usually send 5” x 7” black and white photos with every release – it adds a visual hook to the story and most of the time the photo gets printed. It also increases the perceived press release package value (nice release, nice photo = additional credibility for your firm).
5. Send press releases every few months. A single press release is not a campaign. Grooming the press and getting consistent publicity is a continual process.
4. Send a letter with every press release. If you called the editor as mentioned above, start your letter with “Thanks for receiving my call. It was a pleasure speaking with you,” even if it wasn’t. This reminds the editor that you were the one that called, how much the publication of this release means to you, and can increase the chance of your press release being published from 5% to 70%.
3. In the letter you send with your press release, don’t say “Enclosed is a press release.” They can see that. Produce a letter that gives your firm and product additional credibility, and also gives a savvy editor additional copy points they can pick up and use in your publication write-up.
2. Remember the function of the press release is to sell products or generate phone calls. I have a client who bragged to me that his PR agency had gotten his firm a mention in The Wall Street Journal. “Did you get any calls?” I always ask. “Did you get a lot of business from it?” I continue before they can say “no.”
Unless you simply want your ego stroked, a write-up is a waste of time if it doesn’t generate a response. If you want your ego stroked, buy a dog – it’s cheaper. If you want more business, write and correctly present a well constructed press release.
1. If your press released is published, don’t forget to follow up with a nice “thank you” letter. You’ve received excellent value for your time and effort, and a thank you letter shows that you appreciate it. And did I mention sets up a good relationship with an editor (an uncommonly thankless job) for the possibility of publishing the next release.
The logical conclusion to a successful press campaign is the knowledge base of which magazines bring in results and sales for you – so that you can place ads in them. Place ads in the top drawing publications that published your release. While most people look at ads as an expense, we cherish magazines and papers that can deliver our focused message to a responsive, target audience – time after time, month after month – and bring us a profitable return. When we find a medium that’s profitable for us, we run ads in it forever. We use press releases as a low-cost testing vehicle to find these profitable magazines.
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