How Effective Are Your Press Releases in Getting You Press?
Learn Which PR Tools Work Best
I had an interesting phone call yesterday that got me thinking about people’s understanding on the subject of PR—or should I say their misunderstanding. The caller was a prospective client—a very savvy businesswoman—who asked if my firm can send out a press release for a new product they’re getting ready to launch.
Knowing how ineffective press releases are, I asked (a little bit tongue-in-cheek) what she expected would happen from sending out a press release, and to whom would she like it sent? She said she wasn’t sure and just knew when companies launch a product – they’re supposed to send out a press release!
After the call I realized this actually comes up quite often on sales calls – the idea that if a press release is written and sent somewhere, something “magical” will happen. I sure wish it was that simple!
With The New York Times receiving over 500 press releases a day and having just laid off more than 1,700 workers over the last 12 months, do you think anyone is actually reading them? The fact is that press releases are commodities today, with thousands each day passing through services like PR Newswire and BusinessWire like sausage through a grinder. The odd part is that once those releases hit and get distributed to all the article banks and PR news sites, they become so ubiquitous that they cease to be actual news. That means legitimate news organizations that represent the vanguard of third-party verification in the PR world are no longer interested in them.
So, how are you supposed to communicate with the media? It comes down to using the right tool for the right job. Depending on your specific needs, there are ways of communicating with the press that will get their attention and have a better chance of resulting in news coverage of your company. They include:
- The Calendar Listing. Local newspapers, weeklies and Web sites still have calendar sections that report on local events. Write up a simple blurb about your event, no more than a paragraph in length, and include who will be there and who should attend, along with all the pertinent information such as time and place, and send it to the calendar editors of the local print publications. In many cases, the email addresses for these editors are clearly listed on their publication’s Web sites, or even in the calendar section where your notice would run. By sending this blurb and following up by phone, you have a much better chance of getting your event listed than if you send a general press release that will wind up in the recycle bin of an editor’s desktop.
- The Media Alert. Local television news organizations like covering local events, but they need a little more detailed information than the calendar editor at your major daily or weekly newspaper. More importantly, they need to know what the “visuals” will be for their story. Provide these details and follow up by phone a few days before and again on the morning of, your event. You’ll have a solid shot at getting some cameras at your event.
- The Expert Pitch Letter. If you want the media to put you on the air, or write about your company, you have to create a reason for them to be interested in you. You can send them a one or two paragraph pitch offering yourself or your spokesperson as an expert commentator on your topic. The first step is to ask yourself, “What is my company’s area of expertise and how will my new product or service benefit an audience?”
How does this get your product launch mentioned? Getting press is a strategy. Using the expert pitch letter is a tactic that positions you and your company as smart and cutting edge. The result will be a plug for your company, product and Web site, where you can trumpet your product launch like a 100 piece orchestra. This is a much higher percentage shot than putting out a press release and hoping that someone in the press cares enough to write about it.
Remember, the media aren’t fond of sales pitches for your company, but if your expertise on a topic can help lend clarity or focus to an existing news story, your company has the chance to be cast as the area expert, prompting potential customers to seek you out when they are in need of your related product or service.
So forget about issuing press releases every week. No one is reading them, and the few who are, have to wade through several hundred to get to yours. You’re much better off helping the news media actually report on the news. This approach will make them more inclined to include your company in their coverage, and even come back to you from time to time.
This post was written by
Marsha Friedman launched EMS Incorporated in 1990. Her firm represents corporations and experts in a wide array of fields such as business, health, food, lifestyle, politics, finance, law, sports and entertainment. She consults individuals and businesses on a daily basis and is frequently asked to speak at conferences about how to harness the power of publicity.
Outside of the office, she is also the founder of a non-profit organization called the Cherish the Children Foundation. In 1996 the White House recognized her charity which sets out to raise awareness of the plight of underprivileged and foster children.
Marsha,
Great ideas – I added some here: http://www.onlineprbook.com/will-your-press-release-lead-to-press-coverage
I have 2 questions:
1. Who do you call for the media alert and what kind of visuals are they interested in?
2. Who do you send a pitch letter to – and is it actually a pitch email? I imagine you could send a pitch tweet too if it was targeted.
Blog on,
Janet
@Newspapergrl
Very thought provoking and somewhat surprising too!
Given that “the press” are snowed under with Press Releases, do you think there is any value in online PRs in terms of link building or SEO?
Michelle – I’m so glad you’ve had success. You must be providing valuable content their readers. Well done.
Alex – Yes that is a value of online press releases. My point was more about getting pickup in newspapers and magazines.
Janet – 1. You typically call producers for radio or TV shows and you want to contact the beat reporter that would cover the kind of story you’re proposing. Re the visuals, one of the best suggestions I can offer is to think of yourself as the viewer and what visual would keep you interested in your topic?
2. We use email and phone to contact the media. The first step is determining which media you want to contact. Assuming it’s local, go to the radio or TV show’s website and you’ll find email addresses and phone numbers. The same thing goes for newspapers, identify which editor is writing about your topic i.e. health editor, business editor, food editor, finance etc and seek their contact information via the paper’s website or the paper itself.
I have used press releases very successfully, but only send them when I have an announcement about my business that is newsworthy and I also send out press releases that are not announcements about a new service or award but that are informational while not plugging my business. I think that those releases are the ones the media has been most interested in and that give me the most exposure.
I have also used the other tools you mention, especially the pitches.
Your article will be most helpful to many entrepreneurs! What I hear underlying your article is that as with all good communications, it’s critical to think about your audience. For entrepreneurs, your potential customers are your ultimate audience – and – in PR, thinking of the journalists as an audience is helpful and essential. Ask yourself the question – What’s important to the journalist? What are they thinking about? What’s it like in their world. This will help guide your pitch.
I always get something of value when I take the time to read your thoughts. One obsticle I face is the writers for the equine, home/ artistic mags are “thrilled” to do a piece on my work and have checked out the t.v. coverage i’ve had locally shown on my web site with the kids and horses ect but, drop the bomb “we can do this big spread ” as soon as you sign a 2k contract for advertisements in our publication. Horse Illestrated went so far as to set up an “interview” for wich I laid out a lot of my work with fresh landscaping ect. only to have the person who showed up to be a sales rep. Short of setting the dogs on her I sent her away . I know whom ever “discovers me” will get some sort of credit , I’ll make sure of it but other than that, I’m at a loss in the circle of heve it to make it vs make it to have it. Whinning over, Bruce
Bruce – Love your website and your art. Very unsual. I feel your pain.
What you described is the very nature of industry trade publications particularly in this economy where advertising dollars are scarce. Look it’s all about marketing and figuring out what are the best marketing tools for you to apply. I guarantee you there are more than one or two, but it does require constantly creating opportunities. I would take a look at what’s been most successful for you in the past and make sure that you haven’t dropped out any successful actions that have worked well for you. Also make sure that you’re doing everything to strengthen whatever has worked well for you and eliminating wasted efforts. Hope this helps some!
Marsha; Well said! Having worked at ABC news, and editing smaller publications I’ve struggled for years to figure out how to perfectly explain this to my well-intended clients. Now I can just send them to this link. Thanks for making it easy for me! I look forward to an article from you on how to craft a perfect pitch (she says hopefully).
And to your readers commenting on media pitching them to buy an ad vs. getting editorial coverage, I can offer that the various editors I’ve spoken with for tv and newspapers tell me; ‘”yes we’re more likely to do stories on our advertisers” – very contrary to how media ‘ethics’ used to separate ads and content. So if your pitch is self-serving in that you’re selling something, that’s an ad, not news. That’s why they sent an ad rep. So, think to yourself first “how does this benefit the vast majority of their readers” to put a real news spin on it. Like Marsha said, if it’s an event, it’s news.
Allison – Thanks so much for your feedback. Nice to get insight from a media industry professional
Interesting post on misconceptions on PR, as we all know, PR is truly an inexact science. However, a new product, is a new product, and worth investigating a powerful slant.
Is the new product, simply an update on an existing one, or is it a rocket fuel back pack for commuters?
With that said, I myself have had many of those calls, from perspective clients.
One such blurry caller with a small, boutique charm bracelet firm, throught her firm warranted a story in the Associated Press! I patiently asked her several questions, just in case this was the Duchess of York or something, but alas, nothing so sensational indeed.
Night all,
Tina Bradford for Kreate Market, and Tina BradfordPR
Our experience with press releases in our own niche market (noise & vibration measurement systems) has been somewhat disappointing. Every one we have distributed is met with a ‘the editor would love to publish if you are willing to pay a £xxx insertion/editorial fee’. I don’t have a problem with that per se. We tend to set a budget and pay for insertions in those publications that we consider to be most worthwhile. However, it means that larger competitors can simply ‘buy’ large parts of the key publications. It just becomes more advertising (ie bucks) rather than a matter of generating interesting content.
I probably being naive, but I’d always thought that more editorial judgement was used in choosing stories for publication. It has left me rather jaded and very suspicious of the newsworthiness of these ‘trade’ publications.
On the other hand, maybe my press releases are rubbish
Hi Chris,
Given the editor’s response, I suspect your “press releases” are more about your company, products or service, rather than providing helpful information about problems that your product may solve for the reader. The media is always looking for ways to engage their audience and in the print media particularly, that’s often done with “tips” type articles. Hope this helps!