Press release Advice

[gemd89]

Just looking for some general advice really.

-Is there a best time to send a press release?
-What is the best day to send a press release?
-Who should it be sent to? Editor or features desk and how do you get details?
-Would you send the same press release to different journalists at different mags/papers?
-How do you get editorial content in mags etc? Say I had an article on Decorate a wedding table under £10 and I wanted that in a wedding mag?
-What are the easy ways to make a story if you dont have anything interested thats happened?
-How do you format the press release?

Any other hints and tips greatfully appreciated
Gemma

 

[Elliottc26]

Hi,

1. Timing - I would send one 2-3 weeks ahead if for an upcoming event. If news, then as soon as you break the news send a release. Or, you can specify a not before release date.

2. I would send it any day of week, excluding Sat and Sun.

3. Should be sent to Editor or Ass. Editor. See Writers' Market book.

4. I would send to all outlets that target your audience - local and national

5. You can pay for an advertorial if the mag does this (usually costs thousands per issue and +50% of normal advert price). Or contact a Journalist. Or write a proposal to an Editor of your chosen publication.

6. You can make a story using stats if relevant; but, don't send rubbish. You don't want to be whitewashed for sending trivia.

7. Search online for Press Release formats.

 

[gemd89]

5. What should a proposal include, I have an article I have written say something like 101 ways to.... etc etc and I want that featured in the paper or magazine- What would I do?
Gemma

 

[Elliottc26]

5. What should a proposal include, I have an article I have written say something like 101 ways to.... etc etc and I want that featured in the paper or magazine- What would I do?
Gemma

First, I would get a copy of teh contributors' guidelines from their website or by emailing the Editor. Then I would send it via email to the publication with a covering letter (see Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2012 for formats). Make sure the article is presented and to the word length required by the publication.

 

[atmedia]

try Pressat v good for SEO

 

[krossiter]

Just a small thing regarding the press release format.

Most online magazines/ blogs etc prefer a word document. - In my experience

And a medium quality logo/ accompanying photo attached separately.

It's easier to extract the infomation.

You should write a good cover letter in your email, so that the editor actually wants to open the attachment, I find that quite important.

 

[eventdomain]

-Is there a best time to send a press release?
-What is the best day to send a press release?
-Who should it be sent to? Editor or features desk and how do you get details?
-Would you send the same press release to different journalists at different mags/papers?

1. Try to catch Journalists in the early morning - they'll be at their desks then, before they rush out covering stories!

2. Don't hassle Editors! they wont appreciate it and can bin stories and its not following the chain of command! Contact the appropriate Journalist 'Desks' eg: Tech, Business, Leisure etc the same day (if you can), as news releases can be lost easily..... so good chance you'll have to repeat send your release..

3. Don't send to a Features Desk.... this is for stories that already had Features done on them. You cannot know if your story is feature material, you aren't a Journalist. Just send it to one of the desks, if its a proper Wedding release - I'd suggest either Business/Lifestyle desks.

4. Magazines charge money. I've always found it very tough to even get replies, and never got to speak with Mag reporters, something always happens, eg: contact details won't work, emails never answered or some crap like that. The Mags/Reporter motivations WILL be money-led, and very specialised, and picky - they are NOT necessarily the press ok, you need to know this and work completely differently
If the magazine is owned by the newspaper, they'll decide where a story best 'fits' - I'd suggest contacting newspapers, as its better coverage than magazines, and it looks better to get a paper story, than what looks like a bunch of paid magazine articles.

Also wait until you've been written about in several papers before contacting the mags - its best to get a few stories behind you - its more likely they'll get picked up by others if you have.

 

[10Yetis]

Hola, some thoughts based on our experience, probably saying what everyone else has said

-Is there a best time to send a press release?
Depends on the media.
Across the board: We go Tues through Thurs as hacks are busy on Monday's catching up, and Friday's are tricky for getting hold of them. There is also a "Sunday for Monday" story, and the thinking is that there is less releases sent on a Sunday so you have a greater chance of getting a bigger splash on the Monday.
National Press, we try before 9.30am, before the journo goes into their news conf.
Local Media: Any time if a generalist story, before 9.30 if a time specific story
Mags: Small ones anytime. The larger glossy ones work to (on average) a three month lead time, so if you want to get in the Xmas editions of the glossy titles you need to start sending and selling in around July/Aug time.

-What is the best day to send a press release?
Covered that above, Tues through Thurs for most papers (in our experience) but you could try a Sunday for Monday story

-Who should it be sent to? Editor or features desk and how do you get details?
Never send to editors, always go for a news reporter, or news editor, not the actual mag or paper editor. Online, this is slightly different. For example, with Sift's BusinessZone, Dan here is the editor and you can go to him direct.
The best bet is to read the media you are targeting, find the best journo based on stories similar to yours, find their contact deets and go to them.

Only send to a feature person if you are trying to sell in a feature over a more normal press release angle

-Would you send the same press release to different journalists at different mags/papers?
Yes, but tailor it for each outlet, don't send a mass-blast out and don't cc everyone! Mail merge allows for personalised messaging.

-How do you get editorial content in mags etc? Say I had an article on Decorate a wedding table under £10 and I wanted that in a wedding mag?
Well, you don't provide content to the mag. You suggest ideas via angles or feature ideas. The journo writes these up into stories. If it is a specialist area you will sometimes be asked to give quotes or content.

-What are the easy ways to make a story if you dont have anything interested thats happened?
Find a PR agency/freelancer to come up with interesting angles for you. If you send dull stuff to the media they may remember this and not bother looking at your stuff in the future.

-How do you format the press release?
We have a non-salesy guide on our How to Write a Press Release section
Main things: once written, send in main body of email, under your signature. Don't include large images, if you have a pic led story either link to the images in the release or put thumbnails in (very low res).
Don't attach in word or PDF, reduces your chances of getting through.
Follow up with a phone call to see what they thought of it. Don't ask if they got it... journo's hate that.

Hope this helps