Who to Send a Press Release To
When done correctly, a press release can be a valuable and free tool for promoting an event, business, or news item. A press release is a short article, usually one page, that announces or summarizes an event in order to garner publicity or recognition. A press release is typically emailed, faxed, or mailed to the appropriate editor.
Press releases are not just limited to newspapers. A press release can be submitted to magazines, radio stations, and television stations and networks.
Who to Send the Press Release To
Before sending a press release, it's important to first determine where to direct it. Any organization that deals with media - be it a newspaper, magazine, or television station - is a busy, deadline-oriented environment. Most of the time, there is no time to be sending or forwarding press releases along to the right person in the event they are sent to the wrong person.
First, determine where the press release would be most relevant. For example, a press release announcing a food drive held by a group of grade school students probably wouldn't get much attention in the Sports section. It's important to identify which editor or reporter that would be the most interested in the news being submitted. A press release announcing a charity bake-off would be best placed in the Community or Food section of a magazine or newspaper, while an announcement of a sizeable donation by a local company would probably belong in the business section.
Making Sure the Press Release Is Accepted
Not all press releases are published, and not all editors or reporters will be interested in every press release that is sent. For this reason, it's important to be patient while submitting queries or press releases. In some cases, it might be a good idea to rewrite the press release or resubmit it to the appropriate person.
There are a number of things that should be considered when writing a press release that can help increase the chances of having it published:
- Make sure the press release is well-written and covers the facts. A well-written press release will address six questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how, and generally in the first paragraph. Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors. There is a certain format to be followed for writing press releases; be certain that the correct format is followed.
- Send the press release to just one person per media outlet. Don't send the press release to every editor hoping one catches it.
- Be brief and to the point.
Unsolicited Press Releases
It's a good idea to mention that not all editors appreciate press releases without a formal query first. A query can be as simple as an email to the editor stating your name, organization, and a brief (2-3 sentences) request to send in a press release. Editors are busy people, and while some publications welcome press releases, some only accept them if the writer first sends a query. Some editors even compile lists of companies that send unsolicited press releases and mark them as spammers.
The best way to find out if the editor or publication accepts press release submissions is to check out their website. If there is no information, contact the publication directly via telephone or mail (not email; the whole idea here is to keep the editor's inbox as uncluttered as possible) and ask if they accept press releases without a query.
For more information about public relations and related topics, visit the following websites:
http://101publicrelations.com
www.publicrelationsideas.com
