Many potential clients will call me and say, “I need someone to write a couple of press releases for me,” believing that writing and sending out a press release means automatic news coverage. I must then explain to the prospect that he/she would be wasting their money.
A press release is only as good as the issue itself, the angle taken on the issue, the selection of media on the receiving end, and the follow-up. Without any one of these elements, the press release doesn’t do much good
I have had clients that thought posting a press release on a newswire service was all they needed to do. Even the newswire postings need follow-ups.
Some potential clients feel that sending out a lot of press releases amount to good media relations practice. In fact, it could be argued that just the opposite is true. The fewer releases sent out the more value the news item is likely to be. In my reporter days, I would automatically toss a release from an organization that kept sending them to me. Keep in mind that reporters and assignment editors receive dozens of releases per day in many markets.
Some media relations professionals will tell you that following up a press release with a reporter is not a good idea because reporters are busy people with several deadlines. My experience is that following up is a must! We will cover that in our next newsletter.
If you are selective about your news value and media list, many reporters will be genuinely appreciative of your follow-up if it involves an issue that interests them.
Remember that there is more to a press release than meets the eye!
Al’s Advice
The best press releases:
- cover a worthwhile issue.
- contain a logical angle that benefits the audience.
- are sent to a carefully-selected group of media outlets.
- are followed-up in a timely, brief manner.
- are not sent too often.
Al Rothstein is a media trainer and consultant with Al Rothstein Media Services, Inc. For information, call (800) 453-6352, mediabrain@rothsteinmedia. com. Visit our web site at www.rothsteinmedia.com.
