#SillySeasonPR #12
Don’t be pushy
“Come and interview us and we will give you an exclusive story.”
“This is our story and this is the angle.”
“I sent you a press release, but haven’t seen it in your newspaper.”
I’ve heard these a few times lately.
They don’t get you off to a very good start. I jump at the chance of an interesting interview or a good story and I’ve got a good nose for news and can usually tell (but not always).
Give yourself the best chance
Many press releases don’t get published.
This can be because they are:
- irrelevant to the publication
- inaccurate
- an advert disguised as news
- so poorly written that no one understands it
- sent too late to meet the deadline
- just not interesting
There are many reasons why they don’t get published, but don’t let being pushy be one of them.
How can I get my press release considered for publication?
- Make it relevant – research the publication and tailor it accordingly
- Check all the facts so that everything you say is correct
- Don’t sell – tell a real story. Adverts aren’t news
- Make sure it is well written. Let colleagues or friends read it to check they understand it
- Send it in good time, especially if timing is essential, eg to publicise an event
- Make sure it is interesting. Just because you are excited, doesn’t mean other people will be
- Make yourself useful to journalists – help them do their jobs
If your press release is all of these things, it has a better chance of being considered for publication, but there is still no guarantee.
The editor could suddenly decide to reduce the number of pages in an issue so articles planned for inclusion will have to be left out.
Late news often arrives. A company making a lot of people redundant could take precedence over other news as could a company announcing a lot of new jobs.
However much we plan, we can’t tell what other news is going to come up.
Work with journalists
Journalists aren’t happy when they’ve been working on articles and their space is cut, so you won’t make them any happier by badgering them about including your press release.
The more helpful you are and the better the news you provide, the more likely a journalist will include it or try to give you coverage.
Being pushy will not help.
Your #SillySeasonPR #12 task is to review your press release to make it relevant, interesting and suitable for the publications you are targeting. Good luck and do ask any questions you have.
Tomorrow: ? Visit to find out
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