When to send a press release (and when not to send one)

Reporters receive a LOT of press releases and pitches. Add to that a mountain of social media posts where any manner of news might break at any time, and you have a non-stop influx of information through which reporters and editors must sift to determine what to cover. My advice is that if you are going to speak to reporters by way of a press release, you better have something to say. Below are a few suggestions to consider when deciding whether (or not) your message warrants sending a press release.

1.     Does it have a hook?

Sometimes people will request a press release simply because they want to increase interest in their organization or project. I once had someone suggest that, “We should be doing a press release every day!” In almost every instance, this is a very bad idea. It’s the principle that if everything is special, then nothing is special. There’s an element of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” here. If you’re always announcing things that don’t bear announcing, when you really do have something to announce, no one will pay attention. Ask yourself, “What is the verb? What is the action that is taking place?” Effective press releases are written like the news articles they seek to elicit, which means they have to have a lede or a hook that piques the interest of reporters who are looking for things that will pique the interest of readers (or viewers). Some examples of novel, newsworthy actions to announce might include launching a new product or service, winning an award or issuing an award to someone else, initiating a program or reaching a milestone. 

2.     Who is the intended audience?

In this day of 24/7 digital news, reporters and editors are keenly aware of what piques the interest of readers and viewers and what does not. When a story gets a lot of clicks, views, likes and shares, they know they’re on to something. When you are considering sending out a press release, it’s easy to get caught up in thinking about who you would like to have cover it. A better question to ask yourself is the one the reporters and editors will likely ask themselves when they see your release, which is, “who will read this?” Sadly, just because something is a big deal to you, doesn’t always mean it’s a big deal to anyone else. Try to identify groups of people who will want or need to know the information you’re sharing. Who will be impacted by or interested in your announcement?

3.     Is it timely?

A press release also must be timed to coincide with the thing you’re announcing. A major component of newsworthiness is timeliness. Think of the headlines you read last week. Now consider how strange and useless it would be to read those headlines again tomorrow knowing what you know now about everything that has happened since last week. A press release that is timed to coincide with the event or announcement has a much better chance of being covered than one that is sent well after the fact.

Sometimes a project or announcement unfolds over a period of time, which means a case could be made for sending the press release on one of several different days. In these instances, my advice is to choose to send the release when you can offer reporters the best opportunities for visuals, interviews and interactions. Which leads me to my last suggestion … 

 
4. Does it have a visual component and an attributable quote?

A good news story has plenty of background information and context, and compelling video and audio components where and when those capabilities exist. At the very least, a good press release should include written quotes attributed to the people leading the effort or the organizations mentioned in the release. If you can make principal players available for reporters to interview, provide an opportunity for photos and video, and if you can allow reporters to experience the action or event for themselves, you’ll increase your chances of getting more in-depth coverage. The converse is true. If you can’t provide any background, context, additional information, quotes or multimedia opportunities, you probably don’t have enough for a press release. If you want reporters to cover something, make everything about it as appealing, newsworthy and accessible as possible.

Bearing these questions in mind as you develop a communication strategy can help you make the most effective use of any press release you decide to send.  

Mandy Minick is the principal and founder of Minick Public Relations, LLC. She is the immediate past chief communications officer for the Ohio Department of Education and has 20 years of public relations and entrepreneurial experience. Find Minick Public Relations on LinkedIn.