Press Release Optimization

Go back two steps and do it right

(Note: If you are publicizing an upcoming event, submit at least five weeks in advance. Holiday events should be submitted six months ahead.)

·	Did I put my most important information first in my press release?

Editors read (and cut) press releases from the bottom. Harried talk show hosts scan the first couple of paragraphs. Put the number one thing you want to say in the first paragraph of your press release. Expand upon it in the second.

Remember the "2-inch" law. Think about what YOU see when viewing your In Box. Everyone - editors and talk show hosts included - decides whether to zap or scroll an e-mail based upon those top 2 inches. Make them count!

·	Is my press release under one page?

If it isn't, editors and talk show hosts won't even read it. You can put links to additional information as needed, but keep your press release short and sweet. If editors want more, they WILL call you.

If you have a picture that goes with your press release, send it to us as an attachment (in a .jpg file) and we will paste it into your release.

ATTACHMENTS: We do not send them . Not only does it create extra work for the newspaper editor and talk show host to open, it takes longer for the e-mail to download. Plus, everyone is afraid of viruses nowadays, many of which are transported in attachments. If you want to send more than will fit in a one-page e-mail, we suggest pointing them toward your Web site within the body of the e-mail.

·	Is my press release readable?

Very important! The key to clarity is short sentences. Remember, newspapers are written for a 6th grade education. To make sure yours is, give your press release to someone and ask them to read it aloud. If they are stumbling, you need to rewrite.

Or if you have no one (sob!) then put it away for a day and pick it up tomorrow. Read it aloud to yourself. If you are stumbling, then you need to rewrite. (And go out and find the person whose job it is to love you.)

·	Is my press release professionally written?

Never address the reader in the first person WITHIN the press release. Copy should read: "More information may be obtained..." rather than, "You can get more information by calling..." You can, however use “you” in your contact info.

Never state your opinion, except in quotes. If you want to say how great you are, quote someone else who thinks so. (And hopefully, not your mom. Unless your mom has a different last name.)

Check your facts and spelling. Never write the entire press release in capital letters. It is the sign of an amateur.

·	Does my press release have lots of "white space"?

If your press release is written with like ideas grouped (who/what/where/how/why) it should be fairly easy to "headline" whenever there is a significant change in topic. Liberally use headlines, bolding, bullets, and indentations to create a more enticing and easier read. See example by following the "Next" button at the bottom of this page.

(Note: Use numbers when a list of items needs order - such as Step 1, Step 2, etc. Use bullets when there is no particular order to the items.)

·	Does my press release tell the editor what to do with the information?

Perhaps the most glaring error I see in press releases is not telling the editor or talk show host what you want them to do with the information. And trust me, if you don't tell them to do something, their tendency will be to do nothing. A simple "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" in the subject box may be sufficient. If that is all that is needed, PublicityInk.biz will do that for you. But if its unclear why you are sending them this info, then you need to state your reason near the top of the copy.

Examples:

Double-check your phone number, e-mail address, etc. If it's not there - or wrong - then editors and talk show hosts have no way to get in touch with you. TEST YOUR LINKS to make sure they work.

·	Please consider this as a feature story idea

·	Our “Just Say Maybe” program has proven helpful to parents dealing with sexually active youngsters. Please feel free to use the information in this release as an element in a story you are planning on teen pregnancy.

Publicity - Getting “famous” is a marathon, not a sprint when it comes to sending a press release

How to write a press release

Maximizing the subject matter of your press releases

Use this example of a press release template

Optimizing your press release

Editing your own press release

Example of a press release

Everything else you need to know about
how to write a press release

·	Will the information in my press release benefit the public nationwide?

Bottom line: Will your press release fly in Des Moines even though your company is located in San Francisco? Is NEW information being imparted? Will editors and talk show hosts be convinced that YOU are the very best expert to impart this NEW information to their readers? If not - DO NOT PASS GO.

·	Is your contact information in your press release - and is it accurate?

PublicityInk.biz - 525 Pelican Avenue, New Orleans LA 70114 (Yes, we’re here!) (504) 368-0182 FAX: (504) 366-7210 E-mail: publisher@publicityink.biz