Press Releases
Over the years, I’ve written and delivered more press releases than I
care to think about. Most of the time, they’ve been taken up, usually by
the Hull Daily Mail, less often by the Yorkshire Post, occasionally by
Radio Humberside, once even by Viking Radio (with an interview at the
studio).
I must confess however that I feel less and less motivated, and so it’s
perhaps about time for someone else to take over. With that hope, I
offer the following hints on being a successful press contact.
It is important to be known and available. Cultivating reporters,
talking to them, letting them know that you read their paper and recognise
their by-line, all of this will cement relations and ensure that when
your email pops up in their in-box they will at least read it and
reflect.
In the past, I had to print out multiple copies (remember carbon paper?
I do) and cycle round the offices of television, radio, and print
media. These days, you can send emails. In the old days it had to be typed
double spaced, wide margins, pages numbered (“mf” for “more follows” at
the bottom on all pages but the last). These days, I’d advise extra
line feeds after paragraphs, don’t forget the contact details at the end,
but most important, send it as a plain vanilla e-mail, not an
attachment (no busy journo will bother to open it), and don’t bother with any
fancy formatting.
Other than that, writing for the media is simple. You just put
everything in the first sentence, and ensure that you write your release in
such a way that it can always be shortened by cutting the last paragraph,
then the one before that, then the one before that, and so on. Makes
the reporter’s and the sub-editor’s job easier, and so increases the
likelihood that they will use your copy.
Lastly, but most important, remember: K.I.S.S. Yes, as always, keep it
simple stupid!
Stephen
