PR 101 Radio

The Bad News: You’ve probably been told one sure way to spread the news and gain media interest in your company is through issuing a Press Release. In fact, there are several “Do It Yourself” PR books that recommend this clichéd tactic. ‘Press Release’ is usually a set of words that make me cringe. It means companies are taking an old-fashioned, or uneducated, press approach that’s often inappropriate, ineffective and a waste of marketing dollars. When I say Press Release is a 4-Letter Word, I mean that it should represent real N-E-W-S! Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.

Why do so many companies make the mistake of issuing Press Releases at the drop of a hat? Many let ego get in the way. They’re so excited by the changes or achievements in their company that they assume the rest of the city, state or country will want to know about it. Others simply take the advice of misguided “Do It Yourself” PR books. Sadly, some are unwittingly duped by PR Agencies or Consultants who issue Press Releases simply to make it look like they’re doing something productive; or worse, don’t know any better.

There are plenty of examples of Press Releases gone wrong. Does America really need to know that in one state, a “Youthful Hobby Turns into Bustling Jewelry Business” for two relatives are selling their trinkets online now….um, no. Even if the company is Tiffany or Cartier, the answer is still NO!

Will media outlets in the state of Texas carry the news from the small town of Humble: a “New Generation to Take the Helm at [Shawl] Store?” Not a chance. Once you read on into the release, the ‘news’ is that Mom is retiring and her son is taking over day-to-day management of the retail location. It’s yet another inept example of a Release that wasn’t newsworthy, or of interest to anyone but immediate friends and family.
I rarely recommend using formal Press Releases to communicate with reporters. Instead, contacting individual reporters and editors one-one-one. The method has proven immensely effective and is a more strategic approach to securing press.

The Good News: There are times when companies have an important message worthy of a Press Release, or its sister notice, the Media Advisory (a release specifically formatted for events). It’s determining which stories should be shared with the mass public, and which should be celebrated with friends and co-workers, that can be tricky.

As a member of the media - a journalist, TV and radio host - for almost 20 years before I dived into the world of PR, I can tell you that from the media’s perspective, Press Releases distributed through wire services need to meet three specific criteria:

1. Press Releases should announce NEWS of interest to a large population and geographic area. In order for a public announcement to be warranted, and effective, it should appeal to a wide audience. If you randomly surveyed 1000 people, how many of them would legitimately be interested in what your Release has to say? If your answer isn’t at least 800, rethink issuing your announcement – fast. Other marketing options such as e-newsletters, a company blog or direct mail piece may be a better fit for your ‘news.’

2. Press Releases should be hard NEWS – just the facts please! Releases aren’t meant to be rambling feature stories. Designed for the media, the headline and first paragraph should sum up, in a nutshell, the most important points and facts of the story. Supporting paragraphs should provide the 5 W’s the media looks for: Who, What, When, Where, Why & How. Leave the cute analogies and fluff aside. If the information doesn’t directly support the primary facts in the first paragraph, leave it out.

3. Follow Proper AP Style Book Formatting –A properly written Release should follow Associated Press (AP) principals. Releases are for the media, and should follow the format the press has dictated for them. You wouldn’t show up at a ‘jackets required’ restaurant in a sweatshirt; don’t send a press release in the wrong format! Known as the ‘Journalists Bible,’ the AP Style Book sets specific standards for everything from font size to headlines. As a general rule of thumb, releases should be no more than one page in length. Find AP Guidelines online at apstylebook.com.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Don’t waste time, or money, on writing and distributing a release that’s inappropriate and ineffective.

Turn me on….Wednesday’s 12-1pm PST on wsRadio.com

- Erika