Do's And Don'ts Of Emailing Press Releases From A Media Veteran
In the media industry, your email is your most valuable asset. As a journalist, I’ve seen the best and worst of emails in my days as a news editor. . .
Here are some dos and don'ts from someone who's seen it all:
DO:
- Keep it short - Journalists have a lot on their plate every day, so keep your press release succinct.
- Address them by their name - If you can find out what journalists go by outside of their publications, use that instead of just "to whom this may concern.”
- Don't attach anything with a document - Embedding and attaching files can be a pain. If you have to include something and it's too large to send as an attachment, try linking it within the body of the email.
- Use standard formatting - Formatting is crucial. Use as much standard formatting as possible (fonts, colors, headings, etc) so that it's easier for the journalist to read at a quick glance.
- Include contact information - Also on your signature line, include your website and social media accounts. If the journalist wants to follow up with you, they'll want to know how.
- If a reporter requests an embargo, keep it - An embargo is a set time that you promise not to release your story to anyone else as long as the journalist agrees not to publish their story until that time as well. It's an important way for journalists and PR workers to ensure exclusivity in their stories.
- Put your phone number on the first page - Journalists are going to want to talk with you about your press release when they read it, so put your phone number on the top of the first page of your press release so they can easily call if necessary. . .
- Make sure they're credible - Journalists are rarely satisfied with a press release. Before sending one out, Google the outlet to make sure it's reputable.
- Don't ever send an email for the sole purpose of getting a story published - It's annoying and a waste of your time and theirs.
DON'T:
- Use an automated system - Journalists hate those. If you have to send more than 20 emails in a week, I highly recommend set up some kind of script or automation so you can spend more time writing actual emails that journalists can actually read and understand. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- Ask a journalist for feedback - They don't have time for this.
- Don't ask for a story - It's not about that. Journalists are human beings, and they do work. Don't try to extract something by offering something in return.
- Contact them in the morning - If you want to contact them at the crack of dawn, they're not going to be thrilled. They'll think you're bugging them or trying to bug them into doing something they already don't want to do until they've had 5 cups of coffee and are more connected to the world than your request will get them.
- Use the dreaded canned email - If you absolutely have to, go ahead and use one of those canned emails that claims to be a free service where you can send your press release to hundreds of media outlets. Don't. . .
- Forget to cc anyone on your email - It's not only possible but common for journalists that receive hundreds of emails a day to forget someone else. When they're too busy and they're so inundated with information that they just default to leaving it blank, that means you didn't get your name in the body of the email. . . . .
- Don't edit in Microsoft Word or Google Docs - This is a great way to mess up font sizes, sizes and letter shapes. I see journalists go to Microsoft Word or Google Docs and change their font size to 12 points when it's normal text size. Not only is it annoying to read, but it makes the email harder for humans to read as well. Not everything should be huge and broad!
- Don't use clipart unless you're doing print - At least do your best not to use clipart in email graphics. It's easy to do, but you'll look like a rookie. . .
- Don't use the dreaded body of the email to advertise your website or your products - It's spam, and journalists don't want to see every advertisement all in one place. Instead, consider pithy, direct email that illustrates why it's worth your time contacting them. . . .
- Don't put everything in one line - People can read about two things at once! Plus you're clogging up the email with unnecessary words.
- If you don't know what to write in an email, just delete it - Some emails are too weird to send out. If you're not sure what to write, just don't send an email. No one will be the wiser. . .
- Don't send a bunch of attachments - Nothing is more annoying than opening an email to find a bunch of image files that you have to click on individually!
- Don't be like Madonna - Remember when Madonna tried to break the internet with her 12-minute video for "Bitch I'm Madonna"? She asked for photos and press releases about it, but her way of doing so was obnoxious and felt more like a demand than a request. Try to keep your presence in the media industry subtle and cool, not in your face. . .
- Don't be like a certain ex-Twitter employee who used to request free stuff all the time - It's annoying and unnecessary, especially if you're asking for something that costs $60 but you can't afford to buy it.
- Don't be like Chipotle - Their emails are riddled with typos, and they don't put anything in subject lines. This is a huge mistake because no journalists wants to open an email whose subject line looks like it was made by a robot. . .
- Don't get caught up in hype - Journalists love hype! But just because your product or service has a lot of hype doesn't mean you should have hype in your emails. In fact, I would advise against it.
Conclusion:
As you can see, there are a lot of things that go into PR that most people don't know about. Some people think they don't have tact or they're not good writers, but all it takes is practice. PR is part science, part art, and all about applying what you've learned to your own work and style. You really don't need an extra diploma or degree to be successful in this field as long as you know what you're doing and continue to educate yourself on the industry. Good luck!
Why do businesses need Public Relations?
Public relations or PR plays a very important role in the success of any business today.