Six More Savvy Rules for News Releases

1. Frequency. As I mentioned before, make sure your press releases are either newsworthy, or that they tell a good story: Quality always trumps quantity. But that said, try to make sure you issue frequent releases to help keep your name high in the minds of editors.

2. Target your releases. Don’t just send them out to every publication and PR service you can think of. Ask yourself who will find your release relevant and send it to them.

3. Try to build a relationship with editors of publications you particularly want to appear in. Read their publications to make sure you are writing your releases about subjects they cover and in the style they use. Write to the editor separately and suggest they might like to contact you as an expert in certain areas. Make sure you outline how and why you are an expert.

4. Pay attention to your headlines. I know I said this before, but it is important enough to bear repeating: Someone once said the headline is the ad for the story. If you don’t grab them with it, they are not likely to read your piece. There is a useful, free tool – Headline Analyzer – at http://www.aminstitute.com/. It analyzes your headlines for emotional value. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to improve your headlines by using this tool regularly.

5. Pay attention to timing. One of the most frequently asked questions about PR is: “When is the best time to send a press release.” The standard answer used to be early in the week and early in the day. But since we have a global, 24/7 economy, the rule may no longer be that important. If you can justifiably call your release a “News Flash”, then send it the moment it is ready to go. Otherwise, I like to send out press releases to land on editor’s desks – their inboxes – first thing in the morning, which means by six or seven a.m.

6. If your news is tied to some other newsworthy event, such as a major announcement by Microsoft, try to tie that event into your headline and try to release your news shortly after Microsoft release theirs.

Remember, news releases can be an effective and inexpensive way to get broad coverage for your companies products, services and events. A news release program will work synergistically with your other marketing and advertising to better overall results.