How to write them, when to write them, what to write – and when to avoid them altogether
A press release or media release is a document you would send out to journalists and media publications to share information about your business.
The aim is for those journalists to share that information with their readers via a news story or feature, but that is absolutely not a guaranteed outcome.
The following guidelines should put you in good stead for success, but you should also know that journalists are absolutely inundated with press releases every day. They’re humans, and they have limited capacity.
So even if you do everything right, it's possible your press release won’t result in media coverage. But not all is lost – done right, a press release can help you establish relationships with key journalists in your sector, and increase your chances of being featured in the future.
Why would you send a press release as an SME or startup anyway?
A press release is a quick way to get news or information about your business to a range of media publications that might be interested.
It also allows you as the business to control the narrative to a point. You can prioritise the information that’s most important for you to share, and the insights you think are most pertinent.
To be clear, you can’t control the way individual journalists will approach the story, but you can at least share the language, tone and commentary that suits your own purposes.
Again, press releases can also strengthen your relationship with key media players.
How do press releases work?
Generally, you would send your press release to a selection of journalists who you know cover your area, and stories like the one you have to share. We’ll explain more on who to reach out to later.
You could also publish your press release online, if your website has a ‘news’ page, meaning anyone will be able to find it in the future.
There are also newswire services that distribute press releases to their own media lists. For small businesses, however, this isn’t something we would necessarily recommend – they don’t allow for the same relationship-building, and you likely won’t have control over who your release is being sent to, and whether it's relevant to them.
Direct and personalised communication can hugely increase the chances of your story getting picked up.
What makes a good press release?
A good press release is one that has a good story.
As a business owner, you want to share information that will boost your business’ reputation, but the journalists’ motivation is to write an article their audience will want to read.
Think about the story behind your news. If you’ve raised capital, can you talk about the challenges you faced along the way, or why this is a milestone moment for your industry in general?
If you’re sharing another big business milestone, are there any other impressive growth stats you can share? What is the narrative of your business so far?
All of this can make your press release more appealing. Again, the journalist might find a different story angle to what you’ve imagined, but giving them something to work with in the first place can make a massive difference.
A great press release is one that makes life as easy as possible for the journalists receiving it.
Journalists are generally time-poor and working to tight deadlines. So if you give them everything they need from the offset – including all the information they need, any supporting documents, and images – they’re more likely to pick up your story. We’ll explain more on what to include later.
You should also be ready to respond to any follow-up questions quickly, either by email or over the phone.
⚠️ When is a press release not a good idea for SME and startups?
We know your business is your world, and that you want to shout about every little success. However, unfortunately, not every success is newsworthy, and if you fill up journalists’ inboxes with a release for every little thing, they’re going to get sick of you pretty quickly, and might be less inclined to cover the big stories when they do come along.
So checkout our dedicated blog exploring when press releases is not a good idea for SMEs and startups
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What happens next?
Some journos will write up an article based on the press release alone, but many will want to conduct an interview to get some additional, unique quotes and information (this helps their story stand out from their competitors).
Try not to send your press release on a day you have back-to-back meetings, or when you won’t have your phone on you. Just as you’ll be ready to respond to more questions, you should be ready to give additional quotes and commentary, if required.
When your story is published (and this might be on the same day), be ready to share it on your own socials for maximum reach.
If your story isn’t picked up, don’t be afraid to send a polite follow-up, asking if there’s any other information required that might get it across the line.
Even if you get no response, please don’t take it personally. Journalists receive literally hundreds of emails every day, and can’t possibly respond to everyone.
However, many journalists have a list of contacts they can reach out to for stories, and sending a good press release is a step towards ending up on that list.
Need help writing your press release?
Save time and money with free journalist-written PR frameworks with EzyCom Open source Frameworks library.
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