More on Writing Press Releases
Ok, I have to admit it’s gratifying to know people are reading my posts. Just because one has an Internet connection and a tendency to rant on about various and sundry things doesn’t mean she automatically deserves readers.
My post about “Email Etiquette,” (prime example of why JCK managing editor Rich Dalglish calls my editorial “the rant,” and Mark Smelzer’s publisher letter “the rave”) was a case of redirected ranting after someone sent a 21-mb attachment that hurtled my email, my Blackberry, my sanity, and the first 45 minutes of my day into frozen-computer hell. Please do not ever, EVER send a 21-mb attachment, even if I beg.
But I digress. People actually liked knowing what to do and not do when sending information to the press. Some emailed me offline to ask for more tips on writing a good press release, and JA public affairs manager Susan Thea Posnock even excerpted my blog on JA’s “Thriving in 2008” blog.
As requested, here are some more tips:
1) Make sure there’s really some news to report. The fact that a jewelry company is making jewelry, or that a jewelry store is selling jewelry, isn’t news. But if a jewelry company that’s always made high-end diamond and platinum jewelry is suddenly introducing a diffusion line from silver and CZ, that’s news. Or if a jewelry store is having double-digit growth in a town that everyone else wrote off is worth an editor’s time for a deeper look.
2) Less is more. The only things that editors really need are the facts. For product releases, that means a straightforward description of the product—what it is, what it does, why it’s special, what it costs, and how to get it. Jewelry product releases should describe metal karatage, diamond and gem carat weight, what pieces are in the collection, what the suggested retail prices are, and so forth.
A release about a person’s appointment to a new position should include a capsule summation (not a detailed life history) of their bio and previous work experience, what their responsibilities will be in this position, what their territory will be (if applicable), and their contact information.
An obituary should include a summary of the person’s life and achievements, especially those that relate to the publication’s audience. For a jewelry magazine, that means his or her involvement in the jewelry industry as well as local community involvement. Also make sure to include a contact name and number for follow-up information so the editor doesn’t have to bother the family at a difficult time.
3) Quotes in press releases: Many releases contain canned quotes. Sometimes they’re used, sometimes they’re edited out. A designer or artist should include a few comments about what inspires him or her to design, a manager might offer a quote about the new hire’s talents that will help expand the company, and so forth, but make sure the quotes are relevant to the news and not self-aggrandizing fluff.
Good: “Jane’s extensive experience in brand-building will help us as we seek to expand the XYZ company into neighboring states.” Not so good: “Jane is the best brand-builder in the world joining the best XYZ company in the world. It’s a perfect match.”
Next post: Sending photos with your press release.
Rob Bates commented:
PR Maven, with all due respect,your job involves dealing with the
press. So it should help you to understand what it's like on the
other side. That is what Hedda is trying to do with this post. I
find the best PR people are the ones who try to work with the
editors, try to understand how they want to be contacted and what
their general preferences are. If you are p--ing off the editor of
a trade mag by sending 30mb attachments that crash her email, you
really aren't doing your job, are you? I've been doing this awhile,
and I know plenty of excellent PR people; but some are kind of
clueless and just seem to waste their and their client's time and
money. And, speaking just for myself, it can be a little irritating
when someone tells you to "call the PR person" before even a
one-sentence query. It just seems to add an extra bureaucratic
layer. I once had to do a very brief interview with an executive of
an organization, that will remain nameless. It was all kind of
fluffy and could have been handled in two seconds. But instead of
me just calling this person, and getting a call back, I had to call
the organization's PR person, who then had to call my contact, who
had to schedule with me, etc. And round and round it went, for a
needless two days. Yes, that is "what you are getting paid for,"
but if it's something that most people could handle by themselves
(returning a phone call) that is not really a value-adding layer of
the chain, now, is it?
Hedda Schupak commented:
To PR maven: I didn't say we don't want celebrity images; I just
don't want to be bombarded with email after email of huge photo
attachments. Remember, you're not the only person sending
them--every PR agency with a jewelry-wearing client is sending
them, so it's easy to end up with 30 mb of images in a mailbox at
once. All we're asking as editors is please to put the images on a
CD and send them by snail mail, put them on an FTP site that we can
access what we need, or just shoot a quick beam to us first to see
if we're even in the office and logged on so that we can move the
files out of our inbox before it crashes. I don't think that's
asking too much. As I said in my first post, the key is
"unsolicited" large images; not "any" large images. As for the
client not wanting to be contacted by an editor, sorry, I agree
with Cheryl. Our mission is to make it easier for the readers to
find the products they are interested in possibly purchasing. If
the designers don't want to be contacted directly, why are they
even bothering to pitch us?
Cheryl Kremkow, Modern Jeweler commented:
I need company contact information because I include it in the
product caption. This is to make it easier for retailers who are
interested in the product to contact the designer to buy it. I
assume that's why PR mavens are seeking the publicity?
pr maven commented:
It's amazing to me that editors think they are kings & queens
of the world and that pr people are worthless people sending them
useless information, hounding them with phone calls, clogging their
emails and simply wasting their precious time. They never seem to
be thankful to the hard working people who give them content for
their pages, scramble to pull in product at the last minute for
photo shoots and put together the parties where they are wined,
dined and gifted. The reason that the pr company is listed and NOT
the designer's is that the designer doesn't want you calling them,
which is why they have an agency. If you want a quote or to pull a
product, go through the agency! That is what they are being paid
for. Lastly, the comment about the agencies sending celeb images
after the Emmy Awards is just plain rude. If we didn't send these
to you, who would, the celebrities?
Hedda Schupak commented:
Hey, thanks, all, for responding! To Rob: Excellent point you make!
Cheryl: I knew you felt my pain. And right you are about PR
agencies not providing company contacts. Soooo annoying! "Another
editor": Great advice! I don't like being pitched by phone, or
worse, being hounded for followup by phone. Ya'akov: Right you are
about an FTP server! We have one, but nobody ever bothers to ask if
we have one and if I'd prefer they use it--they just bombard my
inbox with huge attachments. Especially, I might add, the day after
an awards show. Hello, all the PR people who've sent an avalanche
of celebrities-wearing-jewelry images this morning after the
Emmys... Randi: You're welcome, and best of luck!
Randi LeBlanc commented:
Hedda, I just wanted to thank you for all of your useful PR posts.
I am a PR intern, fresh out of college and still learning alot.
Your advice has helped a great deal and is truly appreciated!
Ya''''''''akov Almor - MarketDirect Bus commented:
Hedda, re press releases - good points indeed . I've learned it all
the hard way, just by writing them and not giving up. As someone
who works on both sides of the trenches, we like to think we know
what editors need, like and dislike. Always have a few
others/colleagues read your draft release, get their input, it will
always improve the quality of the final version of the release re
Blackberry - and any other pda's like it - you can set your email
to come without the attachments - and select what attachments u
want to download. And do scream at RBI's ICT technicians for not
doing their job - i.e. limiting the size of an attachment. Get them
to set up an easy access ftp or otherwise just ask people to use "
Another Editor commented:
Hedda, I regularly get "bombed" with huge attachments, frequently
exceeding 10MB, and it drives me crazy too. Fortunately we have a
robust email server can handle it, but there's no question it's bad
PR etiquette to send such things unsolicited. Two additional pieces
of advice I haven't seen mentioned: 1) KNOW YOUR LISTS. Don't clog
my inbox with with releases about lingerie and shoes when I edit a
jewelry magazine. This just makes me less inclined to take you
seriously when you do send something I can use. 2) DON'T CALL ME.
On most days, I am too busy to take these kinds of calls. But, I
*do* read all my e-mail, and rest assured if it's something
relevant, I will respond. Information that isn't relevant by email
isn't going to be any more relevant over the phone, and calling me
about it is just going to annoy me.
Cheryl Kremkow, Modern Jeweler commented:
If you send me an email that's more than 10MB, it will bounce back.
I have to say that I actually like getting product photography by
email. A high-res jpeg doesn't have to be more than a few MB to be
usable. But in my experience, almost no one includes a full product
description with the image, which would be very helpful. My pet
peeve is PR agencies that only include their own contact
information and not the contact information of the company they are
promoting. Actually, I am doing a break-out session on Working with
the Press at Women in the Know Midwest in Chicago on October 24.
I'll be sure to pass on your likes and dislikes!
Rob Bates commented:
Hey Hedda ... good points. I would add, just as a general comment,
that I very frequently have people ask me if they can "see" a story
before we publish it. The answer is almost always no. It would
simply be unethical to do it any other way. If there is a question
regarding facts or verbiage in a story, a good reporter should call
to clarify.
The second point is that the real problem is the RBI email system
fills up very easily when people send large attachments. But I am
not sure other publications have that problem, and I'm curious if
this is an issue with other books or just us.
