What Is Essential When Considering Press Release Distribution
The first thing to be aware of with press release distribution is that the release be written correctly. The better written it is the more likely it will be placed in print. Editors are more likely to use something that takes little rework than one that has to be rewritten and called on to verify accurate information. So your release should inform the reader who, what, when and where.
The very first sentence of this piece should say whom and what the event is about. To describe the who and what you might say: Mrs. Jane Smith will be displaying her Monet collection this evening at 7 pm. Use the next paragraph or so to describe who Mrs. Smith is and the reasons a patron would want to see her show.
The last paragraph will tell the balance of the story. Here is where you let people know when the event will be held and where. You might write: The show will be held on June 3rd in the Garden Inn at 7 pm. The last thing is to inform the reader where tickets can be purchased and a phone number.
Due to the technology of today distribution is faster as email can be used. A file should be set up if releases are sent out regularly. No one wants to look up all these addresses every time. A hard copy for back up is good to have in case you lose the one on the computer.
To set the file up, you will need to look up all the papers that are in your local area and get the name of the contact and his or her email address. This may take some phone calls. You can check online as well as in the yellow pages. Find everyone that is local to add to your list. Also you may find that the local television stations have a place for you to add releases to, so do a thorough job of looking for who will accept them online. You may send out 200 and only 10 will use them, so the more you can add to the list the better.
If you can find a way to build a working relationship with any of these editors it might increase your chances of getting your piece in print. Otherwise the best way to get anything in print is to write it well. Be concise; do not add anything extra in these releases. Editors are not looking for writers; they usually have all they need. But most editors will use a release that is written well if they have the space for it.
So having built the list, add it to your contact list of your email. These names should be in a group so all that is needed when sending is for you to bring up the name of the group. Grouping them now as you input will save you countless hours later.
A month before the event, begin your promotion. Email what is written to your group of editors. Then watch to see which ones use what you sent. Three weeks before the show repeat this process, sending only to those that did not use your write up. Two weeks and one week out repeat this again. After sending many different write ups over a period of time, it will become apparent whom you have favor with and will always use what you send. They are the ones to keep informed of everything.
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