Your press release has gone through all its drafts and you've finally received approval from all the necessary parties. But is it really ready to hit the wires? Mitchell
Friedman, of Mitchell Friedman Communications, offers a slew of questions (for the writer and those making the approvals) to ask before sending out that all-important release.
Following are the highlights, but stay tuned to "The Latest from PR NEWS," our free e-newsletter, for more tips. To sign up, see http://www.PRandMarketing.com.
What about this is newsworthy? How does it meet reporters' criteria - is it unusual or odd, something new or timely, does it include disagreement or conflict, does it have a
human interest angle?
Does your letterhead/logo identify the source of the release?
Is a contact person clearly identified? Is this person available to answer questions immediately after the release? [Editor's Note: We're not naming names, but we once called a
designated contact on the day a release hit the wires, only to discover she was out on vacation for the next two weeks!]
- Is the contact credible and able to handle media inquiries?
- Are title, affiliation, phone number, email, cell phone/pager numbers available for the contact?
- Is the title accurate, newsworthy and concise?
- Does the lead summarize the subject, and is it free of positioning, marketing language and unnecessary words?
- Have you eliminated jargon? Are acronyms spelled out on first reference?
- Have you confirmed accuracy of all information in your release? (Spelling, grammar, stats, phone numbers, email addresses and titles all apply here.)
- Have you confirmed that the release is email friendly - have you checked for characters that may translate unintelligibly?
Mitchell Friedman provides consulting on writing, media and presentation skills, and interactive PR. See http://www.mitchellfriedman.com.