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<\/a>toss out the rest. Producers rarely receive a press release, read it, jump on it, and begin developing it as a feature.<\/p>\nCompared to radio and TV, print journalists generally pay more attention to press releases<\/a>. However, they also have enormous demands on their time and short attention spans. So, your press release needs to grab them and grab them fast!<\/p>\n Why Send Press Releases?<\/strong><\/p>\n Good question. Some people believe that press releases are obsolete and that no one actually reads them. True\u2014most press releases are not read thoroughly, but they are scanned. People glance at headlines and bullet points and give most releases a quick once over. So there\u2019s always the chance that yours will grab their attention as long as yours has strong headlines and easily accessible information.<\/p>\n If something in your press release does catch someone\u2019s eye, it may cause him or her to contact you and say, \u201cHey, what you sent is really interesting. Tell me more about it.\u201d Press releases are intended to stir up interest and generate follow-up calls.<\/p>\n Ironically, media personnel expect and want press releases, even though they won\u2019t thoroughly read them. They are addicted to information; they can\u2019t get enough of it and never want to miss something that could be newsworthy. The media loves to sniff out stories, find needles in haystacks. So, sending press releases is a cost of playing the game.<\/p>\n Target Your Press Release<\/strong> Print Media<\/strong> Warning<\/strong> – Rick<\/em><\/p>\n
\nPress releases should be targeted at the specific audience you want to reach. Releases sent to the print media should differ from those directed to radio and television producers. And releases directed at the consumer vary from those sent to the media. All press releases should provide information quickly, be easy to read, and clearly state the who, what, where, why, and how of your story.<\/p>\n
\nThe print media can publish press releases, or parts of them with limited changes, and their job is done. They will often augment press releases with quotes and information from their own sources, or even extract key points from your release to use as the basis of their own pieces. Occasionally, because of pressing deadlines, journalists will sometimes run well-written press releases verbatim.<\/p>\n
\nAvoid repeatedly sending the same press release to the same contacts. A single, well-written press release for each contact is fine\u2014it\u2019s all you need. Don\u2019t send out the same press release every thirty days; it\u2019s a waste. Receiving the same thing over and over again can turn off sources that you hope to cultivate.<\/p>\n