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Since starting our Automated Press Releases service, we have gotten many responses from the press, with ideas and comments on how to make press releases more effective, and to avoid having it trashed before being read. Jack Olmsted, Editor-Investigative Digital Journalist, of Future Media Organization asked members of his group to comment on the onslaught of press releases they received before, during and after a couple of trade shows. The goal of the group is to develop a media data base for the public relations community. We thank Jack for allowing us to reference his work. We summarized the responses of the survey, to provide our visitors with advice for sending press releases. The summary is ranked by the biggest complaint first. 1.Follow up calls/faxes. This seems to be the biggest complaint of the press. After sending them your press release, don't waste their time by calling to see if they got it. 2.Unclear press release. They receive hundreds of press releases daily. If yours is too long or unclear, or does not seem to apply to their publication, it will not be used 3.Inappropriate material. The PR firm sends a release to a publication without knowing the audience or what the publication is all about. 4.Many calls/e-mail's from same PR firm about same press release. It's bad enough to follow up with a telephone call, but to have many members of the firm call is ridiculous! 5.Blank or meaningless subject line. The subject line should reflect the contents of your release. If you are sending a press release around a trade show, put the show in the subject name. Those who are using Eudora can filter the press release to the proper mailbox. 6.Vaporware. Sending a press release about a new product that is expected to be released in two months, without a URL to look at for downloading. Or a start up company with big expectations and nothing to back them up. 7.Attached files or demos. Don't send a word processing document as an attached file or as a zipped file that the contact needs to download, unzip, read into their word processor, determine the compatibility, print, review, etc., etc., etc. What an imposition! 8.Know your product/service. If you are lucky to speak with the contact, be sure you know your product or service. Don't read a pitch. If you are not conversant in the product, have a technical person available. 9.Be aware of time. If you are on the East Coast of the U.S., don't call the West Coast at 9:00 AM your time (6:00 AM their time). If you are on the West Coast, don't call the East Coast with a conference call at 4:00 PM your time (7:00 PM their time). If you are lucky enough to speak with the press contact, get to the point, and don't waste their time on the phone. Also be aware of lead times, if your release is time-sensitive. 10.Complete and Short Press Release. Be certain your press release is complete with a contact name, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, company, product and, if for a trade show, the Booth number. Many companies (some major ones) do not include their reply address. Keep it short and to the point. BE CERTAIN YOU SPELL CHECK YOUR RELEASE!George Matyjewicz is Managing Partner and "Rainmaker
Extraordinaire" at GAP Enterprises, Ltd. a marketing and
management advisory solutioning (tm) firm. He may be reached at
Jack Olmsted
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