How to Get Editors to Publish Your Press Releases

Unless you're the White House press secretary, getting an editor to publish your press release can be a difficult task. Hundreds of voices are trying to find their way into limited space, even online. You must review a few elements of your press release carefully before submitting it for publication.

Use the correct format

Your press release should have a headline, a sub-headline, your contact information (phone numbers and email address) and a date. Then plug in a strong first paragraph (also called a "lead," spelled in newspaper jargon as "lede") followed by the body of your press release.

Aim for newsworthy

Your opening paragraph should pique the curiosity of the reader and, at the same time, include the important journalistic features: who, what, why, where and when. What and who is the press release about? Why should anyone care? Where and when did/will the event take place?

The next following paragraphs should elaborate on or support the information introduced in the opening paragraph.

If your press release simply announces an event or happening, it is less likely to get published. Therefore, you should present your client's information in a different way. Does the announcement tie-in to current events? Is it relevant to people in the community the publication serves? Does it present something original and attention-grabbing? Tailor your press release so it tells a story that an editor would think others want to know about. Don't force the editor to figure it out.

Try to get quotes from your client or other experts to support the importance of your announcement, and include their names, titles and companies, as well. You may only have certain data to support the importance, so present the data powerfully.

Don't go overboard

Press releases that aren't published often sound too much like, well, press releases. Balance the need to convey information with the desire to pump up your announcement. Avoid unsupported statements like, "Everyone is sure to love Widgets!"

Be sure to write compactly. Get to the point. Use the active voice. Keep your press release to one page.

When using email

You may also want to consider the way you send your press release. Because an editor may be reading an electronic press release on anything from a Mac to a Blackberry, you might want to include multiple formats as an attachment if you use email to send it out. (Be sure to let them know what is in the attachments; editors worry about viruses just as the rest of us do).

The basic idea is to format your press release appropriately, create a captivating first paragraph that tells what the release is about-but that doesn't overdo the schmaltzy, subjective opinions-and write text that supports the opening with facts and quotes. If you can find a way to tie it in with a larger story, that's ideal. For instance, if your client is creating a new line of pie filling, it'd be a good idea to connect it to National Baking Month (if there is one) and upcoming pie-eating contests around your area (if it's a local publication) or the country (if it's a national publication).

Follow these guidelines, and you'll be well on your way to getting editors to publish your press releases.