As the saying goes – ‘Advertising is what you pay for, publicity is what you pray for.’ PR enables you to tell your story and unlike advertising that shares your story through paid methods, earned media is a powerful tool to build credibility and trust with your audience organically. Gaining press coverage helps to get you and your business in front of your target audience and build brand awareness, boost your SEO, attract customers to your brick and mortar shop - and overall increase sales.

Research shows that 71 percent of journalists consider press releases to be their favourite type of content to receive from brands, but they also receive an overwhelming amount of pitches each day, so your press release needs to stand out if you want to grab their attention and interest to read on. If you are struggling to get the attention you are looking for and get featured in the press, here are the mistakes that you are probably making and our tried and tested tips on how to overcome them.

1.     There is no news

The purpose of a press release is to inform the public about the news. Many brands forget about the news value that journalists are looking for. Promoting your business is no news and if that’s what you are looking to do, then advertorials will be a much more effective route for your brand.

However, if you are focused on earned media, think of a news announcement that is likely to trigger the readers’ interest – such as new product and service launches, mergers and acquisitions, product updates, events, new openings or partnerships, rebranding, and awards. Any others are likely to be more suited as opinion pieces and you can pitch these as story ideas or look at paid advertorials.

2.     It’s all about you

The truth is, journalists don’t care about your press release, they care about their readers. And they have no interest in helping to promote your business to their readers unless you bring value to them. To focus on the reader, think of yourself as a storyteller, sharing the story where the readers are the heroes of your story, not you.

Your role is to help them succeed, so guide them through the story, instead of putting yourself in the position of the hero. Don’t just focus on the features of your products and services, make your story about their aspirations - the results and experience your products and services will create.

3.     You don’t segment your press contacts

Creating and maintaining a list of up-to-date media contacts plays a huge part in your campaign. You can have the best press release, but if it’s not reaching the right people, it’s pointless. Invest time and effort into researching the best contacts in your target publications, instead of the generic submission email addresses.

Journalists are always looking for credible sources of information, but if you are repeatedly reaching out to them with press releases that are outside of their interest, you risk being ignored. Review your list regularly and if you receive any bouncebacks or references to a more relevant contact, take note and get in touch. 

4.     You don’t include the copy in the email

Journalists are incredibly busy. Anything you can do to make their life easier and save them time will make a difference. By including the copy of the press release in the body of the email, they can scan through the text to establish whether they want to read on and open the attachment.  

If you are using an email automation tool like Hubspot to distribute your press release, this will also allow you to see if they have read your pitch or simply glanced at it. Keep it short and to the point, so they have all the necessary information without having to spend too long going through your message.

5.     You send it at peak times

There is no golden rule for when to send your press release, but you can easily determine this by testing various times and finding out the one that works best in your industry. But generally, the peak times such as Mondays will naturally make it harder to stand out if the volume of pitches is at its highest.

For us and our clients, we believe Fridays are the most successful days as the volume tends to be lower and the journalists’ schedule is more relaxed. Some of my peers, however, would recommend Sunday evenings so that it is in their email box first thing when they open it on a Monday morning.  The key is for you to test and identify what works for best you and then stick to it. 

6.     You don’t follow up

You would follow up with a client or a colleague if they haven’t responded to your email, so why not check on your press release? As part of your follow-up, you can offer more information or an interview with the spokesperson – you never know if they are not writing another piece and would benefit from the information you can provide. Avoid being demanding but do check on your previous email in case it got ignored by mistake.

There is literally nothing to lose, in the worst case you’d be where you were before sending your follow-up email. 

7.     You ignore your mistakes

Reflect on each pitch to learn about what works and what needs a different approach. Look at data as a whole, considering the performance of the email as well as any anecdotal feedback or responses. Review different aspects including the copy, the timings, the tone of your email and its format. Treat each press release as a lesson learnt and capitalise on your experience – both positive and negative.

If you would like to find out more about our pay-as-you-go press release service with guaranteed coverage, please contact petra@squirrelsandbears.com to discuss how we can help you to get featured in the press.