Get Your Press Release Accepted

The competition in press releases is fierce, with only the best of the best and well-crafted press releases making it to the editor's desk, much less into the hands of the public. How can you attract the editor's eyes when so many others are competiting for his time and attention?

You will need some research skills, creativity and some insider insights about the media to succeed in press releases. The media is powerful. They decide what is newsworthy, the amount of space, the placement of the article everything plays a crucial role in the success of your story. You need to sell your story, first to the editor and next to the public.

In order to have a larger piece of the paper pie, you need to make sure your press release is unique, timely, and important to their audience. Depending on the relevance of your information, some editors may take the time to rework your release into a suitable style and format for their publication. 

Space is valuable, whether it's in the form of print, time on the radio or television. Editors will decide if they want to allow your item free space, in the form of a news story, or if they'll reject it, and make you purchase an ad block instead. 

There are certain rules to play by when dealing with your media contacts.  Courtesies and common sense both play an important role in how they view your news.  And don't forget to take into consideration the local tone and flavor of your own community's press.

Some publications will not print something which is relevant to say one city. Others will not print anything not related to their area. So crafting your press release and choosing appropriate media is very important.

Research plays an important role here. Research what kind of press releases are being accepted by the particular newspaper. Who is the editor? What is the tone and style of press releases being published? What are the general interest areas of the publication and so on. Learn everything you can and then craft your press release keeping in mind the information you gathered.

Many papers have a small staff, leaving extra work for the editor. So, the easier you make it on the editor, the more likely you'll see your headlines.  If you've followed the basic rules for the publication, you've made the process quicker, allowing the editor to concentrate his or her time on other important issues. 

If you show little respect to the editor by writing your press release in longhand, and demanding, or assuming that it be in the next issue, you'll likely ruin your chances that they'll even consider your next submission.

News departments have strict deadlines, they do not have the time or manpower to sift through a horde of varying contributor styles and formats.  Therefore, it is in your best interest to follow the publication's submission guidelines when sending in your news. 

Who owns your target publication?  Many mainstream media are owned by very large, profitable, and powerful corporations.  Be aware that if you're a competing company, you might not be accepted for the sheer fact of who the "big" boss is. 

The media will begin judging your press release from the moment they remove it from the envelope, lift it off the fax machine, or click on their email.  First impressions are of utmost importance, so you'd be wise to make sure it's aesthetically pleasing.