Has anyone here written a press release?

[Hep]

This may bethe wrong forum. Sorry if it is. But I'm getting started on a press release and it's my first one. I know about the format, but less about where to submit it. Can anyone with experience help?

[mandyky]

1. What is the release about?

Is it regional or national topic?

Press releases should go to newspapers, TV and radio stations and specialty/trade rags.

[Mikimouse]

2. I have written a couple for local distribution

What is the content and the context into which you wish to place it?

[Hep]

3. Some friends and I are gearing up for

Give It Up For Dean.

I'm going to quit smoking and donate the money saved to Dean's campaign. And I'm going to ask for sponsors.

We're encouraging people to give something up, maybe one trip per week to a restaurant, etc, and give the money saved to the Dean campaign. Local press is one thing, but I know someone in Greensboro NC who gave her child tax credit directly to dean, wrote a press release, and it got picked up nationally (Single Mom hands bush tax credit over to Howard Dean). I was hoping for something like that. I'm waiting for a reply from her, so...

Thanks for the help.

[Selwynn]

4. Now that's a neat idea --

Change it to give it up for Clark and I'll get on board. :)

Just playin with ya - I think that's very cool.

[Hep]

6. Thanks!

:)

If Clark wins the nomination, I'll do just that. Or start smnoking again...

[mandyky]

7. How long will this last?

If you are giving up smoking, you may want to contact health related magazines, if this is going to last over a period of months. It will take a month or two for some folks to get back to you.

I also suggest you submit these releases to blog owners, too. Please post your release when you get it done, ok?

You could also call radio talk shows, or email them your PR.

[Hep]

8. Thanks!

This is starting to come together! I plan on quitting for good. But the effort will ast as long as Dean's campaign does.

[SpiralHawk]

17. Most newspapers run a Health & Fitness type section

once a week or so. It would be helpful to also submit your news to them,

Great idea by the way. Bravo all around.

[janx]

9. Send copies of the release EVERYWHERE.

Get the names and addresses of newspapers all over the place, and saturate them with copies of the release.

You might also consider the American Cancer Association publications and other health-related ones.

The key to getting your release published somewhere is to send it everywhere. At this point, it's all about quantity.

[Mikimouse]

14. Start small and it will probably grow

especially if you word it in such a way as to make it inclusive and non-threatening. Send a copy to your local paper and to any progressive publications/radio outlets in your area and I suspect that it will spread by word of mouth. I broadcast in a local market and would be very happy to try and help if you are anywhere near my area. Youcan PM me if you wish and we can discuss it off the board.

[Eloriel]

5. I have, bit it's been awhile

Start off with something attention-getting. Whoever you're sending this too gets tons of them all the time.

Get the important details --who, what, where, when -- up near the top.

Flesh it out to make it a story and include one or two pungent, pithy, QUOTABLE quotes from whoever is behind this whatever it is.

Add contact names and phone numbers, usually at the top.

Eloriel

[TreasonousBastard]

15. Yeah, the hook, and make it simple.

You're right, everyone gets a thousand a day, or so it seems.

And they get 'em in boxes with all sorts of stuff, trying to stand out. And often it's something they already know about, or just some-self-promoting puff piece.

It rarely works, and one out of a thousand actually sees air or print.
as near as I can figure out.

The hook is the toughest part. One sentence that sums up why their readers of viewers would be interested. That's the first sentence, and often the only one an editor will read.

It's not what you think is important, or even what you think the editor might think is important, it's what the audience will think is important. They will NOT waste ink or airspace on stuff they think will bore the audience. No matter how important the subject may seems, it has to have an angle.

And make it personal to the audience.

It's an art form, and if I could get it down, I'd be rich.

[nostamj]

10. i written more than a few...

if you want to PM me with a draft, I'll give it a read and comment if necessary...

[Hep]

11. I will

In the meantime, is it appropriate for me to use myself as the contact while referring to myself in the third person in the body of the release?

[nostamj]

12. well....

that would be a bit odd, imho.

can you get someone to 'front' for you?

[janx]

13. Put someone else's name and phone as the contact.

It's just there in case people want more information. Someone would be willing to take calls for you, no?

[Hep]

16. Here is the first draft

I just put myself in the contact info section for right now, formatting and all.

http://www.unc.edu/~hepler/rock4dean/pressrelease.doc

[nostamj]

19. "sacrifice" is the wrong message (imho)

it's negative.

your message really is:

making a POSITIVE PERSONAL choice to help a POSITIVE POLITICAL agenda.

[Hep]

21. Yeah

That crossed my mind, too. I'll work on it.

[Adjoran]

18. Your draft looks pretty good

The important thing is to keep it short and to the point. As has been said, news outlets get these things as fast as their fax machines can print them off. You have about 3 seconds to get their attention before your release joins a few hundred others in the circular file.

I think you have a good chance of getting this reported, because it is a new and different idea.

Don't worry about the big national media. They will ignore it, they just get waaaaaaay too many of these to devote the time to even a cursory examination. They usually pick up stories like this from local or state media. Flood your local area newspapers and electronic media.

The idea of sending it to bloggers is good, too. I would also add that you should send it to the Dean campaign (at the state level, so it can be passed up the chain of command; the national campaign is as flooded as the media with this stuff) too. They could get it to the media, since there are dozens of reporters assigned to the campaign full time.

[Hep]

20. Thanks for the input

You don't think the headline is vague or misleading?

[Lady President]

22. Not bad at all

First, I like the fact that you've used the active voice throughout much of the release. It's easier for people to read things using "ing" verbs, rather than "to go", "to be", "to see" ect.

I also don't like using "sacrifice" because of the negative connotation. Maybe you could say you're "improving" yourself for Dean which is completely true.

This is no big deal, but do you know the other person who is quoted. I was wondering if he could give any other ideas for giving up something. He gave two suggestions, but three is the magic number in lists.

Do you have a health column in your local paper? It seems like the perfect length for a health blurb. I would email it to local and national papers. It's an interesting idea and it's likely a health reporter would love to expand it.

[wndycty]

23. I do it for a living. . .what do you need. . .

:kick:

[Hep]

24. Just some advice

Thanks!

http://www.unc.edu/~hepler/rock4dean/pressrelease.doc

[wndycty]

25. Baby. . .I can't do a Dean release. . .

You know I am Clark man. . .but if there were another one you need help with I would be more than happy to help you.