Samantha Krieger of Just Say Yes asked if editors prefer to receive press releases by e-mail or by mail. The following is my response:
It depends on the editor. My recommendation is to create a column in your editor contact list for “Preference” or something like a “Notes” column. Then go to their Web sites to see if their About or submission information page says anything about how they prefer to receive news and press releases. Note this in the new column.
If this information doesn’t appear — editors do accept releases in e-mails — but typically, they prefer it in the body of the email instead of as an attachment. So I believe you’re fine in using e-mail pending you enter the right text in the Subject field and put all of the contents in the body.
I’ve received news and press releases both ways. Honestly, it doesn’t impact my decision. It’s the content that matters. If someone sends me something about cats, that’s an guarantee reject. After all, where have you seen me cover cats?
1 thought on “Sending Press Releases to Editors”
Comments are closed.
Depending on what type of editor or journalist I guess? I know in business press releases (targeted at the media and industry analysts) it’s totally different than it used to be — and changing rapidly for the better.
Having dealt with a lot of editors over the last couple years and actually speaking for a couple hrs the other day with some from the Washington Post, LA Times and a couple others — they are slammed with email press releases. Their tips?
Great subject line – you have 1-2 maybe 3 seconds to snag them.
1-2 paragraphs AT MOST – NO Attachments.
One of the editors I spoke with gets close to 400 PR’s a day – deletes 99.9%. Says he (and most the others I spoke with echoed his comments) are more likely to find your press release through a keyword/key phrase search on one of the major search engines.
So make sure your press release is FINDABLE. Had one the other day that resulted in my company’s CEO getting a 20 minute radio interview on the Wall Street Reporter — not because I pitched him though – but because the research analyst found the press release topic was something they were researching for a story (plus it was written in a goofy style for a business press release – mine. There are tons of free press release distribution sites out there – if tracking is not important to you – you can at least get your press release in the major search engines — and hopefully be found.
Also — check out the social media press release format.