Tips to Make Your Press Release Stand Out

It’s no secret that journalists get hundreds of emails and pitches a day, and it can be frustrating to think you’ve crafted the perfect press release with great information just for it to go unnoticed by any journalists. You may have heard some tips about making an eye-catching headline or keeping your audience in mind, which are very helpful tips, but not at all specific. Let’s dive deeper into 4 tips on how to ensure your press release doesn’t get thrown out the window, or into the virtual trash bin.

1. Send your press release at the right time and day of the week. Did you know that you have a way better chance of your email getting opened on Thursday instead of Wednesday? According to a study done by Prowly, 85% of press release emails go unopened on Wednesdays and Fridays. Thursdays are the best days to send your email, with an opening rate of 26%. It is also best to send your pitches between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
2. Use your social media. Social media can help your press release get noticed by inserting hashtags that pertain to the subject matter and adding additional graphics or links to ensure the algorithms push out your posts. A short description of your release is a great way to get readers’ attention on social media.
3. Explain why your information is valuable to the journalist’s audience. When you send your email to the journalists you think have the right audience for your release, include a short explanation. Did that journalist cover a similar event/announcement/story recently? Do you have the correct information on their audience’s demographics?
4. Send a follow up email. Whether you got a response or not, it is always the right thing to do to send a follow-up after a few days asking the journalist if they received your email and thanking them for their time.

Although it can be a time-consuming process to use all kinds of tips and tricks for your press release, it can also be rewarding. Even if you don’t receive a response after a follow up email, then you know for next time that maybe that journalist isn’t looking for that specific type of story at the moment. Remember, knowing journalists and their audiences is the key to a successful press release email! If you would like to read more about writing press release emails, click here.