Journalists love PR people if you can give them what they want.
Generally that means a good story with a cracking image that’s all delivered in a tidy package and arrives in a decent time for their deadline. The relationship can go a tad wrong if you do any, or all, of the following when you send a press release out.
1) The deadline approach to ‘check you’ve got my release’: Imagine trying to do 15 things at once and then getting a dumb question from a stranger asking if you’ve received something they’ve sent you by email. Ever wondered why reporters can sometimes be snappy.
2) The late arrival: Your press release landing after a rival has already published the story. You may have a very good reason for this. You might want to give a special publication a story or do a friend a favour but you do so at a risk. You’ll annoy the rest of the pack.
3) Rubbish images: Mobile phone shots taken after you’ve had one too many at cocktail hour doesn’t really help your cause. Images can make or break a potential story when you’re facing so much competition for space. Guess what bad images do?
4) Get your targets right: Regional press is parochial for a very good reason; its readers want to read about local people. Likewise a trade publication is interested in one particular niche. So make sure you're efforts are landing in the right inbox.
5) Bad grammar and spelling: Want to wind a reporter up. Then litter your copy with garbage? While you are at it you may as well get their name and job title wrong too.
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