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10 Press Release
DOs and DON'Ts
by Katherine Khalife
If you're trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language, the language in which they think.
- David Ogilvy
DO update your media list every six months. Keep it in a database that allows contact information to be sorted by release type and required lead time. By identifying, for example, which names on your list only accept calendar listings, and which ones prefer to receive general releases three weeks ahead of an event rather than two, you'll be sure the right releases get to the right people at the right time.
DO make sure that all of your releases explain exactly what your institution is. Are you the 19th-century birthplace of a famous poet? Your nation's fifth largest museum of contemporary art? Whatever the description is, don't leave it out! Include it in the first sentence of your releases, right after the museum's name. It's easy to forget that most people reading an article about your organization won't really know what you are unless you tell them.
DO make your press releases easy for reporters and editors to use as-is. The less rewriting your releases require, the more likely they are to be used. Familiarize yourself with the newspapers and magazines most important for you to get coverage in. Study the way stories are presented in each of the various sections. Take particular note of the kind of information contained in the first sentence and the first paragraph -- and the way that information is worded. If you write your releases accordingly, you'll get the reputation of being an "easy edit," and your press releases will be welcomed.
DO use a style guide. Is it 8:00 p.m. or 8 PM? Does Jane Doe have a Ms. in front of her name or is she simply Jane Doe? Is the number 9 spelled out or not? To assure that information is presented in a consistent manner throughout their publications, newspapers and magazines adhere to style guidelines. Some publications rely on style sheets developed in-house, but most follow the rules set forth in style guides such as The Associated Press Stylebook. Find out which style guide your local newspaper uses, buy a copy of it and follow the rules it contains. If you do, your releases will jump to the top of the favored pile. Make it easy for busy journalists to use your releases without having to re-format them and you're halfway home.
DO develop an in-house style sheet of your own. What's the correct tag line to describe your organization? Must board member names be included in every release? Which museum phone number or extension should be listed in news stories? What's the proper wording of directions to the museum? Who is the designated press contact at your institution? How are acronyms handled? All of this information -- and everything else that's a standard rule for your press releases -- should be written down on paper as an in-house style guide. This is especially important if more than one person in your organization writes releases.
DON'T water down your effectiveness with the press by sending every release to every name on your media list. If you're announcing staff changes, for example, don't waste the lifestyle editor's time by sending that particular release to her. Instead, only send it to the editor of the section that runs that kind of news.
DO tailor your releases to the purpose. If, for example, you're writing a release to send out to the calendar sections of newspapers and magazines, write it in the style of a calendar listing -- not a full release. Keep it extremely brief and include only the necessary facts.
DO find out your main contacts' preferences and stick to them. If a particular editor likes to receive releases by fax, then that's how you send them. Every time. And never send releases by e-mail unless you know in advance that the recipient prefers them that way. Nothing irritates editors more than an in-box overflowing with e-mailed releases if their policy is to accept only hard copies.
DO use the phone wisely. It's fine to call one of your press contacts to pitch a story before you send a release, but be sure you're not calling when they're on deadline. If you're not sure, it's always a good idea to begin the conversation by asking, "Is this a convenient time to talk?" And absolutely resist the urge to call people to see if they're going to use a press release you've sent them. Many reporters and editors find these calls incredibly irritating -- and some will decide not to use a release as a result.
DO designate one staff member to be the museum's press contact person. It's better all the way around if there is only one person to whom all initial press inquiries are referred. And it's extremely important that once a contact person has been designated, everyone in the entire organization knows exactly who it is!
For links to lots of related articles and online resources, visit the Public Relations, Writing and Editing, or Media Directories sections of the Museum Marketing Tips Links Library.
Copyright © 2000 Katherine Khalife All rights reserved.
For reprint permission, please e-mail info@museummarketingtips.com
Katherine Khalife is a writer and consultant specializing in museum marketing, customer service and heritage cultural tourism. See the Services section for information about her workshops and other services.
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