Should we send a press release about that?

A few months ago, Englin Consulting expanded our services to include media relations. Since then, we’ve been lucky to work with a variety of clients focused on projects ranging from Jewish learning to budget transparency.

A consistent challenge is determining when to reach out to the media. So, this week we offer up three things to help answer the question, “Should we send a press release about that?”

1. Be honest: Is it “news?”

To be more precise, will anyone other than you and your friends and loved ones consider it news? And closely related: where is it news? “Councilwoman Jones signed on as a spokesperson for the Green Cities campaign” might be news in the city that elected Councilwoman Jones, but it’s probably not news anywhere else.

An exciting event for your organization or campaign can always feels like news to you, but think carefully about whether it’s the kind of thing you’ve ever seen covered in the local, state, or national press you’re considering sending it out to. Consider in a clearheaded way what the “hook” might be. Is there controversy or conflict? Is there something truly new or unexpected to report? (Again, not just new or unexpected to you or your organization, but to the audience you hope to reach!)

There are many ways and important things to communicate. Not every one of them is news, and you’ll have better results with the press if you limit your press releases to things that fit the bill.

2. Does it support your message?

Even something newsworthy may be off message. If your communications focus is on an upcoming policy summit, a release featuring a new product offering might distract from your main message priorities. Consider how the release works (or doesn’t) with your big picture planning.

3. Can you follow up with a good pitch?

Blasting out a release through a newswire service will make it show up in your Google alerts, but in most cases that’s unlikely to result in any substantive coverage. Before sending a release, carefully consider which members of the media you’ll send it to and how and when you’ll follow up with a call or email to offer more resources, a good person to interview, or just to make sure your release went through. For example, the offices at BBC radio include a bank of fax machines – it’s possible, even probable, that unless a BBC reporter or producer is expecting and looking for your release, it’ll never make it to anyone who could use it.

Unless your release is so good (not “good” as in “well written” — “good” as in “controversial, unexpected, mind-blowing”) that reporters will be calling you, you’ll probably need to follow up with a concise and compelling pitch to the correct reporter, editor, or producer to generate media interest in your story.