The way people receive news is changing and so is the way that we, as communications professionals, distribute news. At Communiqué PR we are often asked by our clients to develop a press release for product announcements, awards and openings. However, this is not always the most effective way – in terms of time, money or objectives – to garner coverage and help the organization achieve their business objectives.
We have written about the impact of social media on tools such as press releases in the past, but even with changes in media, a press release still serves a purpose. A press release is still helpful to create a permanent record of news and can live on an organization’s website, or may even be required for publicly traded companies when the information being announced is potentially price sensitive, but more and more reporters are ignoring press releases as their inboxes are inundated.
We have found that personalizing pitches (or as we call it, drafting “buddy emails”) can often be more effective in both building relationships with reporters and securing coverage. A buddy email helps to bundle up the elements we can offer a reporter: from visuals to a spokesperson, or even a third-party reference. The more effectively you can develop the story in an email, the more successful you will be in securing coverage.
As a former reporter, I rarely opened press release emails that did not contain a personalized note teeing up the press release. For one, journalists have very limited time and it is helpful to have a short introduction to the news. Additionally, it feels much more personal to have a note for the reporter than a copied and pasted press release.
For example, in January, Communiqué PR worked with the Omni Group to secure 17 briefings at Macworld. Instead of doing a press release announcing the Omni Group’s participation at the event, we developed personalized emails to reporters, outlining the topics CEO Ken Case was able to discuss.
Additionally, we recently developed a pitch for one of our clients that offered them as a third-party resource to tee off of an upcoming Microsoft announcement.
Ultimately, we evaluate what is best for our client on a case-by-case basis, but some news does not warrant a press release. In the past, the press release was a go-to platform for all announcements, but as the media landscape changes, it’s important to evaluate the objectives of the announcement and think through the most effective vehicle for disseminating information.
What other ways have you been able to successfully secure coverage?