21st Century Sales

How Do They Work?

Online media release services take media releases from businesses like yours and distribute them to their networks.  These networks may include:

• consumers
• editors
• journalists
• bloggers
• websites
• newswires

The distribution service generally provides a simple template form on their website where the business person can enter their media release and other relevant information such as telephone and email. The media release distributor then forwards the digital media release to its network of media partners.

Some media release distribution services provide basic media release distribution for free.  Enhansed services, such as sending HTML media releases and including key words for search engines, cost more.

What is a Media Release?

A media release (also called a press release or a news release) is information that you would like to share with the media.  The information  relates to a specific issue or event that impacts your business.

Which Media?

The media that a business usually wants to contact may include:

• newspapers
• radio stations
• television stations
• print magazines
• online publications

Depending on the range of interest for your story, you may wish to contact local, regional, national and/or international media.

Why Write a Media Release?

Very simply, the purpose of a media release is to connect with the media so that the media will provide coverage of your story.

Exposure in the media is generally good for business.

Here are a couple of assumptions regarding public relations:

Methods of Distributing a Media Release

Email

If using this method of distribution, send your release in the email message itself, not as an attachment, in a plain text format. Type MEDIA RELEASE in your subject line.

Fax

Waning in popularity as more media outlets phase out the fax machine in favor of digital.  A reminder to make sure your font choice and size is plain and easily readable by fax – Times New Roman or Arial in a 12 or 14 point size are good choices. Don’t forget to include a cover page.

Postal mail

Goodness, who does that anymore?  This method is not preferable unless time is not an issue and you want to stand out.

How to Write a Media Release

What is newsworthy?

What you feel is newsworthy and what the person representing the media thinks is important are often worlds apart.  PR expert Bill Stoler recommends that anyone writing a media release "think like a reporter".

Here are some things to consider when writing your media release from PR Web: