Do Not Discount The Print Media
For those of us who make our living primarily through the internet, we can sometimes forget or minimize the importance of today’s print media i.e., newspapers, magazines, and other printed publications. Granted, the major newspapers are not nearly as well read as they were in the 1960s, but they still carry some considerable weight. Indeed, even if you don’t subscribe to a newspaper, chances are you visit The New York Times, The Washington Post, or some other popular daily’s website on a regular basis.
Some of my advice for those who are seeking to have a press release written on their behalf is to keep in mind direct distribution to select print publication sources. While the big online distributors such as PR Web and PR Newswire are likely to make your release available to the major newspapers, sending a written release out on company letterhead with a cover letter to the appropriate editors at these and other newspapers could be helpful too. This means discovering the editor’s name and actual title (Editor-In-Chief, Business Editor, Lifestyle Editor, etc.) and correct mailing address is essential to getting your release in front of the correct set of eyes.
Important not to overlook — your community newspaper. You don’t want your press release republished verbatim, instead you want your release to capture the interest of an editor who sees a potential separate story to write about. For instance, my local newspaper is published weekly and it is always filled with information about local businesses. I am sure that many of these businesses got into contact with the right person at the newspaper who then took that release or pitch and developed a story from it.
While you may have a more difficult time getting your release noticed by the big newspapers, don’t forget the value of your local publications. Many of these same newspapers are now delivered free to all area residents increasing the likelihood that what is mentioned about your business will receive broad readership.
As we all know the more people who know about your business the more likely they will want to do business with you. So, making the extra effort to forward a hard copy of your newsworthy release to the local print media could prove to be of tremendous benefit for you.
General | Matthew C. Keegan, 22 Jan 07
By medicalmigrant, January 22, 2007 @ 2:29 pm
Thanks for the reminder – it’s easy to become so caught up in cyberspace we forget the physical realm continues to exist.
Most newspapers now provide fairly decent contact information, the type you referenced concerning Departments and Editors, at their online site. A nice reference for a starting point with newspapers is this link from Wikipedia, which lists the 100 largest U.S. papers: http://tinyurl.com/3cvcqs
Thanks again for the post and the blog,
tim
http://medicalmigrant.blogspot.com
By tisha, January 22, 2007 @ 4:49 pm
We’ve precisely experience what you mentioned. Although our online publication did rather well our printed publication was welcomed by a great number of people simply because they could rest their eyes, relax, read it when they could not be connected.
By Matthew C. Keegan, January 22, 2007 @ 4:53 pm
Thanks for the link, Tim. It’ll come in handy for my customers who prefer to do their own distribution.
You made a great point, Tisha. I can only take so much reading online. There is something about a print copy that resonates with me to this very day.
By sylvia-c, January 24, 2007 @ 12:08 am
I agree with you, Matthew, when you said: “There is something about a print copy that resonates with me to this very day.”
I, too, get enjoyment out of holding something in my hands: touching it, and breathing in its physical presence.
But, I am so, SO happy with the possibilities, which come from the internet!
thanks
truly,
Sylvia C.
http://www.dream-imagine-soar.blogspot.com