Press Release Fails
Back in 1906, there was a train crash in Atlantic City that killed over 50 people. Press release fails were not a concern at the time, as the concept did not exist yet. The publicist for the railroad, a man named Ivy Lee, convinced his client to let him issue a statement to the media that described the accident from the company's standpoint. The New York Times editors liked it so much that they ran it verbatim in their paper.
Since that day of the first press release, companies so regularly turn to this tactic that around 2,000 are distributed via press release services (aka "the wire") every day. Given that the number of working journalists continues to shrink, that means that every reporter you're trying to reach is probably getting between 100 and 200 releases per day—at a minimum.
With numbers like that, the odds of your press release being acted upon are slim and getting worse as time goes by.
What Is A Press Release?
Remember, a press release is a statement provided to the media for the purpose of providing information about an event, product, or company. While press releases can be an effective way to generate interest, they can also quickly become a PR nightmare if they are not handled correctly.
Reasons Why A Press Release Fails
There are several reasons why press releases fail, but some of the most common include failing to tell a story, being too sales-focused, and being poorly written. To be successful, a press release must be newsworthy, well-written, and provide value to the reader. Without these key elements, a press release will likely be ignored or ridiculed, leading to a PR disaster.
Here are 9 reasons why a press release fails and didn’t receive the same treatment as Lee’s did in 1906.
Press Release Fail #1 - It’s not news!
Lee's press release was about people dying. If yours was about a new website or moving your offices downtown, it's not quite on the same level. For guidelines on how to judge your story's news value and avoid press release fails, check out our blog post here.
Press Release Fail #2 - You sent it to the wrong person
Like any other large industry, the news media has specialists and niche products. Some reporters cover outdoor wear but not evening wear. Some outlets write about neighborhood news while others only concern themselves with regional or state developments. In other words, be sure you're sending your release to exactly the right person and outlet to avoid press release fails.
Press Release Fail #3 - Your headline or subject line is terrible
When a reporter is looking at her inbox, she is not seeing your full press release. She's seeing your name, a subject line and maybe a couple of first lines. If your subject line or headline isn't stopping the reporter in her tracks, you're headed for the trash and your press release fails.
Press Release Fail #4 - Your first paragraph is boring
If your first paragraph, also called the lede or lead paragraph, doesn't continue to hold the reporter's attention after she's stopped what she's doing and opened your email, you're headed for the trash. Guess what happens if your second paragraph is terrible? Every sentence and paragraph must be constructed to keep the reader's attention and avoid press release fails.
Press Release Fail #5 - You bury the press release’s lead
Simply put, the story about your company which you decided to write about was the wrong one, and the more important, newsworthy story is hidden further down in the release. Unfortunately, the reporter won't read that far, leading to press release fails.
Press Release Fail #6 - You sent it too late
Reporters do not sit in their chairs, their feet up on their desks, throwing pencils at the ceiling. They are overworked and underpaid. They are working on stories assigned that morning and ones assigned months ago. And they're doing interviews and research for them all. If you've only given them a couple of days to react to your story, forcing them to drop everything, you've cut your odds from slim to (almost) none and set yourself up for press release fails.
Press Release Fail #7 - You sent it to everybody
If an editor, journalist or influencer loves your story, one of the first questions will likely be, "Who else has it?" If your answer is their competition, be prepared to hear a click followed by a dial tone and chalk it up to another instance of press release fails.
Press Release Fail #8 - You didn’t follow up
As mentioned at the start, people in the media are flooded with releases and pitches. If you don't follow up to see if they looked at your story, there's a high chance it's been read and forgotten, even if it sparked some interest, resulting in press release fails.
Press Release Fail #9 - You followed up too much
If you send a release, then immediately call to see if the reporter got it, then email to let her know you just left a voicemail, and then maybe call again just to check, odds are your release went straight into the trash. Oh, and you've probably also had your number blocked and your email address added to a spam list due to your press release fails.
Although there are many reasons why there are a lot of press releases fails, following these key tips will help your release reach its target audience and generate the desired results. If you’re looking for a reliable and experienced digital PR firm to help you get your news seen by the right people, TrizCom PR is here to help. Contact us today to see how we can put our 20 years of experience to work for you.
