← Insights
We have written a lot about the art of the press release (see Writing Press Releases That Get Published in the Trade Media). Today we are tackling an equally important subject: getting it to the right people. There are five basic options, each with strengths and drawbacks.
The right list matters more than the size of the list.
When you are sending financial news or trying to reach mainstream media you have no relationship with, a wire service is a good option. You send the release and they push it to thousands of editors. You pay a premium for the convenience, but if your message appeals to a wide audience and placement analytics matter to you, a good wire service is hard to beat.
These services focus on getting your release to rank in search results. Depending on the message, that may be exactly what you want, particularly when the goal is web traffic. They cost considerably less than a wire service. The downside is that you lose the direct delivery to trade editors.
Usually reserved for larger companies and agencies, a media database lets you build your own distribution lists from thousands of contacts, research publications and editors by subject and, best of all, keep contact information current as editors change jobs. The subscription can be expensive if you only send a few releases a year, and the list is only as good as the work you put into building it.
If you have the time, this is the least expensive option, and if you already know the editors who cover your market it may be the best one. If PR is not your everyday job, though, you are better off enlisting a professional or one of the services above. You did not put all that effort into a great release to have it go unread because it never reached the right inbox.
Our job is to advise on the best distribution path for each release and, in most cases, to send it to the outlets that fit your business on your behalf. Consultants who have spent years in the construction equipment trade press know which editors want which kind of content and how they want to receive it. When the quality of the placement matters more than the quantity, that is the way to go.
We love talking about this kind of thing. If you have questions or want to bounce ideas around, visit our ‣ page.