Getting Your News Releases into the Local Papers

The first advice we give to anyone that wants to get press coverage in their local newspaper is to read the paper to get an idea of what type of columns are run. The second piece of advice is to find out the names of the reporters and editors and what type of stories each covers so that you can suggest relevant stories to these individuals. You can usually find out the key names of a newspaper staff in the reader access box Some newspapers put this box near the bottom of the Editorial page.

Many of the local newspapers rely on their communities for story ideas. Although your local paper may get hundreds of emails and press/news releases everyday, the public can never send too much. Newspapers like to get releases and love fresh ideas for stories. Just remember that if you send anything into a newsroom, there is a chance that it will get published. Local papers that run weekly will often print up a lot of the press releases and community news.

The best person to get to know is the editorial assistant sometimes they are called clerks.  These individuals are often responsible for sorting through all of the information received by the public and getting it to the appropriate editors. You can call up the editorial assistant and let him or her know that you plan to send a news release then ask "How can I make your life easier? Would you like me to mail, fax, or email the releases?" By the end of your conversation, you will know exactly how to communicate with the editorial assistant.

When writing your news release, get started early and try to keep it short. If possible, keep your release to one page and send dated releases about two weeks in advance. Write from the perspective of a reader. Include information that a reader would find interesting and would like to know. Many papers use the Associated Press writing style. You do not have to become familiar with this style in order to communicate with the press. You can send your release and an editor may edit or rewrite it.

To make your press release or idea stand out, try putting a handwritten note on the release before sending it. Handwritten notes and highlighted text work very well when they draw attention to something like "This is a local business" or "Here's a business people item for you." It makes the job of the editorial assistant a lot easier and he or she will know what pile to put your letter or news release in.

If you send a photo with your news release, you should always write a description of what it is on the back of the photo. This helps to eliminate any confusion about what photo belongs with what release, should the two pieces somehow become separated. If you want your photo back, be sure to send a self addressed, stamped envelope to make it as easy as possible for the newspaper to return it to you.

Because anyone can send a news release and story ideas into the pressroom, you should always use your business stationary. This will help to confirm the legitimacy of your information. However, you still need to make sure that you have included your complete contact information on the news release. Never send a release without your full name, address, and telephone number somewhere on it. Sometimes information must be verified before publishing can occur. Keep in mind that the local papers often get hundreds of releases each day, so one of your objectives should always be to make it as easy as possible for the newspaper to contact you and publish your news.

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