What is the correct press release email format? This is the very same question we had when we went to send our first email containing a press release.
Don’t stress, it’s a lot easier than you think. Sending press releases can be nerve-racking; what if you send the wrong information, or what if you don’t include the right files? With this article, you’ll learn how to send a press release the right way.
Recommended: We recommend eReleases if you want a well-written and widely distributed press release to help funnel in more customers and increase revenue for your business.
PRESS RELEASE GUIDE:
- Proof Press Releases Work
- Why is Press Release Email Format Important?
- What You Should Know About Email Formatting
- How to Format an Email
- How Else Could You Format an Email
- Final Recap
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Articles
Proof That Press Releases Work
Did you know that 44% of journalists consider press releases to be the most reliable source of brand-related content? These documents are a simple way to keep the line of communication open between you and the media.
According to Agility PR, over 3 million press releases are sent out daily, helping journalists find content to write about.
Press Releases :
- Provide pertinent information.
- Include photos, videos, and links that journalists can easily copy and paste.
- Allow newsworthy information to be formatted in an easy-to-read package.
Read our Best Press Release Distribution Service 2021 review to find the right press release distribution for your business’s specific needs.
Why is Press Release Email Format Important?
Formatting emails and press releases ensures that the information you provide is digestible and easily read. This allows you to get your point across in a legible way because you don’t want to make your audience re-read your email multiple times to try and figure out the main point.
Why You Should Format Your Email:
- It allows the reader to efficiently read your email.
- Formatting your email allows for the main topic to be pushed to the forefront.
What You Should Know About Email Formatting
You cannot always copy and paste your press release into your email. You must personalize the email to a degree. For instance, if you know the person’s name you are trying to get in contact with, use their name in the salutation.
What You Should Know:
- Don’t just copy and paste, make sure the email looks like an individual email.
- Keep the dateline! Journalists need to know when they are allowed to publish the information given.
- Use the press release as the body of the email but still attach the press release to the email itself.
How to Format an Email
To format your email, address your point of contact by name in the salutation. This should be followed by the dateline and the body of your press release.
How to Format an Email:
- Add the title of your press release in the subject.
- Address your point of contact appropriately in the salutation.
- If you have a personal connection with your point of contact, connect with them before getting to the nitty-gritty.
- Copy and paste your press release into the body of the email.
- Make sure the spacing is correct. Sometimes it gets thrown off during the copying and pasting process.
- Add your contact info at the bottom of your email, and tell your reader to reach out if they have any questions.
How Else Could You Format an Email
There are many ways you could go about sending a press release email. If you have a more personal relationship with your point of contact, you could even send them a short personal email and simply attach the press release and graphics.
Different Ways You Can Format an Email:
- Send a personal email, attaching the press release and graphics.
- Send a short description of the press release, attaching it and the graphics to the email.
- Send the press release copied and pasted in the body of the email and only attach the graphics.
Final Recap
There are many different ways you could go about sending a press release. Press release email format can be tricky to get the hang of but once you do, it’s a breeze.
You should analyze your relationship and the voice of your company before sending an email. This will help you figure out which format is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which format to use?
You must analyze your relationship with the point of contact, and the voice of your company. If both are casual, you may be able to get away with sending a short casual email and attaching your documents. If you know that they wouldn’t open up your .doc, you could just stick to copying and pasting the release in the body and attaching the graphics.
What if I don’t have graphics?
I would highly encourage you to use some sort of a graphic, or make a flier if you do not have a graphic. Throwing something together in Canva may help your email stand out. However, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have graphics, only include the .doc file of the press release.
What if my press release is short?
Send it anyway! Not all press releases are going to be long. You can still send it out even if it’s shorter. However, we would suggest attaching graphics if you don’t have a long release.
How do I know who to send it to?
Analyze your audience! You need to analyze who you are trying to get this information out to. Then you need to find publications that target these people.
How often should I follow up?
This question is tricky! Journalists may not email you when something is published. You must double-check each publication, looking to see if something was published. You may not want to email them daily, as this could get annoying. Try checking up every four to seven days.
What is a press release?
A press release is a brief statement that features a news announcement about — or from — an organization. Companies and other organizations use press releases to announce new product launches, earnings reports, management changes, and more. Press releases make it easier for journalists and news outlets to learn about potential news items to inform their reporting.
How do you end a press release?
The last section of a press release should include your press contact information. Specifically, it should feature your press contact name(s), phone number(s), and email address(es).
How should you structure a press release?
Press releases typically contain six parts organized as follows:
- The issuing organization’s logo along with its location and the date
- An attention-grabbing headline
- A succinct introduction with a strong lede statement
- Three paragraphs of body content (in descending order of importance)
- The organization’s boilerplate content
- The press release contact information
Where do you send press releases?
Organizations distribute their press releases to relevant media contacts. This includes newspapers, magazines, radio stations, television networks, and online news sites, among others.
If you don’t want to spend your time tracking down relevant media outlets, submit your press releases to a press release distribution service like eReleases. Many of these distribution services also will offer to write your press releases. This can save you even more time and help ensure your company issues professionally written releases more likely to appeal to reporters.
Should I send a press release as a Microsoft Word Doc or PDF file?
Never send a press release as a PDF file. PDFs can prove challenging to format and likely will reduce the chance of a journalist reading and reporting on your news.
Instead, submit your press release to a press release distribution service as a Microsoft Word (.doc/.docx) file.
If you plan to send your release directly to a reporter, copy and paste its content directly into your email rather than including an attachment. Why? Most reporters dislike attachments because they can easily clog up their inboxes.
Do press releases work?
Yes, press releases do work. They also provide many benefits.
Besides the obvious benefit of sharing corporate news with media outlets to promote potential coverage, press releases also help businesses improve their search engine optimization (SEO) rankings and brand recognition. In addition, they can help companies increase sales and market share as well as enhance their credibility.
Press releases also can serve as a tool for mitigating negative media coverage. Public relations firms often use them to help their clients improve their reputations.