This is the second instalment from Red Marlin advising how to make your press release stand out from the crowd.

If you missed the first part, check it out at https://www.redmarlin.co.uk/stand-out-from-the-crowd/

Timing

Research does vary but a general consensus is that Tuesday is the best time to send a press release, followed by Thursday.

It’s also advisable to send it early in the morning, allowing the recipient time to action it as appropriate.

Avoid sending a press release out on a Friday as it will tend to get lost over the weekend and issuing a press release on a Saturday or Sunday (unless it is absolutely unavoidable) is a no-no.

Check, check and check again

Simple things matter and making sure a press release doesn’t contain any spelling errors is one of them.

Spell check is a wonderful thing, so use it!

Sometimes it is impossible to see the wood from the trees, so also ask a colleague to read your press release for any grammatical mistakes.

And just before you hit the send button, make sure to check the press release one final time.

Remember, an editor or reporter is busy enough without having to do your job as well.

Snap happy

A picture can paint a thousand words, so the saying goes.

The same also goes for a photograph and while you don’t necessarily need a professional photographer, a good quality photo accompanying a press release gives it extra weight.

Also pay attention to the caption.

If the photo contains people, make sure all names and job titles are correct and that the caption lists the people in the order they are standing left-to-right, to avoid any confusion.

Know your audience

Broadly speaking there are two types of audience. Business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C), so make sure you target the appropriate publications for your particular audience.

There can, of course, be an overlap. For instance, if you are a chartered accountant you might want to reach out to the business pages at your local newspaper to attract new business while also targeting trade specific publications to promote your standing in the industry.

Next instalment is next week and looks at what other resources to employ for maximum impact in your public relations activity.

For more information about a free one-hour PR audit for your business, or more guidance on how to ‘Stand out from the crowd’, please email chris@redmarlin.co.uk