A strong press release email can determine whether a journalist opens your pitch or ignores it entirely. Journalists receive hundreds of emails every day. Attracting their attention to your press release requires research, creativity, personalization, brevity and respect for their time. The email you draft to accompany the release should reflect those strategies. Journalist surveys show that nearly 30% of reporters say tailored, beat-relevant pitches are the primary reason they engage with PR outreach.
Step 1: Research and Identify the Right Journalists
There is much necessary groundwork to accomplish before hitting “Send.” Without this groundwork, your emails will basically be spam. The proper upfront work helps ensure your email:
- Won’t be trapped by spam filters
- Is targeted to the proper journalists
- Will be opened by these journalists
- Is most likely to motivate the journalist to cover your release
Avoid contacting general emails, such as “news@publication.com.” Whenever possible, check recent bylines or professional networks to identify relevant journalists and their email addresses. For building targeted media lists for effective journalist outreach, focus on quality over quantity — 10 tailored emails outperform 100 generic ones.
Step 2: Develop a Compelling Angle and Hook
Journalists prioritize newsworthiness, simplicity and brevity. Your primary question for the press release and pitch should be “why would an editor care?” If you don’t have a great answer, you need to rework the release, the email or both. A few examples of newsworthiness:
- News that has a significant impact on a large number of people
- Trends with a new twist that is counterintuitive
- Success of an organization built on the CEO’s personal experience, such as developing new glasses that also act as a hearing aid, because the CEO has hearing loss
Keep the email and release simple. In the past, journalists would cover a beat for many years, sometimes decades and have a deep knowledge of the industry, key players and executives. But today, journalists move around and often cover multiple beats. If they don’t understand your email or the significance discussed in the press release, they’ll simply hit “Delete” and move on.
And, make it brief. Your email doesn’t need to be longer than 8-10 lines. If it is, you risk losing the journalist’s attention. If you can’t communicate your story angle in 8-10 lines, you need to study more.
Step 3: Craft an Attention-Grabbing Subject Line
Keep the subject line to a minimum, as few as 3-5 words. Of course, the contents of the release, the journalist’s past history and your request of the journalist will dictate the format for the subject line. Here are a few examples:
- “Your October 20 Article on Honeypots”
- “Exclusive: New Study Reveals [Key Insight]”
- “[Topic] Crisis Hits [Location] – Expert Available”
Avoid ALL CAPS, emojis, excessive punctuation or clickbait that erodes credibility. They will simply annoy the journalist. For writing high-open-rate subject lines for PR email pitches, test variations if sending in batches.
Step 4: Structure the Email Body Effectively
Journalists typically skim emails. Keep paragraphs in the email to 2-3 lines to make this easy for them. In terms of content, an effective structure can go like this:
The first sentence, which should be the hook, needs to grab the journalist’s attention. One approach is to reference their work: “I saw your October 10 article on honeypots and thought you would be interested in the press release below.” Another approach is to highlight a specific stat from the release: “Did you know that 82% of companies that have deployed honeypots have avoided a data breach?”
The second sentence should include the call to action. After grabbing the journalist’s attention with the opening line, explain the next step you’d like them to take, such as scheduling a briefing, stopping by a trade show booth or meeting for coffee.
The next 2-3 sentences can include more details on the contents of the release. A bulleted format makes it easy for the journalist to get through the points you want to make.
Finally, repeat the call to action and thank the journalist for their consideration.
Includes links to content, such as media kits, to avoid spam filters and offer to email these to journalists reluctant to click links.
In your email signature, include your name, “Public Relations for [CLIENT NAME]” and your phone number.
Avoid hyperbole. To be honest, not that many announcements are “game-changing.” Use stats or third-party expert references to make the point that there is a large market for your product or service and that it is superior to competitors.
Step 5: Incorporate Best Practices for Deliverability and Professionalism
It’s important to think about timing. Distribute your pitches early in the day so that your email is at the top of the journalist’s inbox. Avoid Fridays, since journalists are wrapping up for the week and will have forgotten your email by Monday. Similarly, avoid sending emails late afternoon for the same reason; by the morning, they will have moved on.
Ensure your emails are of the highest quality. Never use AI to write the final pitch. Make sure to get the journalist’s name correct. If your media database lists the person as Andrew, research to see if he goes by Andrew, Andy, Drew or something else. Avoid large file sizes in any graphics you include. And, proofread meticulously. Nothing gets an email deleted faster than a typo. To avoid spam filters when sending PR emails to media contacts, include an unsubscribe option.
Step 6: Follow Up Strategically
Persistence pays, but remember that embedded in the word “persistent” is “pest.” After 2-3 days, send a gentle follow-up, such as, “Just circling back on my email about [topic] — happy to provide more details.” Follow up one more time after that, but if there’s no response, move on.
Example Press Release Email Template
Subject: Exclusive: [Company] Unveils [Innovation] Impacting [Industry]
Hi [Journalist’s Name],
I saw your October 10 article on honeypots and wanted to share the release below that highlights [Company’s] new [Solution Name], which is significantly more effective than other solutions available today.
I’d like to arrange a time for you to speak with [Company Spokesperson], who can provide more details about this new solution.
Gartner notes that organizations that deploy [Company’s Technology] can reduce the threat of breaches by at least 50%.
The full release is below. Please let me know when you have time to speak with [Company Spokesperson].
Thank you for considering this.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Public Relations for [Company Name]
[Phone]
[Company Website]
[Press Release Here]
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