Make an Impact with Email Releases

One of the best ways to attract people to your store is through public and media relations. Email can be a great tool to send your press releases quickly and efficiently, but it’s important to utilize it in a way that turns your press release into positive coverage, versus fodder for the SPAM folder.

At the JCK Voices blog, JCK Magazine Editor-in-Chief Hedda Schupak discusses how to send press releases in “Email Etiquette: How To Get Good P.R. Exposure.”  Here's what she advises to start thriving with press coverage:

• Do not send large file attachments unsolicited. While it’s fine to send a huge file or attachment if you’ve been asked for it, if you send out huge files routinely you risk crashing the recipients' inboxes, and that's not how you want to be noticed.

• Address Properly. If you put a personal salutation on your release, take the time to make sure you’ve got the correct recipient’s name on each one. Otherwise, save time and don’t bother with a personal salutation at all. 
• Know the Press Deadlines. Be mindful of editorial deadlines and make sure your release is sent in advance of your desired issue's print deadline.
  
  • Extra Tip: Print magazines can have deadlines as much as three months ahead of publication.
• Follow-up = good; hounding = bad. A call or quick email to see if the release was received and if any further information is needed is a nice gentle reminder.
• Use proper grammar and punctuation. Just because it’s email, doesn’t mean you should be sloppy.
• Don’t flag your emails with “urgent,” unless it truly contains a problem that must be addressed immediately.