I receive many notices from art organizations and galleries which masquerade as press releases. Today I received a press release from an fairly well established gallery. The email was without a subject line. There was no content in the body of the email, it wasn’t addressed Dear Lisa or Dear Press Editor, and there was simply an attachment without explanation. This happens a lot. I hit delete.

Sometimes I get two, three or even four emails from the same organization in the course of a week . . . sometimes even within 24 hours. I generally stop reading at this point because they are approaching spam. One of the first things I learned in PR was . . . Don’t piss off the press!  No one benefits from this. As such, I thought it might be time to take a look at the proper way to write and distribute a press release.

Self promotion plays a big role in an artist’s or gallery’s success. A press release is only one tool in your arsenal but let’s do it right. Before you even pick up a pen to write, consider the following basics:

1. Is your news “newsworthy”? This is not the time to advertise. Let’s be super clear about this; a press release is not for advertisement purposes. So, is it newsworthy and why? Approach your news objectively and answer all the who, what, where, when and why questions. If written well the chances of scoring a feature are far more in your favor and that’s going to bring you some solid exposure. Consider the mission of your release and keep your writing on target. You want to entice the press and the public, not alienate them.
2. Typos, grammar and punctuation, oh my! Often times your release may be published verbatim. For this reason as well as others, make sure your writing is error free.
3. Choose a great graphic or photo. This needs to be a quality high resolution submission. Web photos (72 dpi) are not going to provide the quality needed for print and you will be disappointed with the quality. The press might not even publish your photo of 72 dpi. My recommendation is to include an image which is no larger than 5×5 in size and 300 dpi. If the publication wishes a larger image for reproduction they will contact you. Always include descriptions: title, artist, medium, size. Don’t send files which are huge and heavy . . . sending a 25 mg file is not going to make you any friends.

Ok, so you know your topic is killer newsworthy and now it’s time to write. That’s right, you actually have to include words in your press release. There are formatting rules. Journalists receive hundreds of press releases every day. As such certain rules need to be followed. Some publications have their own specs and you should follow these to the letter as well. In general, however, here are some formatting rules that will make your release polished and professional.

1. If sending by email, do not simply send an email with an attachment. Chances are editors will not open it. Within the body of your email (or cover letter) tell the journalist what your news is, why it’s news and explain your attachments. I usually include a summary right there in the email from the release for ease of reference.
2. Put a subject line in your email. Seriously folks. Whenever you send an email include a subject line. Spam filters will often delete an emails without a subject line and your favorite journalist will never even see it. Subject lines also keep things organized and alerts the press to . . . you know, the subject! Typical subject lines for a press release might read as follows: For Immediate Release – Westbrook Art Center Grand Opening, June 25, 2010. 400 expected to attend.
3. You should use your business letterhead for the release. Even better, create a template for your releases that can be used for submissions. Include your logo. Print the words FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE in the top left in all caps. This tag is the only thing that should appear in all caps. Provide contact info which includes your name, phone, email address and website.
4. Now you need to write the headline for the story. This is most important. Here is where you need to capture the journalist. Your headline should be centered and in bold. Keep the headline short and have a “hook”. If you are unsure of your writing skills here . . . take a look at any news publication in print or online. Notice how they structure their headlines to entice you to read more. Short, sweet and snappy!
5. Body Language. Provide the details of your newsworthy event or announcement in the body of the release. The first paragraph should be a brief detail on what the announcement is about. Include any unique or original info. The second paragraph explains in detail why your event is newsworthy, who’s involved, where it’s being held, where more info might be found, and when it will happen. Here you may want to reference the graphic you’ve included or perhaps even a quote. The third paragraph is your summation. I recommend revising, revising, proofing and double checking.
6. Ending your release displays the hashtag ###  Three # indicates the end. Your release shouldn’t exceed one page.

So you are all set now.  You’ve got a beautiful professional looking press release with great copy and a high resolution photo that will surely impress the press. Now let’s set it out into the world.

1. Sending out a mass email is not going to be effective.  Here is definitely one situation where more is not more. Choose your journalists and publications carefully. If your event is in Connecticut you don’t need to send a release to the paper in Maryland or the website in the UK. Select the journalist who is relevant to your news . . . perhaps the art editor or listings editor. If the event is taking place in New York City but the artist or gallery is from Connecticut, then send releases to major publications in Connecticut and also target publications in NYC.
2. Make it relevant. Follow current events and make note of seasonal activities and holidays. If your release flows nicely into the current news cycle, you’ll get more attention from the press and will be taken seriously as someone who respects the news.
3. Do not send your press release out 3 days prior to your event!! This will not work. In order to be placed in the news lineup you must alert the media at least 2 weeks or even 3 weeks before your event opens. You should also be mindful of submission deadlines so you can be included in the weekend news or maybe even a special section.
4. Follow up. Rather than sending the same release to the press two or three times, a better plan would be to follow up under separate cover or via the phone.  Nurture your relationship with journalists, don’t make a bad impression by sending multiple notices. Again . . . don’t piss off the press. Ask them how you can assist them better in the future.

Following these rules will help you be better positioned to get your news taken seriously.  But don’t forget, depending on the news cycle and breaking news, your release may still not make it into the publication but following the rules and using simple good manners will certainly help your chances. If you wish to guarantee exposure, then you might want to consider a advertisement.

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