Editorial space is not always an easy thing to come by. The amount of space given in a paper or publication is completely an editorial decision.
Danny Groom, News Editor at PA News receives hundreds of press releases every day. He created a list of the top 10 classic errors he regularly sees in press releases.
1 Address it to my predecessor
2 Address it to my news editor by his name but with my title
3 Make sure it arrives the morning after the event
4 Make sure it arrives the same day as the news conference
5 Send it after the Daily Telegraph has run the story
6 Send it after I've heard it on the Today program
7 Start the release with "YOU are probably aware that X is the leading
supplier of cogwheel sprockets in Europe."
8 Add at the end "for further information ring Deirdre Smith" who in fact
isn't there this week, or is there but doesn't have any further information
and can't get any.
9 Demand I send a cutting of any story which appears in print
10 Demand "when you have written the story, please check it over with
us before releasing it"
Steering clear of these errors will help you avoid being a part of the 90% of daily press releases that are thrown out!
