Print media might be fading, but there will always be news media outlets, which is why it’s important to understand how to get a release noticed.

We’re perhaps as guilty (for lack of a better word) as anybody else for proclaiming the unprecedented and unrivaled benefits of online marketing.

For what it’s worth, it’s hard to deny: Online communications and marketing are unbelievably fast, efficient, flexible and affordable, and they are arguably where the majority of ad dollars and audiences are going.

Still, that doesn’t mean print is entirely dead, nor does it mean that traditional media outlets aren’t going to adapt and survive by embracing and integrating the Internet. That means some things—like a well-written and placed release (or media release, press release, news release, etc.)—will always have a place in a marketing strategy.

Recognizing the Editor: Tips and Tricks for Getting Your Release Noticed and Published

Of course, your goal with sending a release is to get some free publicity for your hospital. Sure, you might have useful or relevant information to share, but underneath it all is a motivation to get your hospital’s name out there.

Editors know this, and they’ll respect you if you respect them. That requires knowing a few things about editors:

• They are extremely busy…and your release is going to be quickly assessed for being “good” or “bad,” along with the hundreds of others received.

Editors want releases that they can immediately identify as “good” (newsworthy, relevant, written for journalism, etc.) and can be given to a copy editor for quick fact and grammar checks. If they have to read volumes of copy to discover the point—only to discover that the release never had a point other than to promote your company—it will certainly be ignored.

• They always need content. That may seem ironic if editors are receiving hundreds of releases, but not when an overwhelming majority of them are poorly written, aren’t newsworthy, don’t respect journalistic formats, and are obviously created to get free promotion.

This reinforces the reason why you should truly try to develop relevant content—not at all unlike creating good SEO content. Instead of pitching your company or service, perhaps mention it inside of a story that will appeal to the reader. Another technique is to quote a hospital executive that is commenting on a newsworthy topic.

Also, if you don’t know how to write a proper lead sentence, don’t understand inverted pyramid style, or don’t know how to format a release, hire a professional or do some research.

• They love digital files. Save yourself the time and money with sending releases through the mail. Instead, send a release both as an inline e-mail and as a Word document.

Don’t hesitate to provide images, but don’t attach them. Instead, include hot links to a media page on your Website that offers downloadable low-resolution (three-color) and high-resolution (four-color) images.

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