Common Errors Preventing Success in Media Releases
| As an experienced press release service, we have seen some of the world's best and worst press releases. Below you will find some of the most common errors that we encounter on a regular basis. You do not get a second chance to correct the negative impressions left by a poorly written release. |  |
| All Upper Case Characters - Ouch! Never submit a press release in all upper case characters. The headline and body of your press release should be in proper case. JoCool PR's editorial policy does not permit press releases written entirely in upper case characters.
Grammatical Errors - Even the best writers occasionally miss grammatical errors and typos. Please proof read, edit and reproof your press release. Obvious errors are easier to catch when composing your release off-line. Never compose your release during the submission process. If you need editorial assistance, we have professional NewsCrafters available to prepare or edit your press release. Call 866-640-NEWS for more information. Lack of Content - We reject about 10% of all press release submissions for lack of content. Oddly, authors are particularly guilty of short press releases. (We assume that if authors can muster enough words to fill 300 pages they should be able to come up with a 300-400 word press release.) Please make sure that you answer all of the "W" questions, who, what, where, when, why and how to ensure a complete press release. Press Releases that Scream BUY ME! - Do not write your press release like an advertisement. Remember that journalists are NOT your marketing partners. Their job is to relay information to their audience, not to sell. A good press release informs the media. If your press release screams, BUY ME, then you might want to consider reworking your release. Hype Flags - This is a close cousin to the BUY ME problem. If your press release contains too many "hype flags" it will trip spam filters and intercept your press release before it reaches its destination. A "Hype Flag" is anything that challenges the credibility of your press release. Examples of "Hype Flags" include an abundance of exclamation points or wild product and service claims. Funny Characters - On occasion, strange characters and formatting can creep into your press release during the submission (copy & paste) process. Make sure that you press release is formatted as you intended. Word Wrapping - Do not break each line at 70 characters. Let your sentences wrap naturally. Please do not place a hard carriage return at the end of each line. Include a carriage return only at the end of each paragraph. Incorrect Usage of E-mail - This plagues about 30% of all press releases. Use a role account instead of a personal account. A role account is
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. A personal account would be
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. |