How can you tell when it's time to issue a press release?

Everyone wants to hit a grand slam and some believe that one press release will get you there. This is simply not true. In order to hit a grand slam you have to get runners on base. Consistency is what will help you to build your audience. It's an investment in communication with your audiences (public relations). When you swing for the grand slam with no runners on base, you will fail and embarrass yourself. Start today. Flex your distribution and communication muscles. Don't cut corners. The rewards (grand slams) will come. In 25 years working in PR at the grand slam level, this is the only way. Get the first pitch grand slam out of your head and take a walk, get hit by a pitch, hit a single, steal second base. You'll learn by doing.

*5W1H* is a tried-and-tested method to evaluate the news value of your press release. Answering the questions *who, what, where, when, why and how* not only helps at the information-gathering stage (to identify the key elements of your story), but also to (i) ensure your message is clear, concise, complete and accurate, (ii) gauge the relevance, timeliness, impact and uniqueness of the story itself - for the benefit of your audience.

Not everything is a press release; in this case, less is more. Saturating the media sphere with "news" is a surefire way for it to be ignored. When you have something important to say, issue the release and ensure it's tied to an end goal: media coverage, public awareness, SEO, engagement, etc. Then, and only then, write an engaging, fact- and action-driven fuelled release that cannot be ignored.

Don't send it out with the Friday trash - unless of course you only want the appearance of checking off the "we put it out there" box. Take stock of what's happening around you, and if it can be strategically released for a certain date, look to book that in the calendar. You can't always predict the future, but if you can avoid competing with other newsworthy items, your chances of success go way up.

Write a media release that is print-ready. As newsroom resources continue to shrink, having to rewrite and reformat your release is a time they don't have. Start with an eye-catching headline, and make sure to add some humanizing elements to the quotes included. Make sure to tie your content into your company's overall vision and strategic priorities and tell the story of why this announcement is significant.