Last week, B.D., an author,\u00a0asked me for help writing a press release. Her book had been nominated for a statewide book award.<\/p>\n

Not long before that, when author N.T.’s book was nominated for a citywide award, she asked if she should send out a press release.<\/p>\n

In both cases, I discouraged them from sending announcements to the press. “Save it for when you win,<\/em>” I advised.<\/p>\n

My advice might have confused them. After all, I often recommend writing and sending a press release when you have news to announce. Many others with experience in this area provide the same advice.<\/p>\n

What are the “rules?”<\/h2>\n

If an award nomination isn’t cause for a press release, then what is?<\/p>\n

I’ll answer the question with two more.<\/p>\n

First, ask yourself: “Is this really news?”<\/p>\n

Then answer this question: “What media outlets use news like this?”<\/p>\n

I applied these two questions to the nomination inquiries I received from authors B.D. and N.T.<\/p>\n

For both, the answer to “Is this really news?” is “It’s news to share with your networks but not news for a general audience, particularly people who don’t know you.”<\/p>\n

So in both instances, instead of encouraging them to send a press release, I recommended that they:<\/p>\n

\n
• Add something about their announcement in their next e-mail newsletter<\/li>\n
• Write a blog post about it<\/li>\n
• Share the news on the social networks they use most often<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  All three tactics are reasonable and appropriate alternatives to sending a press release in this situation.<\/p>\n

  7 situations that deserve a press release<\/h2>\n

  Being nominated for an award isn’t newsworthy from a media standpoint. Winning an award is, however.\u00a0With that in mind, here’s a list of situations when you might want to write and send a press release to relevant media outlets.<\/p>\n

  \n
  1. You’ve published a book.<\/strong> A book announcement press release<\/a> is an essential author marketing tool.<\/li>\n
  2. Your book has won an award.<\/strong>\u00a0Congratulations on that book award<\/a>! Your local daily and weekly newspapers will be especially interested.<\/li>\n
  3. You’re speaking at a conference or event.\u00a0<\/strong> Send the press release to local newspapers and trade publications in the conference industry.<\/li>\n
  4. You’re making a presentation and signing books at a bookstore or another venue.<\/strong> Send a book event<\/a> press release to local newspapers three weeks before the event. If you’ve got good visuals, include local TV assignment editors on your distribution list.<\/li>\n
  5. \u00a0You’ve been named or elected to a leadership position in an industry association.<\/strong> Local newspaper business pages and city business journals use this kind of news.<\/li>\n
  6. You’ve been selected to serve on a board of directors.<\/strong>\u00a0Local daily and weekly newspapers, city business journals,\u00a0industry publications (trade journals)<\/a>, and the newsletter of any association you belong to might run this news.<\/li>\n
  7. You can offer advice on a problem your target audience struggles with.<\/strong> (This type of press release is called a “tip sheet<\/a>.”)\u00a0Distribute your tip sheet nationally.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     Write it like you’re a reporter<\/h2>\n

     Remember to write your press release in a journalistic style — write it so it reads like something you’d see in your local newspaper. Don’t use exaggeration or hyperbole.<\/p>\n

     If you’ve never done this before and need help, use the templates and sample press releases in Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

     Need help compiling your media list? Check out the instructions in “How to build a killer book publicity media list.<\/a>”<\/p>\n

     Want to send it to a national media list? Consider paying a press release distribution service <\/a>to do it for you. (That’s an affiliate link, meaning, I’ll receive a small commission if you make a purchase with it.)<\/p>\n

     Tell us your news in a comment and we’ll tell you if you should send a press release.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

     <\/a><\/p>\n

     Last week, B.D., an author,\u00a0asked me for help writing a press release. Her book had been nominated for a statewide book award.<\/p>\n

     Not long before that, when author N.T.’s book was nominated for a citywide award, she asked if she should send out a press release.<\/p>\n

     In both cases, I discouraged them from sending a press release announcing they were nominated. “Save it for when you win,<\/em>” I advised.<\/p>\n

     My advice might have confused them. After all, I often recommend writing and sending a press release when you have news to announce. Many others with experience in this area provide the same advice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":19894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,20,11],"tags":[163,907,122,123],"class_list":["post-10094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-publicity","category-news","category-tactics","tag-book-publicity-2","tag-news-media","tag-news-release","tag-press-release"],"yoast_head":"\n