How to Send a Press Release (The Distribution Part People Get Wrong)
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Writing a press release well is only half the job — how and to whom you send it determines whether it gets read at all. This is the distribution side most guides skip past.
Build a targeted list before writing anything
A press release sent to a broad, unfiltered media list performs worse than one sent to a smaller, carefully-matched list of journalists who actually cover your industry and have written about similar news before.
Personalize the send, don't blast identically
A press release attached to a personalized note referencing why this specific journalist would care performs meaningfully better than the same release blasted identically to a hundred contacts with no context.
Use email, not a mass PR wire, as the primary channel
Paid wire services (PR Newswire and similar) distribute broadly but rarely land in front of the specific journalists who'd actually cover your story — a targeted, personal email send to relevant contacts typically outperforms wire distribution for actual pickup, with wires better suited to compliance-driven announcements than pickup-driven ones.
Send at the right time (see the dedicated timing guide)
Tuesday through Thursday mornings in the recipient's local time zone consistently outperform Monday inbox floods and Friday wind-downs — timing amplifies a well-targeted send, it doesn't substitute for good targeting.
Include the release in the email body, not just as an attachment
Journalists scanning a crowded inbox are less likely to open an attachment than to read a release pasted directly into the email — making the content immediately visible removes a barrier to a fast yes/no decision.
Provide easy access to supporting assets
A brief note linking to a press kit, high-resolution images, or supporting data (rather than large attachments) makes it easy for an interested journalist to move quickly without extra back-and-forth requests.
Track opens and follow up strategically
Basic email tracking reveals which contacts opened but didn't respond — a short, non-pushy follow-up to that specific group, rather than the entire list, respects the people who already declined via inaction.
Coordinate embargo timing for bigger announcements
For significant news, offering select journalists early access under embargo lets multiple outlets prepare simultaneously, producing a coordinated wave of coverage the moment the embargo lifts rather than one early piece competing alone.
Distribution discipline compounds over campaigns
The lists, timing patterns, and journalist relationships built through consistent, well-targeted sends improve every subsequent release — distribution quality is a capability you build over time, not something to rebuild from scratch each time.
Related reading:
- Press Release Templates: 5 Formats That Still Get Picked Up
- When to Send a Press Release for Maximum Pickup
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Editorial note: This content was researched and generated on 2026-07-17. Facts and pricing are verified at time of writing and subject to change.