Pitch letters are letters personally written to individual journalists, writers, or editors (and more recently website owners and bloggers) that pitch a specific story idea to them for coverage.

Differences Between Pitch Letters and Press Releases

Pitch letters and press releases both pitch a potential story to members of the media. However, there are a few key differences:

1. Pitch letters aren’t mass-distributed like press releases. They’re personally addressing individual editors or writers.

2. Pitch letters can be used in cases not newsworthy enough to warrant a press release (such as trying to solicit reviews for a book or product that’s no longer brand new).

3. Pitch letters are generally shorter than press releases, because it’s just a pitch saying why something should be covered, as opposed a press release which has to give more background details.

4. Pitch letters are less likely to get lost in the huge pile of press releases that some journalists receive daily.

5. Pitch letters are more tailored to the needs of certain publications, from their target audience to their editorial calendars.

6. Pitch letters can be more promotional in nature than a press release can be. For example, if a company unveils a new product and sends a review copy to a journalist, the accompanying pitch letter would detail features and specs, rather than simply promoting the news angle of it being new. (more…)

Press releases are the most common form of PR writing. Sometimes called news releases or media releases, press releases are a media relations tool used to pitch a newsworthy story about a business, website, or person to journalists and other members of the media. Press releases aren’t designed to be published as-is. Instead, the purpose of a press release is to inspire a journalist to research the story further or conduct an interview to write a unique news story.

What a Press Release Looks Like

Press releases generally fall in the 300-600 word range, and rarely exceed one print page if being distributed through fax or mail. The growing popularity of online press release distribution allows for greater flexibility in press release length, as well as the addenda that can be attached to press releases for distribution (such as photos, company logos, or other supporting documents).

While sometimes confused with more general articles, press releases should be written in a more journalistic style called the reverse pyramid, where the most newsworthy information is presented first. Press releases are kicked off with a headline, which is a catchy title designed to explain the general news angle while grabbing journalists’ attention. Press releases are dated, and also contain the hometown of the issuing person, company, or organization. (more…)

A media advisory, like a press release, is used to send newsworthy (or “timely”) information to members of the media. However, media advisories are more highly specific. Media advisories tend to deal with event news, and serve as a sort of invitation for journalists to attend.

The Difference Between Media Advisories and Event Press Releases

Many individuals and companies send press releases to journalists prior to an event. These event press releases aren’t the same thing as a media advisory though. Their purposes are different.

An event press release is sent to the media in the hopes that journalists will at least mention the forthcoming event to the public, to raise awareness about the event, and to hopefully lead to increased public turnout.

On the other hand, the purpose of a media advisory is to invite members of the media to attend an event, that may or may not be public, with the aim of having the event, or the information released during the event, covered by the news media. A media advisory’s job is to tell journalists the Who?, What?, When?, Where?, and Why?, and any additional details relevant to them (such as where they can park and set up equipment prior to the event). Media advisories aren’t meant for public eyes. (more…)

A feature, in PR writing, is similar to a press release in that it’s a story pitched to members of the media in hopes of getting exposure for a person, organization, or website. Features can also be formatted similarly to a press release, and are even distributed in a similar way (through fax, email, mail, or distribution services).

Differences Between Features and Press Releases

Despite their similarities, features and press releases have a few key differences. First of all, while press releases are designed to pitch news stories, features pitch evergreen content (information that doesn’t become “stale” or irrelevant, or at least not quickly).

Another difference between press releases and features is in the distribution. While press releases are often distributed to as many media outlets as possible, many features are targeted to one particular newspaper, magazine, website, or other outlet. (more…)