Press Work: Definition, Tasks + 11 PR Tips.

Press Work: Definition, Tasks + 11 PR Tips

Press work (also known as media work) is a part of public relations (PR) that can significantly enhance the visibility and reputation of your company or brand. It involves a collaborative and professional relationship with the press and media representatives.
The goal is to achieve the most positive coverage possible, thereby expanding reach and improving the image. Here are some tips on how to make it work…

What is Press Work?

If you are self-employed, you should not neglect press work for your company or product. If you do not have your press department, you can hire an external agency to handle this— for example, to establish a reputation as a competent expert or generally increase visibility.

When doing press work, consider all types of media outlets:

Print media (newspapers, magazines, trade journals)
Radio (private stations, public broadcasters)
Television (local stations, private and public broadcasters)
Internet portals (including specialized blogs)
Social networks (LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok)

It is crucial to identify and target journalists, media representatives, and influencers who are relevant to your topics in your PR work. Always handle press contacts carefully: many small waves are better than a tsunami.

What Does Press Work Include?

Traditional press work involves more than just sending press releases. Maintaining contact with journalists and multipliers in the press and media is almost more important. Genuine trust and recognized expertise are the foundation for exclusive and effective stories and messages that resonate.

Key tasks in press and media work include:

Conducting media analysis
Establishing and maintaining media contacts
Building a press distribution list
Creating press kits and information brochures
Writing and distributing press releases
Responding to media inquiries
Conducting background discussions
Organizing and inviting to press conferences
Conceptualizing and executing media campaigns
Preparing and managing crisis communication

The Dangers of Press Work:

Stepping into the spotlight can be perilous! For instance, saying something foolish or making false statements in an interview can damage your reputation more quickly and permanently than it can ever be rebuilt. Increased attention also leads to more envy and competition.
Therefore, think very carefully in advance about how you want to position yourself and what you stand for. This also applies when a journalist calls you: consider carefully whether and what you want to say. What you consider trivial might be the main hook for the editor. Focus on a maximum of three key messages. Rarely will more be quoted.

11 Tips for Better PR and Press Work:

Whether you organize the press work yourself or get support from an agency, avoid the following cardinal mistakes that will immediately mark you as a novice and a dilettante…

1. Forgetting Homework:

There is no greater sin than being unprepared. The least that media representatives can expect is that you know the medium to which you are offering your story. That's what the masthead and often an "About Us" page are for. Before you call or email anyone, read these pages carefully and research the background of your contact person.

2. Confusing the Addressee:

Anyone contacting editorial offices or media representatives has their interests: more attention, publicity, visibility, a better image... Journalists and multipliers know this too. But it should never be the main focus. When contacting press representatives, think first about the benefit to the readers, listeners, and viewers – not your own! The addressee of a press release is never the journalist but the readers of their medium. If you just want to advertise, buy ads!

3. Being Vague:

Get to the point! What is your news, or what benefit do the readers get from your story? Journalists have little time and patience, especially not for rambling. If you can't condense your topic and summarize it in 3-4 sentences, you probably don't have a story—or haven't thought it through thoroughly. This is your job, not the journalist's. Otherwise, you'll end up with a story you never wanted.

4. Looking for Topics:

When agencies or press departments are turned away, many ask: "What topic would you be interested in instead?" Deadly! This is the death knell for any PR strategist. In plain language, it means: "I have no idea, but if you tell me yours, I can sell it to you as mine!" You're asking media representatives to do your job. Besides, no reputable journalist will reveal their topics—they're already planned. The coup of the PR consultant is to draw attention to new, important stories in press work.

5. Following Up with Media Representatives:

Somewhere in a third-rate PR guide, there must have been this tip: "Follow up on every press release by phone!" It's annoying. Yes, press releases can get overlooked. One follow-up email is enough. But if the topic doesn't catch on, persistent calls won't help; on the contrary, they strain contacts. Just imagine if every agency did that... journalists would never get anything done. The better way is to call first, offer the topic, and if there's interest, send the information afterward.

6. Repeating News:

If you notice that your competitor is successful with their press work, don't try to offer the same story again, with the motto: "It may have all been said, but not by me!" That's not news, it's embarrassing retelling. It only shows that you can't set your topics and thus have no relevance in the market. Instead, analyze the competitor's good PR work, learn from it, and do it better and faster next time.

7. Placing Articles:

"Hello, I'd like to place an article with you..." – Never, never, never say this to a reputable editorial office. Advertisements and ads are placed, not articles! Except in trade and customer magazines, no editorial office takes ready-made PR texts 1:1. Journalists and editors write their own stories. Therefore, in press work, you should primarily offer exclusive information, studies, survey results, or your quotes as an expert or topic suggestions. But even then, never try to place them!

8. Diluting Statements:

If you make statements or give an assessment, the success lies in highlighting them sharply. If you're afraid of your boldness, you shouldn't do press work. Of course, the statements must be true. But in interviews, speak plainly and don't beat around the bush. Otherwise, you'll never be called again.

9. Broadcasting Press Releases:

Many believe that more is better. The larger the press distribution list, the greater the potential visibility. But this calculation is naive: most media outlets compete with each other and are looking for exclusive news and original stories. Those who reprint and retell immediately look outdated. Therefore, large mailings rarely achieve anything. If you have a good story, consider which medium would be the best for it: where can you best reach your target audience? Offer the story to these media first and exclusively. All others follow with descending relevance—that would even be a PR strategy.

10. Wasting Time:

We also receive numerous invitations to press conferences. But they primarily cost time and money—and yield little in return. Press conferences are only worthwhile if the topic is of broad interest and you can be sure that all local media representatives or national media from the press, radio, and television will be interested. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and making a big fuss for nothing. Embarrassing. And if you plan a press conference: always prepare for critical questions!

11. Remaining Irrelevant:

Publicity is part of press work. But it's counterproductive to inflate well-known information or package it as news. It appears anything but competent, just media-hungry. So, don't overdo it: the "world market leader" for left-turning screws with a chrome-plated countersunk head may be factually correct. But who cares?

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Press Work: Definition, Tasks + 11 PR Tips.