Timing Press Releases Strategically

Quick reference

• 00:05 Now we've come to an interesting section,
• 00:07 which is timing our press releases strategically.
• 00:10 The timing of press releases is really crucial to its success, and
• 00:14 the good news is that you can control the timing, in your favor.
• 00:20 So let's have a look at what timing can do for you, and why it's so important.
• 00:25 Timing will actually increase the odds of getting your press release approved
• 00:29 and published.
• 00:30 And it will increase the readership of your press release.
• 00:34 The news will obviously be ranked, if it's relevant.
• 00:37 Now the many factors that you're gonna need to consider when it comes to deciding
• 00:42 the timing of the press release.
• 00:44 We're going to consider five of these factors particularly.
• 00:47 Firstly, we're gonna look at the publisher's timing guidelines, and
• 00:51 then optimizing publication on your social media channel.
• 00:55 And then we're gonna have a look at synchronizing of this related news,
• 00:59 optimizing your own sales cycles, as well as the value that there is in waiting.
• 01:05 Now, each of these factors will obviously vary, and
• 01:09 that will depend on your company's needs, and the nature of your press release.
• 01:14 So let's go ahead and look at these factors one at a time.
• 01:17 Now with regards to timing guidelines, from your publishers,
• 01:21 we're gonna need to be aware of the timing guidelines of the publishing house, and
• 01:25 of the newspapers, that will be accepting our press release.
• 01:30 Make sure to find out when it's the best time of the week,
• 01:34 best time of the day, for them to accept the press release.
• 01:37 For some of them, Fridays are actually the worst day of the week, and for
• 01:41 some of them, night emails might work better,
• 01:44 because they finalize their work in the mornings.
• 01:47 So the key is really, that it's up to you to time the press release, so
• 01:52 that we can suit the guidelines, of each of these channels.
• 01:57 Now social media is really powerful to amplify, so
• 02:00 why not use it to spread the press release, when it's ready.
• 02:04 You've gotta time the posting of the press release
• 02:07 on social media to make sure that you can get it out there during peak time.
• 02:12 That way more people will be online, and more people can subsequently share it.
• 02:16 This is really where knowing your audience comes in handy.
• 02:19 Is your target audience American, for example?
• 02:22 If it is, then you've gotta publish the press release at America's peak time and
• 02:27 not Australian or British peak time.
• 02:29 It'll be ineffective really to publish it, based on UK peak times or
• 02:34 European peak times, if your audience is indeed in the US.
• 02:39 Now, another useful strategy would be to synchronize it with related news.
• 02:44 So, when it comes to press releases, it can only work in your favor, if you launch
• 02:48 new products and you publish your companies alongside some related news.
• 02:54 This is really where we are going to be tactical.
• 02:56 If you belong to a toy company and you're working on a press release about a range
• 03:01 of Star Wars toys, then the launch has gotta be communicated
• 03:06 near the release of the Star Wars movie and the Star Wars press.
• 03:10 Another example, if your company's hosting a charity event for
• 03:15 VIPs, then your press release should not be
• 03:17 published around the time of the Grammy Awards or any other VIP events.
• 03:22 Why not?
• 03:23 Because you don't really want to compete with other events, but instead,
• 03:27 we're gonna try to increase our coverage and our event attendance.
• 03:33 Now we want to make sure that we can optimize the sell cycle.
• 03:37 So what do we mean by this?
• 03:39 We wanna try and make the publication of our press release coincide with
• 03:44 those times, during the month and the year, when our sales cycle is down.
• 03:48 In other words, during our dip.
• 03:51 Because this will help us to increase our sales.
• 03:54 The point of marketing through press release,
• 03:57 is to keep the company's momentum going.
• 04:00 So perhaps your company sees most of its sales at the end or
• 04:04 at the beginning of the month.
• 04:06 In this case,
• 04:07 press releases about new products, should be launched in the middle of the month.
• 04:11 And that will help us to have a much better,
• 04:14 much more even spread in our sales.
• 04:17 Now there's certainly value in waiting.
• 04:19 Don't be in a hurry to publish your press release the moment you've
• 04:22 finished writing it.
• 04:24 It's exciting in the beginning and especially with social media,
• 04:28 if you've got 100,000 followers,
• 04:30 it's like sitting there with your finger on the nuclear button.
• 04:34 But don't be rushed.
• 04:35 Only publish the press release, when the timing is right.
• 04:39 For example and this is a good example actually,
• 04:41 Adele the singer launched an album towards the end of 2015.
• 04:47 And thanks to effective press releases, it went platinum at least.
• 04:52 So this resulted actually,
• 04:54 in marketing agencies holding back the release of other top singer's albums,
• 04:59 until the hype and the excitement of Adele's album had dwindled.
• 05:03 So for those other singers,
• 05:05 timing was actually crucial to the success of their own album.

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