In our recent survey of journalists, we asked a single open ended question and approximately one-third of participating journalists responded. The question was: "Please tell us if you have any comments on how you receive press releases." Here is a fair sample of their responses:

A number of the comments related to how they preferred to receive releases:

"Email is best because the information remains stored in my computer, rather than joining the clutter on my desk. It also allows me to respond directly and easily to the sender."

"No method is foolproof, but email is by far the most effective, because I monitor it constantly when I'm at work. Important tip for writing email press releases: Summarize your story idea in the subject line. Some people just write "press release" or "story tip." If I have scores of things like that sitting in my inbox, I will never notice yours. Give me some useful information please. Fax is the worst. They often go astray—150 people use the same fax machine. They are delivered late, and then frequently are put in my snail mail box. I get way more snail mail than I can open, much less read. I toss out almost all unsolicited mass mailings. No one goes through my mail when I'm out of the office, so it backs up badly. When I am here, sometimes I'm too busy to check it every day. It simply isn't an effective way to reach me, especially in any kind of timely manner."

"Five years ago, faxes came several times a day; now, less than once a week. fine by me. What I do NOT want is the follow-up phone call to check that I have received the email, snail-mail or fax: Pros know to include their contact info, so calling me on the pretense of 'verifying' the arrival only interrupts my work."

"I like email."

"I prefer not to receive by fax."

"Use email—save trees."

"Mostly by email."

"Starting out with an email press release is the best for me. If I want more than that, I'll contact the person and ask for it—whether it's interview contact numbers, more complete kits or whatever."

"I can handle faxes and emails. I prefer to have paper to work with. So emails are always printed out for use."

"Press releases should be in digital format on CDs or in press kits so that the verbiage can be cut and pasted rather than retyped for a magazine article."

"Email is far preferable to any hard copy version."

"We receive about 600 faxes a day and most get trashed because no one is assigned to read them. Email is much better."

Some respondents mentioned how and what they prefer to receive along with news releases:

"Time is of the essence. I must download the stories and send to a server within just a few hours. If the photo is with the story I may use it, depending on space and layout. Graphics are used occasionally. I will almost never use a press release that is mailed or faxed, since our text scanner is down. Hard copy has to be typed. Nobody has the time. Discs and press kits are the last thing I look at when I am desperate for material. Sometimes use disc art for food and gardening."

"Because I also write a daily blog, it helps if I can link readers to releases or information at websites. And it helps if they are available at the same time an email containing the information arrives."

"NEVER send a release without an image. In today's time-crunched society, the image has become the focus of the story, the content becomes secondary and can be reduced to a caption. Publications are image conscious, the size/quality/drama/visual interest of the image is the hook to get your story published for free."

"It's helpful when the subject line of email press releases include the most telling details of what the press release is about."

"It would help to get the press release in the body of the email. We often do not open attachments."

"Clear high res images and easily obtainable PR verbiage are SO important and the use of flash sites and low res images will make me drop a story on deadline in a heartbeat."

"I prefer pdf files."

"I like easy-to-print-out Word documents attached to emails."

Some commented on what they considered appropriate, professional behavior by PR professionals and offered advice:

"I actually like people to call me, I tend to never read the faxes and I get millions... I do open most of the mail... email I get so much that I am swamped and tend not to read most of it. the best method is mail, or email, followed by a phone call. Which if I like it, I will then say, email me, at that point I might actually read it."

"Timeliness is important. A knowledge and respect for deadlines is key."

"Limit the 'leading edge' marketing verbiage—fact sheets are important. Let the sources speak for the offering in realistic terms."

"Keep it short."

"Most press releases are sent too late to do anything with. For example, suppose it's National Eat a Hot Dog Month. Don't wait until the second week of the month to send that release! Instead, give us lead time—send it the second week of the month BEFORE. Likewise, if you have something that's going on this week, we should have heard about it at least 10 days earlier. Sending me a notice on Wednesday that something's happening Thursday is too late to plan. You should send it 10 days ahead, then a little reminder the day before. And give contact names/numbers that actually work. Thanks!"

"I very much dislike receiving press information via telephone. I'm very unlikely to respond that way. It's important that a press release pertaining to a product mention how much it costs, where people can purchase it and when it's being launched."

"I'd like targeted news releases via email (not spam!) and no follow-up phone calls. Also, online press rooms without direct phone numbers are useless to reporters working on deadline. I filled out one of those contact forms—and didn't get a call until two weeks later."

A number of comments asked for more targeted news stories, specific to region or beat:

"Please send only those releases that are relevant to my readership in my region. And please don't argue with me on a follow-up phone call regarding my readership. Thanks."

"I don't like being added to mailing lists that have nothing to do with my job. PR firms should do what they can to make sure they are targeting the right folks."

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