How best to resend press releases

This tends to irk me for two reasons. Partly because, as someone who reads (or scans) every press release they obtain, it’s a time-waster, and partly because it feels duplicitous.

It’s not duplicitous, of course. I do know that. I’m aware that most journalists — especially those working in editorial positions, who get an average 75,894 emails a day — do not and cannot read every press release. For those people, the tack of a personalised resend makes clear sense. I suppose I hope that PRs would know that I do read releases, and so not to bother with me. But that’s absurd: I’m not nearly so important that any PR should give me such VIP treatment above all the rest.

It’s also impossible for you to know whether each journalist — excepting those writing fabulous Roxhill columns — reads or misses/ignores your press releases. Press releases which you’ve spent a good while crafting, too.

So what is feasible? Perhaps always ensure, whenever resending a press release amid a personal email to a writer, that you admit that it is one the recipient has received before. And perhaps incorporate a brief note of apology, too, followed by some textbook flattery. “It’s worth a go because I love your writing.” “Country Townhouse & Interiors is the client’s favourite magazine, you see.” “Normally we wouldn’t send a release twice, but in your case I had to try.” Not that such blarney would ever work on me. Never! Ahem…