Editable sender
We made the sender adjustable for every message. Just edit the name and email address and we’ll use those to send your message. An example use-case would be when you want to switch between your personal address and your regular company address.

A new Compose window
To fit this, plus all the other stuff we recently introduced, into one elegant screen we also improved the Compose window. It is a lot bigger and cleaner than the old one. Check out what the new Compose window looks like:

The post PressList updated with a new Compose window and an editable sender appeared first on PressDoc Blog.

After you requested access using the link given to you by the owner of the DMC and your request is approved (this can take a couple of hours). You are ready to publish in the DMC. Publishing is as easy a checking the right checkbox, just follow these steps.

1. Goto your dashboard

2. Find your PressRoom and enter it

3. Edit the PressDoc you want to publish in the DMC or create a new one.

4. Select the checkbox next to the DMC of your choice (see screenshot) and don’t forget to save your changes.

The post How to publish in a Digital Media Center appeared first on PressDoc Blog.

The biggest improvements are in terms of readability of the main text, the sidebar and some small improvements to the way we show images.

• The font of the main text is slightly bigger and due increased line height readability should a lot better right now.
• In the sidebar we added pictures to your PR contacts, giving your PR contacts a face. To set the avatar for a PR contact just add a Twitter handle and we fetch the avatar automatically for you.
• Journalists can now quickly see in which resolutions the images you added are available and we added larger previews.

We hope you like it as much as we do!

The post Design updated on PressDoc and PressRoom pages appeared first on PressDoc Blog.

That is exactly what our company, gloghome.com, does – we design houses and house building plans so more people could build their homes by themselves. In terms of human history, using high cost contractors is a relevantly new trend – all our ancestors built their own homes, so why don’t we?

Our paths crossed with PressDoc’s (PD) when we were searching for someone to distribute our message to a wider audience and help us manage press releases more easily. In addition, one of the members of our team had previously used PD himself so we decided to give it a try. And a good decision it was.

Besides PD’s contemporary design, the tool was relatively easy to use. And even though the setting up of the sub-account or “pressroom”, as PD calls it, took some time, it eventually paid off. Integration with and to social media was a breeze. In addition, PD themselves published our messages in their social media channels.

I most enjoyed the PD’s personal approach. Shortly after registering, for example, I received an (non-automated) email from a representative of PD asking if everything was okay – in the era of Internet business such personal approach is not very common. So in terms of recommendation: I definitely do!

When our trial at PD ended, I got a Skype call from a guy called Victor. He asked me about my general thoughts about PD and wanted to know how I was satisfied with them. Besides having a really constructive conversation about press releases tools in general, he made a lot of notes and hopefully, when our company is big enough to use the full potential of PD, the updates will already be there.

The guest blogger, George Zhordania is Head of Sales at gloghome.com – professional building plans for the non-professional builders. Solid 10 years of experience in client relations and communication. Glog Home tweets under the @gloghome handle.

The post Why does GLOG home like Pressdoc? appeared first on PressDoc Blog.

- From your experience, which email pitches do journalists pay attention to, and what makes them read the press release?
Pitching success boils down to relevance. In fact, the list is more important than the pitch. If it’s relevant? It can be long. It can have large attachments. I don’t care because I’m focused on the relevant content and not how it was packaged.
How often is it relevant? Rarely.
Unfortunately, everyone seems to spend hours crafting the pitch and minutes creating the list. It should be the opposite. Online audience identification tools are used for scale instead of for accuracy and insight. And this assumes someone is creating a pitch in the first place. Far too many publicists just send a news release. But the release isn’t the pitch, it supports the pitch. It’s background. When I only get a news release? I know it’s a mass pitch. That makes it 10 times less likely I will read that email.

“In fact, the list is more important than the pitch.”

- What’s your advice to people new to pitching on how to effectively pitch journalists?
The more time you spend building the list and using it to inform your pitch, the better. If more time is spent by a person than a machine on the list, it will increase the pitch’s effectiveness. In fact, I am willing to bet that if the entire media relations industry did this, the industry could pitch half as many people and earn more coverage. Currently, I’m convinced there are publicists that do keyword searches on an online media database. And without reviewing the results to even note if there are duplicate contacts, they send the entire list a news release.

- Can you recall some of the worst pitches you ever received or heard of?
One of my favorite bad pitches was one of the first sent to the Bad Pitch blog. It was so bad, Gawker picked it up. Someone was so in love with alliteration, they tied their news to a hurricane and the title of a porn movie. Um, they’re a data recovery service.

- What are you thoughts on personalized email pitches versus mass press release distribution services?
A couple of thoughts on this topic. First and most importantly, accuracy and relevance wins over scale every time as far as I’m concerned. As far as only sending out a press release, would you only send out a resume if you were looking for a job?
A press release is not a pitch. I know some find success with mass email pitches. But I think it really depends on the type of news. As soon as I get a pitch and it starts with “Hi,” or “Dear Editor/Blogger” it really doesn’t matter what the pitch is about. Since I know it’s a mass email, I’ve already assumed it’s off target. And 99 times out of 100? I’m right.

“First and most importantly, accuracy and relevance wins over scale every time.”

Kevin Dugan is the co-author of the Bad Pitch Blog, winner of an Award of Commendation in the Blog category from the Public Relations Society of America and a listed member of the AdAge “Power 150“. He tweets under the @prblog and @badpitch handles.
This Q&A was first published as a guest post by our friends at PRNewser.

The post The PressDoc Pitch: Episode 5 – The Bad Pitch appeared first on PressDoc Blog.

We listened and build this for you. You can now send a test email to yourself to check the links and the layout of the email you will send to your PressList. You will find the test email feature on the bottom left of the email compose window. Click the button to send a test email to the email address you use to login.

The post PressList update: you can now send a test email appeared first on PressDoc Blog.

- From your experience, which are the email pitches that fashion journalists give attention to, and what makes them read the press release?
Fashion editors respond to pitches that are succinct and focused on how the brand or service is a fit for their readership. I don’t think fashion journalists often read press releases, but when they do, it’s to ensure they understand the full scope of the information/news (the who what why when where and how).

“Ensure you have a clear ask in your pitch and don’t attach anything to your email.”

- What’s your advice to people new to media pitching in the fashion world?
Spend time researching the publication before reaching out. Ensure you have a clear ask in your pitch and don’t attach anything to your email.

- Can you recall some of the worst pitches you ever received or heard of?
The worst pitches are impersonal, irrelevant and poorly worded.

- What are you thoughts on personalised email pitches VS mass press release distribution services?
I always recommend personalized communication as opposed to mass distribution. The only time I see value in mass distribution is for investor relations or in order to disseminate information quickly during a time-crunch – like getting photos out to editors after a fashion show, where you are working on a less than 24-hour turnaround. However, mass pitching should never be an alternative to one-on-one relationship building.

Crosby Noricks is a fashion PR and marketing expert, founder of popular Fashion PR blog PR Couture. You can follow her on Twitter @crosbynoricks

The post The PressDoc Pitch: Episode 4 – Pitching in the Fashion World appeared first on PressDoc Blog.

- From your experience, which are the email pitches that journalists give attention to, and what makes them read the press release?
In general, journalists hate press releases but understand that they are a necessary evil. You usually do NOT get a big story or major publicity from a press release. You DO get it from a customised pitch. A press release should be used as backup material that you can offer to the journalist if they like your short pitch. They should also be used online and, if you can afford it, distributed through a major press release distribution service, so you can reach consumers directly. Gone are the days when we have to rely on traditional media for publicity.

You cannot “make” anyone read anything. You can help push them to read it by creating a customised pitch that is perfect for their audience. If you don’t know their audience, you shouldn’t be pitching.

- What’s your advice to people new to pitching on how to effectively pitch journalists?
Research. Research. Research! Google the reporter’s or blogger’s name and see who else they write for. Read their blog! Read articles they’ve written. I’m astonished at how many people pitch me without reading my posts. Go onto the social media sites and see if they have profiles there. If so, connect to them and share their content. Pay attention to what they are commenting on. Also, never create a one-size-fits-all pitch and send it to everyone. Journalists can smell these from 20 paces. Their audiences are more niched and fragmented than other and a cookie-cutter press release that is supposed to serve everyone ends up serving no one.

- Can you recall some of the worst pitches you ever received or heard of?
“Ms. Stewart: I would love to write for your blog. Can you tell me what topics you would like me to write about?”
Answer: No, I can’t. I have no idea who you are. I have no idea whether you have expertise in any areas my audience cares about. Read my blog and you’ll know. If you read my blog, you will also know how to pitch me.

- What are you thoughts on personalised email pitches VS mass press release distribution services?
Customised pitches are absolutely imperative if you want someone to cover your story. Mass press release distribution is important because those releases will pull traffic to your website.

A former newspaper editor, publicity expert Joan Stewart is the author of four books on publicity and PR, and has contributed to more than 60 books on publicity, PR, marketing, small business, book publishing and social media.
She publishes a popular electronic newsletter ‘Tips of the Week’ and a blog under The Publicity Hound brand. You can subscribe at http://www.PublicityHound.com, or you can find her on Twitter @PublicityHound.

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