How to build media relations in Poland using press materials

Press materials sent to journalists are one of the basic tools for building media relations in Poland. The latest research reports that as many as 77% of Polish journalists use them in their work. By creating them in a skillful way, the brand is able to control what the media write about it, and when. Good contact with journalists is also a guarantee that articles written by them will be beneficial to the image of the brand. How to skillfully create press materials?

Polish journalists are open to media relations.

According to a September 2020 survey conducted by the Polish Press Agency, as many as 77% of Polish journalists use press releases sent to them by companies and institutions on a daily basis. Journalists explain that such content makes it much easier for them to create articles. It proves that editorial offices are very open to brand activities related to media relations. 76% of the interviewed journalists from Internet portals, printed press, radio and television, declared that they willingly cooperate with public relations agencies and have constant contact with PR specialists employed in companies.

What must be included in the press materials for Polish journalists?

Polish journalists declare that the most valuable materials sent from companies are those that contain numerical data. So, if your company conducts research or possess statistics, do not forget to include them in the materials addressed to journalists. A properly structured press release should also contain contact details of the sender, as well as those of the experts quoted in the materials. Journalists are eager to quote statements of company owners or industry authorities – it is good to include a short statement and contact details of the person speaking directly in the materials. To make the message more attractive and increase the chance of publication in the Polish media, be sure to add photos to your materials, illustrating the content you send. Journalists in Poland have a very positive view of the possibility of free use of graphics provided directly by the company.

Structure of a good press release

So what should a well-structured press release look like for Polish journalists?

1. Date

Each press release must be marked with the date of distribution of the material. It is placed at the very top, above the title.

2. Title

It is the title that largely determines whether a journalist reads the material and, as a result, uses it in their work. The title must draw attention, but at the same time be specific about what is in the content.

3. Lead

The lead is nothing more than an introduction to the content and desensitisation of what you can read next. In the lead, you have to answer the following questions: who, what, where, when and why.

4. Development

Development is the place for the proper content, i.e. the expansion of what is located in the lead. This is a good place to include figures and the so-called “flesh”.

5. Quote

When looking for a good expert for the topic, try to make the quote not only interesting, but also relevant to the topic under discussion. The quote is supposed to complement the content, not just a clog.

6. Contact details

Mandatory elements of the press release are: name and surname, e-mail address and / or telephone number of the person who, if necessary, will provide journalists with additional information, as well as answers to any questions. The named person may be the owner or a marketing director of the company or someone who represents the brand from their agency.

Press materials – what to avoid?

What elements of press releases do Polish journalists evaluate most negatively? First of all, it is intrusive advertising, i.e. detailed product descriptions and license tests. Remember that PR is not about selling: building consumer awareness, as well as a positive image and building authority and trust counts here. When creating press materials for Polish journalists avoid grammatical and stylistic errors as much as possible. Before sending the message, you should also include valuable statistics data. Also, instead of bombarding journalists with unwanted content multiple times, it is better to build long-lasting media relations in Poland.

How to submit press releases?

The main tool used for communication with Polish journalists is traditional e-mail (as many as 58% of respondents indicated e-mail as the most important source of information obtained from organisations). This is very good news for foreign brands that want to run media relations in Poland: most often it is enough to send the desired materials to journalists on their contact list. Word or RTF. Files, or interactive press releases created with the use of multimedia tools, such as Prowly, are the best for this. Another way in which the media obtain information is through individual conversations with brand representatives – so it is worth considering cooperation with a Polish public relations agency, which has a wide network of contacts among journalists. Other ways of communicating with the media are press conferences and social media. Industry journalists follow brands on the Internet and willingly use what brands write in their social media channels. It is therefore important to ensure that valuable content is also published on Facebook or Instagram of the brand.

Who should I send press releases to?

If you do not know the Polish media market, you will not know which media outlet is worth sending company press releases to. Should you choose only well-known portals and magazines? Or maybe it is better to bet on niche media dealing only with one industry? Of course, many companies, especially foreign ones, want the largest portals in the country to write about them. Striving for publicity is good, but it can be ineffective if not done professionally. We should also remember that articles on the Internet work for us all the time – if the website of a given medium is well positioned, customers will find content about our company long after the article is published. In the Internet, apart from quality, quantity also matters, so sometimes it is better to send information to many niche media than to one nationwide one.

The survey shows that most Polish journalists eagerly use press materials, so it’s worth creating them skillfully. Including interesting stats, quality photos, experts’ statements and avoiding intrusive advertising are the most important principles of building a fruitful relationship with the press. If you are looking for a Polish public relations agency that will help you create effective press materials, please contact us.

Table of Contents: