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Emails allow companies to connect directly with journalists, influencers, and the public directly with a personal touch.
This makes it quite effective for public relations (PR) purposes as the recipients are more likely to respond positively to a tailored message in their inbox.
A well-written PR email increases your brand’s chances of earning backlinks through guest posts, gaining positive media coverage, controlling the narrative about a controversial incident, and more:
A typical PR email has many components such as a compelling subject line, clear takeaway, and strong call to action (CTA). Each of these components makes your message stand out in your target audience’s inbox.
In this article, let’s look at the most effective PR email templates for 2024 that you can leverage to boost your marketing success.
4 PR email templates for 2024
The four essential PR email templates will help you share news, invite others to collaborate, and manage crises. They were created using email marketing principles that value sending actionable details in a professional and engaging way.
Here are a few general best practices for leveraging email for PR:
The templates allow teams to relay their message concisely and persuasively, increasing the likelihood of a positive reply.
1. Press release
Press releases are simply business announcements to the public. It could be about a new product, partnership, or acquisition. The goal is to seek coverage from various media outlets such as publications in your niche, independent journalists, bloggers, or other media contacts.
The key elements of a press release email template include:
- A compelling subject line that emphasizes the urgency or relevance of your message to the audience of the media outlet.
- The hook should clearly state your message in the first few sentences to reel in the reader, especially if this is your first email to them.
- Teams should mention the details of the announcement, such as the who, what, when, where, and why, in the body.
- If there are any quotes or statistics, mention them along with the link to the original source.
- The CTA should encourage the recipient to share your story on their platforms or contact you for further information.
Template:
| Subject line: New [Product/Feature/Event] Dear [Name], Hope this email finds you well. I wanted to share some exciting news from [Your Company]: We’ve just launched [new product/service/event]. This release marks a significant step forward for us, and we believe your audience will find it just as impactful. Here are a few highlights of the launch: – [Key feature or announcement detail] – [Another important point] – [Interesting stat or quote from a company figure] We’d love to collaborate with you on press coverage. Please find the full press release attached. Feel free to reach out for more information on [Contact Details]. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title] [Company Name] [Contact Information] |
2. Media outreach
Media outreach is about sending stories or pitching collaboration opportunities to journalists, influencers, and industry leaders. It works by conducting a deep dive into what the audience of the recipient is interested in and then sending them something relevant.
Essential things you need to focus on while writing a media outreach PR email include:
- A personalized opening where you mention the preferences of their audience or applaud their past work to know you have done the research.
- Briefly mention the story and explain why it would deliver value to their brand and target audience.
- Provide all the supporting information including stats, facts, survey insights, or quotes. It could also include files, images, or decks, especially if it’s a cold outreach.
- The call to action should encourage the recipient to ask more questions or suggest sending a write-up tailored to their audience’s preferences.
Template:
| Subject line: Story Idea for [Publication Name] Hi [Journalist’s Name], I’ve been following your coverage of [specific topic] and thought you might be interested in a story idea related to [your company/product]. At [Company], we’ve been working on [specific development] that could offer a fresh perspective on [topic they cover]. Here are some key points: – [Interesting fact or statistic] – [Relevant case study or story angle] – [Notable expert or company figure who can comment] If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, I’d love to [provide additional information, set up a time for an interview, or send over exclusive assets]. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title] [Company Name] [Contact Information] |
3. Event invitation
These PR emails request various individuals and publications to attend or report your upcoming event.
The event could be a product launch, an industry conference, or a live event. The goal is to promote your event on various platforms via your partners.
To optimize response rates for the event invitation PR email brands should include these elements:
- Highlight the event’s exclusivity or importance directly on the subject line. It could involve mentioning a key speaker within the industry.
- You can quickly compliment the recipient on the quality of their coverage of similar events to let them know you have done the necessary research.
- Dive quickly and concisely into the event itself. Mention key information such as the date, time, location (or virtual event link), and a short description.
- Reveal the perks and compensation offered in exchange for covering this event from your brand’s perspective.
- Before mentioning the RSVP CTA, provide additional resources such as blog posts that cover more about the event.
Template:
| Subject line: You’re Invited: [Event Name] Featuring [Key Speaker] Hi [Name], We’re thrilled to invite you to [Event Name], where [Company Name] will be [description of the event or product being launched]. This exclusive event will take place on [date] at [location] and will feature [highlights such as key speaker, entertainment, etc.]. Here’s what you can expect: – [Key takeaway or exclusive details] – [Special feature or guest] – [Networking opportunities or perks] We would love to have you attend as our guest and provide your readers with an inside look at the event. Please RSVP by [date] to secure your spot. Looking forward to seeing you there! Best, [Your Name] [Your Title] [Company Name] [Contact Information] |
4. Crisis management
Every business goes through bad days. It could be a product that missed the mark or a subpar handling of a customer’s grievance. Here’s a quick way to know whether the situation at hand is a PR crisis:
The objective of a crisis management PR strategy is to take control of the narrative, address the issue, accept responsibility, and provide reassurance.
Typically PR messages surrounding company distress relay essential information to the public and the relevant stakeholders (customers and investors) about how you will move forward.
Considering the seriousness of the topic, the following points should be clearly mentioned in the pitch email:
- A straightforward subject line without any sensationalized words or phrases.
- Greet the recipient and go directly into the matter at hand. Begin by acknowledging the issues faced.
- Mention and explain the steps the company is taking to fix the problems at hand, and then provide reassurance.
- Keep in mind that the journalists or influencers may have additional questions. You can create a set of FAQs and send it over with answers, and encourage them to reach out if they need more information.
Template:
| Subject line: Statement Regarding [Crisis Situation] Dear [Name], At [Company Name], transparency is important to us. Recently, we encountered [brief description of the issue or crisis]. We’re writing to inform you of the steps we’re taking to address the situation. We are currently [action the company is taking], and we are committed to [reassurance about the future]. Additionally, we have [specifics of what has been done to fix the issue]. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. Should you have any questions or need further details, please feel free to contact me directly at [contact information]. We appreciate your understanding and support during this time. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title] [Company Name] [Contact Information] |
Be mindful that each PR outreach message begins a conversation, and the journalists or influencers to whom you are sending messages might be busy.
Hence, whenever they reply, keep your answers ready. It can be beneficial to leverage an AI email assistant to speed up the whole process. This will allow you to focus on refining your media pitches instead of administrative tasks like data entry.
Follow up appropriately. Ensure that enough days have passed before you send them a reminder, as these are cold emails.
This also holds true for outreach emails sent via social media platforms like LinkedIn.
How to write a PR template
Other PR needs might be recurring but specific to your business. Creating your own email template will save you countless hours while maintaining consistency across your messages.
Here are the three steps and how to do it:
- Write the subject line: It should contain the purpose of a message. Try to keep it under 50 characters. Explicitly mention whether you have a new product that needs coverage or addressing public criticism from the get-go to boost open rates.
- Concise Body: Avoid dancing around the point. Just mention what you are looking for and provide the summarized details. Extra information could be sent as a web link or attachment.
- Reasonable CTA: Most PR emails are conversation initiators. Instead of requesting that they run your story, encourage them to ask further questions that their readers might be interested in.
As you are inviting more questions or inquiries from the recipients, have the follow-up emails ready. This could include FAQs about the topic.
PR teams need to recognize that ensuring your brand has a good reputation
Next steps
Start with your raw message and then give it a professional shape by leveraging one of the templates provided above. You can enhance the PR email templates further by mentioning the contact details at the end of the message.
This way, you will have to fill out only a handful of information, drastically reducing the time required to write an excellent PR message.
Evaluating the efficacy of your PR outreach efforts is crucial to gaining optimization insights. As you understand your brand’s media requirements further, consider creating a minimalistic yet dynamic email template tailored to your needs.
