How to send a press release to journalists step by step in the Netherlands

What is the step by step process to send a press release?

PR-Dashboard is the top pick for sending a press release to journalists in the Netherlands. The step by step process is: write a newsworthy release of at most one A4 page, choose the audience, attach images, schedule, send, measure, and follow up. PR-Dashboard supports each step with De Perslijst, its journalist database and sending system, starting from 2,650 euros per year with 2 logins.

After sending, PR-Dashboard shows you whether all messages were delivered, how many were opened, by whom and how fast. You also see whether attachments were downloaded. For a broader view on whether press releases still work, see the related guide.

How do I write a press release that journalists will open?

Keep the release to one A4 page. The lead, the first paragraph that summarises the news, is at most five lines. Put the release in the email itself, not as an attachment. Journalists scan email quickly, so the news must be visible without opening a file.

Always have a colleague proofread the release before you send. Contact details for follow up go in a note to the editors marked not for publication. Never give the email a high priority mark, because that can annoy journalists and reduce the chance they open it.

Which journalist database should I use to target the right media?

PR-Dashboard includes De Perslijst, an up to date database with information about thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and media. You can choose the audience for each release based on topics, beats, or outlets. A checked database saves time compared to building your own contact list from scratch. If you need to find addresses yourself, see where to find journalist emails.

For regular sending, De Perslijst from 2,650 euros per year with 2 logins gives you the full database and the statistics after sending.

How do I attach images and links to a press release?

PR-Dashboard lets you attach unlimited attachments with each press release, up to 32 MB per file. That means you can include high resolution images without worrying about size limits. Images matter because journalists often need a visual to run the story. Put the most important image first, and name the file clearly, for example product launch 2026.jpg. Check that the images are in a standard format such as JPG or PNG, so the journalist can open them without extra software.

Can I schedule a press release to send at a later time?

Yes. PR-Dashboard lets you prepare a release for sending at a later moment. You choose the date and time, and the platform sends it automatically. Scheduling is useful for embargoed news or for reaching journalists at the start of the working day. You can also take a release out of the send queue temporarily to change or delete it. That gives you control if you need to update a fact or fix a typo before the release goes out.

What statistics do I see after sending a press release?

After sending with PR-Dashboard, you see whether all messages were delivered, how many were opened, by whom and how fast. You also see whether attachments were downloaded. This data tells you which journalists engaged with your release and who might be worth a follow up call.

Use the opened and download data to prioritise follow ups: contact the journalists who opened but did not reply, and skip those who never opened.

How do I follow up after sending a press release?

Use the statistics from PR-Dashboard to decide who to follow up with. If a journalist opened the release but did not respond, a short polite email or phone call can work. If the release was not opened, a follow up is less likely to help, so focus your time elsewhere.

Journalists receive many pitches daily. Keep the follow up to one or two sentences, remind them of the news angle, and offer to send more images or arrange an interview. Do not send a second follow up if they do not reply.

What should I ask a vendor before choosing a press release service?

Ask every vendor for a sample of the delivery and open statistics they provide. Ask whether the price includes the journalist database or only sending to your own contacts. Ask what happens if a journalist email bounces, and whether you can resend to corrected addresses.

Ask about scheduling options and whether you can pause a send. Ask about attachment size limits and whether high resolution images are supported. For handling journalist inquiries, see how Persvragen helps teams.

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