By Kamea Zelisko
Do you know what a press release is? Better yet, do you know how to create one that will attract the attention of the media to your business or organization?
Many people think a press release is only useful to some types of businesses, but that’s not the case. Any organization, big or small, can benefit from sending out press releases.
By sending out a press release you are basically using the mainstream media to spread the word about your company. It can be a great, fast way to reach thousands of potential customers. And the best part is it’s a much, much cheaper alternative to buying ad space, and can be more effective too! But there’s one catch – it has to be done right. Here are some facts about press releases to keep in mind:
What is a press release?
A press release is a “pseudo” news story, and it can be about anything you want. Having a grand opening? Send out a press release. Offering a new product or service? Send out a press release. Press releases can be about anything that has value to the reader.
What’s in it?
Besides announcing an event, product or service, press releases include all your company information—contact info, company history, etc. They also clearly show your company’s branding (eg. logos, fonts, etc.).
But most importantly, press releases should be written in news writing format so that ideally the content can be ripped right out of the release and placed in the newspaper, on the radio or on TV.
Who do you send it to?
You can send press releases to any media outlet by fax, email or snail mail. They can also be part of a full media kit, which we will blab about in another blog.
How do you make sure it gets noticed?
It’s very important for you to keep in mind members of the media literally read hundreds of press releases per day. You basically have about five seconds to catch their interest, and if you don’t, your release will end up in the garbage bin. So save some trees and do it right the first time:
• Make it catchy: Think of a headline that will catch their attention—make it short, but something newsworthy, timely, funny and/or witty.
• Keep it objective: Try to keep your press release from reading like an advertisement. This can be tricky, especially if it’s your business and you’re not a trained writer—but if it sounds like it could be one of those late night infomercials, it won’t be picked up.
• Use a quote: Whenever possible include a quote in your release, and try to put it in the second sentence. The media loves quotes!
• Keep it short: Press releases aren’t essays. Be sure to keep them short and sweet and include all of the information needed by the media (including your branding and contact info!).
This may be a lot to keep in mind, but in the end what it comes down to is if you wouldn’t read the release or be interested, the media won’t either.
Feel free to give us a call or email us if you have any questions or would like more information on press releases—we’d be happy to help!
Good luck!
