Using a Press Release to get More Customers
Press Release
A press release is a short, concise form of journalism that is typically published by a news organization and distributed to other journalists for an embargoed period of time. The intent is to generate coverage in the targeted media outlets, which may lead to increased readership and advertising revenues. A press release can also be used by organizations or companies as a marketing tool.
The journalist would typically need access to the website or social media account associated with that company in order to access the most recent press releases. In print media, a press release might be accompanied by photos taken at the event where it was issued, while websites may include videos related to that particular press release's content. Since the early to mid-2000s, search engines have begun to incorporate the capability to search on a company's press release and make it visible to a broader audience. (info taken from Wikipedia).
Designing a Press Release: You should write your press release in an online tool such as Microsoft Word, Notepad or plain text before you submit it.
· Start with a news hook: A news hook is something that makes the reader want to know more about what happened. The opening sentence should be a description of, or refers to, what caused you to issue this press release in the first place. Write your opening line to grab the reader's attention and sell them on the rest of the release.
· Make it concise: A press release isn't like a blog post or an article. It's meant to be a summary of your content, not an in-depth exploration of one particular subject. You should aim for a press release that is no longer than 400 words, and make sure you keep it as concise as possible. Your goal here is simply to convey your core message as clearly as possible and get your readers interested enough to look into things further.
· Be clear: One of the worst things you can do with a press release is leave people confused about what you're trying to say. Make sure you follow this rule and don't use long paragraphs to make your point.
· Avoid fluff: Also known as " elevator pitches ," these are long, rambling stories about the person who wrote the press release. They're often written by PR teams for their clients and don't have anything to do with content that you're trying to get out there. If you're going to include a personal anecdote or an opinion on something, keep it short and sweet. Focus on your message here, not your voice.
· Edit: When you get a draft of your press release down, make sure that it reads clearly, sounds professional and doesn't require any additional explanations. If you're not sure your press release will make sense, ask someone else to read it for you and tell you if it comes across the way you want it to.
· Demand: You definitely shouldn't be afraid to ask for what you want, especially when it comes to writing a press release. If your goal is to get coverage from an online publication, make sure that's what they'll get out of the story they write. Otherwise, they may end up ignoring your request or using only parts of your work.
· Formatting: Write your press release in an easy-to-read format with a typical font like Times New Roman and spacing that makes sense. Don't use a weird font size or a lot of different colors. You also shouldn't need to highlight anything, since you want your press release to look professional and polished. If you aren't sure how you should format your press release, search for other examples in your chosen medium (print, online).
· Get a journalist's attention: When submitting a press release to the media, make sure that you're targeting media outlets where journalists are likely to publish or share it. If you're trying to get coverage from an online publication like The Huffington Post or BuzzFeed, consider using the services of an online PR company that can ensure your message is seen by the right person at the right time. For example, Tweetdeck is a popular Twitter management service that allows you to create lists and organize your followers by certain criteria. Using this feature, you can target the media outlets where your target audience would typically be found. You can then see a list of those outlets and send out press releases that are most likely to get attention within those communities.
· Include photos & videos: If you have any photos or videos associated with your press release, make sure that includes a link to where they're located on your website. For example, you could place a link to a gallery of photos in the body of your press release and leave the link to your website in the caption. The same thing goes for videos. If you haven't already included them on your website, this is a great opportunity to do so.
· Make it personal: When writing a press release, as I mentioned earlier, make sure you're asking for what you want instead of just hoping for it. This can be as simple as including an anecdote about yourself that highlights why you're issuing this press release or what inspired it in the first place.
· Contact information: Make sure that you include your name, your phone number and an email address where people can reach you. You should also include the name of the person who wrote the press release in the byline, along with their position, role and contact information.
· Coordinate with other companies: If you're issuing a press release about something that's happening within your company, make sure to coordinate with any other departments who can help flush out your message (such as marketing or customer service). This will ensure that all of your messages are in line and that people are able to contact someone within your company if they have questions.
· Avoid mistakes: A press release is not a place to make spelling or grammatical mistakes. This is a surefire way to make people think you're unprofessional or careless, which will lead them to ignore your work and opt for something else instead. If you can't find someone else to read over your work for you, proofread it multiple times yourself before sending it out.
· Include links: Make sure that all links included in your press release are live, working and relevant to what's going on in the rest of the text. You also want to be sure that there aren't any broken links within the body of your press release.
· Be positive: This is not the place to complain about something or to get negative. You should already be communicating these opinions and opinions through your other public relations efforts, so don't include them here.
Don't get discouraged if you don't find success right away with your press release, just keep trying every month until you start seeing some results. Make sure that you try to learn something every time you send one out, and don't get discouraged if it takes time for people to write about what you're doing.
The key is consistency, so keep at it and wait for the successes to eventually come rolling in.