Writing and distributing press releases to
promote your business should be an important part of your marketing plan. Here are some tips on what you should include
in a press release in order to make it work for your business.
Start with the 5 W’s. Every press release should include basic
information such as the 5 W’s: who, what, where, when and why. By including information related to each of
these, you will ensure that your audience has the most important information
about your business or business event.
Begin with the most important
information. To write a press release,
put the most important information at the beginning, preferably in the first
paragraph. While you don’t have to
include the answers to all 5 w’s in the first paragraph, doing so is a great
strategy. Ideally, you want the reader
to get the most important information first so if he doesn’t read past the
first paragraph, he still gets the most important facts. This is especially true if you’re writing a
press release about an event. In the
first paragraph, you want to include the dates and times (when), type of event
(what), location (where), who (your business) and why.
Include quotes and details for
interest. Quotes and statistics help
lend interest and credibility to your press release. Of course, what you use depends on the topic
of the press release. For example, if
you’re having a special event or promotion, you may want to quote someone
within the organization on why you’re hosting this event or making this
offer. If you’re issuing a press
release because your business or employees have earned an award, distinction or
training, you may want a statistic about how many businesses have earned
this. You could also have a quote about
why this is important and how it sets your business apart from your
competitors.
Contact information. Many times, local news organizations will
print your press release as is. However,
other times, the news organization may want to follow up with you. Be sure to make this easy for them by
providing contact information. This
should include the name of a person within your organization who is prepared to
talk to the press and a phone number and e-mail address for that person. You want to make it easy for a member of the
press to get more information from you.
It could lead to a bigger story or live remote.
You can use press releases to accomplish a
number of goals. They can be sent to
local news organizations to promote your business and your business’s special
events. They can also be posted online
to help drive traffic to your website.
Don’t be discourage if you don’t get the
media to cover your business in response to press releases. Press releases also help introduce your business
to the media. This allows them to call
on you as an expert when they’re looking for resources related to a story. For example, a lawncare company that is known
to the local media may be called upon for interviews about lawn care during a
drought. This is better than
advertising. This is free
publicity.
Press releases are an effective marketing
tool. With these tips, now you know what
you should include in a press release.
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