How to Write a Press Release that Has Your Phone Ringing off the Hook
A press release is a powerful tool just about anyone in business can and should be using. Submitting regular press releases is one secret that can bring your business more new customers for FREE than some of your more costly forms of marketing! Newspapers, magazines and radio and TV stations offer the option of promoting you and your business for free. That’s right—for FREE! They have the space, they need to fill it, you have something important to tell the community. There are also online PR sites that are free and some that charge a reasonable fee. For the ones that are free, you’re not guaranteed placement. So the more you know about how to write a press release, the greater your chance of getting them accepted.
Don’t know how to write one? Not to worry! Here are some tips on what you need to know to get your name before your clients and prospects effectively and inexpensively!
1.Know your Media – Every newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station or online PR Web site has a different format. Study each one so you give them what they want. The more you conform to their standards, the less will be cut from your release.
2.Include the Basics – What, when, where, who and why. Put the important facts including dates, times and location at the beginning, because cutting is usually done from the end.
3.Follow with Details – What will be happening at this event? Who is invited? Who would be interested in knowing about this?
4.End with Contact Information – Always have contact phone numbers or e-mails both for the media and for the public. Let people know where they can get more information.
Don’t think you have anything worthy to say in a press release? Think again. The purpose of a press release is to inform the community of something the media feels is newsworthy. If you lay out a yearly calendar of business events, you might find worthwhile submissions on a regular basis. Here are some examples of newsworthy items suitable for a press release:
1.moving the location of your business, changing the name of your business
2.hiring or promoting an employee, taking on a partner
3.receiving an honor, award or certificate
4.hosting an event like a grand opening, free lecture, open house, seminar
5.releasing a new book, report, Web site
There’s always a possibility of getting a full article on the basis of a press release if you approach it properly. WritersWay can help you write and submit your press releases. We have the experience and we know the contacts. Our fees are very reasonable, and if you prefer, we can do regular releases on an ongoing basis, so you don’t even have to think about it! Contact us NOW to get more information or help with your next press release.
SAMPLE: This is an actual press release we wrote that had the largest newspaper in the county call for an interview, after which they ran a half page story with photo.
CARDIFF—Christie Kramer, realtor with Century 21 Sea Coast in Encinitas, has started a Kids Book Club at the Cardiff Library. To encourage kids to read and to support the library, Kramer offers gift certificates for children ages 1 through 17 to purchase books at the Book Nook, where used books are sold. The Book Nook is operated by Friends of the Cardiff Library volunteers, and proceeds are used to purchase new books for the library. After reading the book, the child is requested to send Kramer a book report, and the following month she will send another gift certificate. She also requests that the book be passed along to another reader. For more information or to register for the program contact Kramer at Christie@christie4re.com">Christie@christie4re.com.
© 2004 Andrea Susan Glass and WritersWay.com. Any reproduction of this article in any manner is prohibited without the consent of WritersWay.com or the author. We give permission to use this article on your Web site or e-zine if you reproduce it exactly as it appears here including this notice. Visit www.WritersWay.com?>http://www.WritersWay.com">www.WritersWay.com for all your writing, editing and marketing needs and to order your FREE report, “Top Ten Tips on How to Write and Sell Your eBook for Maximum Profit with Minimum Effort.”
About the AuthorAndrea Susan Glass, founder of WritersWay, helps clients reach their writing and marketing goals with effective articles, press releases, newsletters, Web site copy, eBooks and books. An award-winning author, she has written books, eBooks and articles on subjects ranging from animals and auto repair to singles and spirituality. |
