Article: Press Releases are one of the very best ways to publicize your
business with hardly spending any money (possibly just postage or fax
costs) unless your hire someone to write it for you.
A press release is basically written as if YOU are a REPORTER writing about
YOU. Write from the perspective of a reporter interviewing you.
You want to explain the who, what, where, when and why of an event that
affects you. Including quotes are important ways to make the article more
realistic as well.
PRESS RELEASE DO's and DON'T's
DO
Use a press release to announce a new business opening, a
business expansion, new owners, new location, participation in a special
out of town trade show, winning an award, sponsoring a charity event, owner
or employee achieving excellence in work or outside interest (eg. sports)
or anything else makes your company (or an individual within the company)
stand out
Send them frequently once a month is great (you'll begin to be
known as an expert in your field, and the media will begin to call YOU when
a story comes up that is relevant to your field and they want a comment)
Include quotes from you or others to add interest and
credibility, within the press release
Have someone proof read them for you make sure the grammar is
good and there are no typing mistakes
Keep them to one page if at all possible
Keep them double spaced on white paper with black ink
Provide contact information so that a reporter can contact you if
they have more questions
Be sure to identify when the press release can be printed (if you
wish it to be held by the media source for a week tell them!)
Find out how media sources wish to receive press releases (email,
fax or postal service) and if there is a specific person they should be
addressed to then be sure to send it the way it is requested, and to the
person it should go to.
DON'T
Use a press release to sell your product, announce a sale or
advertise
Use fancy color paper or ink
Hand write or print with a poor quality printer that is fuzzy or
unclear
Forget to give your contact information
Make your press release longer than one to two pages at most
Try to write a press release if your writing skills are poor
hire someone to write it for you
Call the media after you've sent the press release to ask when it
will run (they are too busy and they will consider you a pest)
Who to send the Press Release to: If the event you are writing about
affects just your local area send it to the local media, but if it is
something bigger (eg. your business has been nominated for a national
award) send the press release to the media in the closest large major city,
as well as your local media. You may also send it to radio stations,
television stations and specialty magazines (eg. business, lifestyle, etc
depending on what your press release is about).
Press Release Format:
8 ˝ x 11 white paper, double spaced if possible, two pages at most.
TOP LEFT CORNER you want to let the news media WHEN they can print the
Press Release.
- You can put "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" and this means they can print it
anytime after they receive it.
- You could put a specific date if you want to hold the press release for a
specific date if you don't want to announce your event until a certain day.
In that case you would put "FOR RELEASE ON JUNE 10, 2005"
TOP RIGHT CORNER put the date you are sending out the Press Release.
Create a Title That Will "Grab" Readers
FIRST PARAGRAPH start with City, Date. The first paragraph introduces the
person and situation to us and helps us see a "picture" of the situation
they are facing. Give three to four details about the situation, possibly
even a quote.
SECOND PARAGRAPH provides more depth and details, and usually a quote. This
paragraph helps build a word picture and allows the reader to be drawn into
the story you are creating.
THIRD PARAGRAPH similar to paragraph two more details and quotes. Pretend
you don't know anything about the business. Think of ways to ask questions
that will answer those questions.
FOURTH &/OR FIFTH PARAGRAPH This paragraph (or two) should pull the story
together. Refer back to what was started in paragraph one so you can "tie
up loose ends" and create a conclusion.
- end -
The format above, the word "end" shows the (almost) last thing you need to
type at the bottom of your press release.
BOTTOM LEFT put contact information:
For further information:
Wendy McClelland Phone 778-241-2256
www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com
info@thinkwithoutboundaries.com
To see a sample press release used that generated a complete interview and
photo in the media go to:
Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and
Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to
"think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian
Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software
developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations.
She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet
Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website
www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com
Email This Page!