There are many different reasons why your business might want to issue a press release – such as the launch of a new product or the appointment of a new senior executive to your management team. While the reasons may differ, the goal of any press release writing service is the same: write a press release that will get you noticed by the media. With that in mind, here are five practical tips for maximizing the amount of exposure your business receives from every press release.
Tip #1: Create a headline that attracts attention
In 20 words or less, you need to convey very succinctly why a journalist, editor or blogger would want to read about your company. It all starts with a compelling title that includes the name of your company or product, as well as a hint of what is so unique about that company or product. Often, the best headlines are tied into current themes, narratives, or stories already in the media. In other words, they are immediately newsworthy.
Tip #2: Make it easy for journalists to create an article around your press release
While some media websites will run your press release “as is,” it is far more likely that a news organization will want to write their own article based on the press release. As a result, you need to make the job of the journalist as easy as possible. That means all key information should be easy to find and understand. As a general rule, you should be thinking in terms of the 5 W’s that journalists use - Who, What, Why, When and Where. If your press release can answer those questions, then it has a higher chance of being successful.
Tip #3: Include quotes or comments directly within the press release
Part of making a press release “come alive” results from adding unique quotes or comments from people who helped to make the news that you are promoting. Usually, this is a quote from a CEO or some other top official of a company. However, it could just as easily be a quote from a respected industry analyst. If you’re in doubt about what kinds of quotes to include, just watch a financial news cable TV network like CNBC - you’ll see what kinds of comments get picked up by members of the business media.
Tip #4: Write the press release with future readers in mind, not just members of the media
Ultimately, media organizations decide to write articles about companies because they think that their readers should know about them. That’s true for both traditional print publications (magazines and newspapers) and online-only publications. That’s why press releases about companies being “the first ever” to do something in the business world are so compelling. So always write a press release from the perspective of the reader – think about what kinds of stories, narratives and themes will resonate with them.
Tip #5: Make it easy for people to learn more about your company if they are interested
At the end of a press release, there is always the equivalent of a “call to action,” or a short summary of how readers of the press release can get in touch with the newsmakers behind the news release, as well as where they can obtain more information about the company online. Often, media publications will do a little fact-checking before publishing an article about your company, and they will want to check (and double-check) any facts, figures, or statistics that you have included in your news release.
The Bottom line
By keeping these five tips in mind, you can maximize the chances that well-respected media publications will use your press release (also known as a news release) as the basis for a news article, story or interview. Thus, you’ll want to create a press release that captures their attention, provides all the necessary details about your company or product, and is sufficiently newsworthy for readers of those publications.