Do editors of newspapers, magazines and online news sites really use press releases? Too right they do. In fact, the press release is one of the most effective forms of publicity. But many businesses, both online and off, underestimate the power the press has to promote their business and get their product or service noticed by potential customers.
There are no figures that show how many news stories are generated by press releases but my guess is that it runs into the hundreds and thousands, if not more. Many will be published word for word. Others will be paraphrased. But, either way the stories generate free, credible publicity for you, and your business.
So how do you convince reporters and editors to sit up and take notice of your company’s news? Write a press release that’s newsworthy, factual, topical, and then send it to the right people. It’s not as simple as it sounds, though, because the press is bombarded with information everyday and their priorities are not necessarily yours.
Have no fear. Here are 15 tips to help you write a press release that will impress reporters, and increase your chances of publication.
1. Don’t waste the reporters’ time submitting something that isn’t news. Find an interesting angle or a new twist and you’re almost guaranteed success. If you make your story sound dull it will probably end up in the trash. The best source for ideas is the magazines and newspapers themselves. Not the front page headlines but the one or two paragraph items on page three or page 10. Play close attention to these because they often suggest something bigger is afoot. If that something can tie into your product or service you’re on to a sure-fire winner.
2. Your headline should summarize your story in ten words or less. It tells the editor, at a glance, if your story is newsworthy or not. Avoid adjectives like