Using Press Releases Effectively

A press release is essentially a news story written to garnish publicity about an event or change at your business. Using press releases can garner you additional attention in local or national media outlets, but you need to use them judiciously. They are not advertisements. You want a reporter to write about you and they won't if you are writing advertisements. Press releases are short, targeted news stories with a specific purpose.

Press releases are not difficult to write but there is a prescribed format for them. You can search online for templates which should include all of your contact information (city and state your business are in, your name, phone, email, etc.), a header and the release content. All press releases are written in the third person voice and should make the story idea clear to the journalist. Look for and present a unique angle to attract more attention.

So, what news story do you have to tell? What is unique about your background, your startup, your staff or service offerings? Do you offer an ironclad money back guarantee in an industry where that is unheard of? That might be a story. Are you an immigrant who came to this country with nothing and started a business, consider that a story. Look for what makes your business story or event stand out before submitting a press release.

You can write your releases yourself or outsource it to someone else very affordably. There are inexpensive writing services across the Web. You can find experienced copywriters at Elance.com, Odesk.com or GetaFreelancer.com. Expect to pay from $5-$15 per press release. Ask for samples press releases that your writer has done ahead of time. Again, however, it is fairly easy to write a press release and you can find templates across the Web.

Write a press release that is full of detail, but not marketing, sales or industry talk. Write it in common, news style language and be sure the story is obvious to the reader and reporter. Don't get bogged down in your personal industry jargon. Write it like you've never heard of your business before.

When your press releases are ready, it is time to send them out to be seen. You can do this online. There are plenty of services that will release your items for free or for a fee. Free sites have stipulations about how often you can submit and where they will go so do your research. A simple online search for press release services will offer many choices. Register with several of them and review their requirements.

When considering marketing and publicity, don't forget press releases! Learn to use them effectively, as enticements and aids for journalists and not as sales pitches and you can build credibility both with your industry and with reporters. Media attention is free publicity so use press releases well and you may find yourself being considered an expert in your field.

by Steven Schlagel - August 1, 2009

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