Does the thought of trying to get publicity for your
business seem like something that you can't do yourself,
and would have to hire a professional for? Do you think
that writing a press release is totally outside your
ability to do? Does the thought of talking to the media
about your business make your mouth go dry and your stomach
clench? If so, take heart, because you're about to learn
how you can take care of your own publicity, simply and
easily.
Getting publicity for your business can seem like an
impossible task -- something that only happens for "big"
companies that can afford to hire publicists.
The reality is, getting free publicity for your business
isn't that difficult. Welcome to The Secrets of Writing a
Good Press Release". By the time you finish reading this
article, you'll not only understand the basics, you'll know
what goes into the process, and what you have to do to get
started writing your own press release.
First of all, let's go over some basic terminology you need
to be familiar with.
Press Release: A statement with useful and relevant
information that is written for distribution to the media.
Hook: The information or larger story that you can use to
attach your press release to. Using the right "hook" in the
right way can help you to get more publicity for your
business.
Spin: Telling your story your way.
The good news about learning to write a Press Release is
that there is an established format that you need to
follow. And once you've learned the basics, writing a press
release is a kind of "cookie cutter" process. Here are some
basic ideas to keep in mind:
Make your news "newsworthy". A press release is not a sales
advertisement. A good press release answers all of the "W"
questions (who, what, where, when and why), and sometimes
"how." Your purpose in writing it is twofold: to provide
the media with useful and relevant information about your
organization, product, service or event and to get your
name out to your target market.
Begin with a strong headline. Your headline and first
paragraph need to grab the reader's attention. Without
being flowery or overly dramatic, you have only the first
few seconds to grab your reader's attention and get them to
read your story, and decide if it's worth running. So don't
blow it by being vague or weak. The rest of your press
release can give them the nitty-gritty details.
Tailor your story to your Primary audience – the media.
Your secondary audience is your target market, but if the
media doesn't decide that your story is newsworthy and runs
it, your potential customers will never know about it!
Pay attention to your writing. Sometimes, especially in
rural areas and online, the media will run your press
release in their publications with little or no
modification, so make sure you've used your spelling and
grammar check before sending it, and keep to the facts.
Most of the time, journalists will use your press release
as a stepping off place for a larger feature story,
especially if you can show larger relevance to other
current events. Always develop your story as you want to
have it told – put YOUR spin on it. Even if your story is
not reprinted verbatim, always remember what YOUR purpose
is in writing it – to provide exposure for you, and to help
brand you as an expert in your field.
Not everything is news. Just because you are excited that
you made your first big sale, or started a new product
line, or wrote your first article, doesn't necessarily mean
that the press are going to think you have a newsworthy
story. From the time you start your first draft, keep your
audience in mind. Who will find your story interesting? Why
are they going to find it interesting? How is it relevant
to something else that's going on right now?
Identify a problem, and show how you're solving it. Use
real life examples about how your company or organization
solved or is solving a problem. Give examples of how your
service or product fulfills needs or satisfies desires.
What benefits can be expected? Use real life examples to
powerfully communicate the benefits of using your product
or service.
Stick to the facts. Always. Tell. The. Truth. Avoid fluff,
embellishments and exaggerations. It is part of a
journalist's job to be skeptical. If you want to use
publicity effectively, then you're not looking for a one
night stand. You want to gain the trust of the media,
establish your credibility, and build an on-going
relationship with your local media, so that you become a
resource for them within your industry.
Find your "hook". Try to make your press release timely.
Keep informed about what's going on in your community, in
your state, region, the country or the world. Is there a
local, regional or national news story that somehow ties in
to your industry or your business? If you can hook your
press release to current events or social issues, you
increase your chances of having it picked up. If not, then
make sure your story is relevant to the needs, wants or
problems of your community or target audience.
Use an active, not passive, voice. Use strong verbs that
will bring your press release to life. If there is
controversy, describe it. There is an old adage in the news
business: "If it cries it flies, and if it bleeds, it
leads." (Not very nice, but it's often true.) So, while you
may not be crying or bleeding, make what you're writing
about stand out. Use active verbs. Write "partnered" rather
than "entered into a partnership" or "engaged" rather than
"interested", etc. Writing in this manner will help
guarantee that your press release will be read.
Use only enough words to tell your story. Avoid using
unnecessary adjectives, flowery language, or redundant
expressions such as "added bonus" or "first time ever".
Paint a strong, vivid picture in the minds of your audience
by making each word count.
Use jargon sparingly. There are times that some jargon is
required if your goal is to optimize your news release for
online search engines, but whenever possible, speak
plainly, using everyday language. Avoid words like
"capacity planning techniques" and "extrapolate".
Avoid hype. The exclamation point (!) is your enemy. You
will destroy your credibility by using hype. If you must
use an exclamation point, use one. Never do
this!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get Permission. Most people and companies are very
protective about their reputations. Be sure that you have
written permission before including information or quotes
from employees or affiliates of other companies or
organizations. If there is a hint of a dispute in this
area, chances are your press release will be tossed aside,
and never used. And you will lose your credibility.
If you follow those simple rules, you'll be able to put
together a newsworthy story that will help you achieve your
goals of getting the word out about your business.
----------------------------------------------------
Dr. John E. Neyman, Jr. is owner of Leaders Excel in which
he specializes in coaching, websites, and optimization. If
you would like to grow in your leadership ability contact
Dr. John at john@LeadersExcel.com or
http://LeaderExcelSolutions.com
No comments:
Post a Comment