You’ve Got News, Share It! 8 Tips for Creating Press Releases that Get Read

By

With so many online portals, news sites, blogs, and trade journals publishing valuable, well-written content on a regular basis, there’s no excuse to sit on your firm’s big news story writes Lilach Bullock in Forbes.

Getting the word out about your company’s new product or service, an upcoming event, a local promotion or prize giveaway, a prestigious award or new hire, especially if the new employee is assuming a leadership role or is well connected in Chester County or your industry, will increase your company’s visibility and awareness.

Yes, you can raise your company’s awareness by launching endless email campaigns, posting on social media accounts, or plowing funds into direct marketing.

But, according to Bullock, press releases are a quick and easy way to break through the news clutter and “generate leads, create buzz and help you forge connections with influential media figures.”

Bullock offers these eight tips to creating effective press releases that keep editors reading to the end and provoke a positive reaction:

  1. Ask yourself if your information is newsworthy for the targeted audience. Be honest. Otherwise, you’re just creating a press release that nobody will read.
  2. Write a press release that adheres to established style and formatting guidelines. Like everyone else, journalists can be impatient and may be on tight schedules. Make it easy for them to scan your press release quickly.
  3. Fit your press release on a single page. Like the above tip, providing a 400 to 600-word summary of your news that fits on a single page increases the likelihood your news will be read and considered.
  4. Include the essence of your announcement in the title of the press release. Your title should be a mini-press release of its own.
  5. Insert a descriptive subtitle of not more than 20 words that expands on the key message of the press release right under the title. An engaging subtitle will grab the editor’s attention and keep her reading.
  6. Be succinct: Don’t bury your big news in the fifth paragraph of a 3-page press release! Make sure your news angle is included in the first few lines of the press release.   
  7. Find a hook: Tying your press release to a local holiday, a trending national headline, or a common problem many people have conveys what your product or service has to offer and increases the likelihood your release will make it into that day’s newsfeed.
  8. Personalize the press release with a quote: Its called Facebook for a reason; people care about people. Include a quote from a salesperson, customer, or your CEO, anyone who puts a ‘human face’ on your news.

You’ve got news to share; start sharing it! Just make sure you follow Bullock’s eight tips before pressing send!

_______

Want to create a press release but don’t have the time or resources? VISTA.Today’s writers can help you create a compelling press release that builds your brand and attracts new customers. Prices start at $99. Call Steve Knickerbocker at 484.437.2826 to get started.

Connect With Your Community

Subscribe to stay informed!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Advertisement
Creative Capital logo