So, your business is doing something pretty cool - maybe you’re opening a new location, or you’ve got a huge event coming up that you want to spread the word about! Well, social media only goes so far, and there’ll probably come the time when it’s time to start reaching out to the media.
Writing a press release can be a valuable tool for small businesses to share news and attract media attention. And, you don’t need to be an expert in PR to do it! Here are steps you can follow to create an effective press release:
Identify the News Angle for Your Press Release
You don’t want to send out a press release for business as usual - it has to be a momentous thing for your business, whether it’s a new store opening, a new product launch, or a major event you’re hosting.
Determine the purpose of your press release. What is the news or event you want to announce? Be strategic about this - if you constantly badger the press with press releases about inconsequential things, they may be less likely to pay attention to you.
Craft a Compelling Headline
Create a concise and attention-grabbing headline that summarizes the main point of your press release. You don’t need to get too cutesy with it - leave the puns to the journalist’s discretion because it may not align with their publication’s brand. Keep your headline informative and engaging, making journalists want to learn more.
Create a Strong Lead (Opening) Paragraph
In the first paragraph, provide the essential information about your announcement, including the who, what, when, where, and why.
This is exactly what we all learned in middle school English class - you need a hook! Capture the reader's attention and encourage them to continue reading. Let them know why they should care about this press release enough to publish it.
Include Supporting Details in the Body
Use the following paragraphs to expand on the information in the lead. Include quotes from key individuals, statistics, and other relevant details.
Keep the content clear, concise, and relevant. A press release shouldn’t be particularly long - there’s no need to give a complete history of your business here. If the journalist needs to know more, they can always pick up the phone and call you.
Provide Background Information on your Business
That being said, make sure to include a brief bit of background information about your company, product, or event, especially if the press release is targeted at new audiences.
Keep it concise - this is essentially like an elevator pitch on paper for your business. It’s best to keep it down to two or three sentences.
Include Multimedia Elements (If Appropriate)
Attach high-quality images, videos, or other multimedia elements that enhance the understanding of your announcement. Key word: high quality. Your iPhone pics might be good enough for social media, but these should be something you’d be proud to see on the front page.
Ensure that multimedia files are in a format that can be easily accessed by journalists. It shouldn’t be encrypted or password-protected - this is especially important if you’re sharing a file over Google Drive or some other cloud storage.
Write a Strong Boilerplate
Include a brief paragraph about your company at the end of the press release. This is known as a boilerplate and provides general information about your business. It may or may not be included in the end publication, but it gives the journalist a little bit more information about you.
Add Contact Information
Include contact details for a media contact person. This person should be available for inquiries from journalists. It could be you, it could be your marketing person, or could be a public relations firm if you want to hire one.
Include an email address and phone number.
Distribute the Press Release
Send the press release to relevant media outlets, journalists, and bloggers.
Also, make sure you’re sending your press release to the right person - some news outlets have a general contact to send press releases, while others (especially newspapers and magazines) will have business-specific reporters you’ll want to reach out to.
If you haven’t heard back from an outlet, make sure to follow up! These journalists often receive tons of press releases every day, so it’s quite possible that yours just got lost in the shuffle. Be patient and kind, but make sure you do follow up to make sure it’s seen.
Remember, the goal of a press release is to provide journalists with the information they need to write a story. Make it easy for them to understand and cover your news.
Give the Press Something To Talk About
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