Build Awareness Using Press Releases

Press releases are powerful tools! They carry the implied endorsement of the media that publishes them, helping you spread the word about your brand. However, since they are not paid advertising, you cannot control if your release will get published.

Chris Brown, founder of Marketing Resources & Results, suggest you increase your opportunity of getting into the media by using these tips:

Write like a reporter:

Use proper formatting

Keep the release to one page, double-spaced, with the 5 W's in the lead (who, what, when, where, & why.) Don't use "our" referring to the company or its products and customers or "you" referring to consumers.

Use an active voice, not a passive voice

Active is straightforward: ABC Company introduced a new product. Passive is backwards: A new product was introduced by ABC Company.

Make it newsworthy

How does this information impact the community, the industry, the company? Why should the reader care? If you can answer these questions, this helps to make your story more newsworthy. Avoid superlatives and fluff.

Be prepared

Create a backgrounder and fact sheet to follow up on your story. The reporter may want to do a feature story based on your press release. Include a media contact so the reporter knows who to contact.

Create a Headline to Grab Attention:

Use an active verb

Avoid the "is" "was" "has" type of verb. Common headline verbs include: announced, formed, introduced, awarded, etc.

Keep it to one sentence

If you need more space, use a sub head in italics below the main headline, but be careful. Some news organizations run both the headline and sub head together so you don't repeat the main thought of the headline, only expand it.

Identify your organization

Increase visibility by using the name of your company in the headline.

Stress the benefits

Use a subhead to explain why your announcement is important to a certain target audience. A subhead helps the reporter identify if the story is important to their readers and appropriate for their publication.

Include a summary paragraph:

Write an "about" statement

Keep it 2 to 3 sentences long. This allows the reporter to categorize your company. Include your web site.

Include contact information

Help the reader contact the appropriate department if additional information is needed.

By using these tips, you?ll find that your press releases will be increasingly be picked up by the media and you?ll begin to achieve wider awareness with your target marketing.