Some enterprising individuals just added mini-marshmallows to the coffee bar in the break room. Time to send out a press release, right? The CEO finished a presentation, and only one person fell asleep. Alert the media! One of your salespeople…sold something. Hurray! Let’s tell the world! Readers everywhere have a right to know.
Yes, they do, but they probably won’t care. Things happen at companies all the time, and most of them aren’t press release material. No one is going to pick up a paper or click a link to find out about your adventures allowing shorts on casual Friday.
So When Should You Write a Press Release?
Press releases aren’t journal entries. They shouldn’t try and capture every, little insignificant happening at your company. They’re reserved for meaningful business developments that would have a wide appeal to readers generally, or in particular markets.
If your organization is hosting a big event for the general public, a press release would be appropriate. It would make sense to send one if you land a major project that would interest a large group or that has implications for the mass market, or if you open a new store and are trying to get the word out.
The measure of whether an event or happening warrants a press release is whether it’s newsworthy. Could you imagine a reporter showing up and doing a story on whatever it is you’re thinking about writing about? Could a journalist reasonably write an article based on your release that would have a chance of being published? If it seems unlikely that your local paper would publish a spread about how you finally chose a paint color for your conference room, it probably doesn’t warrant a press release.
What Makes a Good Press Release?
The story needs to be interesting, engaging, nay revelatory! Remember that there’s no guarantee that your press release will get picked up so you need to try and make the content as compelling as possible.
A good press release starts with an attention-grabbing headline. It’s likely that news organizations receive a lot of press releases, and they have limited time and space. You need to pull them in quickly so that they give the rest of your release a chance.
Once you’re into the body, make sure to follow standard press release formatting. Then make sure to include the kinds of who, what, when, where, why, and how information that journalists and other media professionals need to craft an article. You want to make it as easy as possible for them to turn your press release into publishable material, so it should be written formally, as a journalist would write. Casual language will get your release tossed in the circular file.
You should also include a few choice quotes from important people occupying important positions in your very important event. Remember that your press release needs to capture the attention of publishers, and it should make it easy for them to capture the attention of their readers. If it feels lackluster from that perspective, punch it up.
Where Should You Submit Your Press Release?
The fastest, most effective method is to utilize a distribution service, like PR Underground, PR Web, or PR Newswire. For a fee, these companies will make certain your press release reaches the right eyes at dozens of online news organizations, social media influencers, and local outlets (each service offers different distribution packages and different rates).
If you’ve never sent a press release before, remember that time is of the essence. Using a distribution service will get your release out quickly, to the people that need to see it. The cost is well worth it.
If you’d like help crafting an effective press release that grabs people’s attention and doesn’t let go, contact us today. We can help you get your story out to the world!
