By Carl Weiss
Every business owner is always on the hunt for
effective yet inexpensive methods to generate a buzz that can get the word out
and command the attention of prospects.
While traditional advertising is one way to self-promote, it is not only
expensive, but it is also difficult to track.
Pay per click advertising, while eminently trackable, is not all that
inexpensive since it is sold for the most part on a cost-per-click basis. But what if I told you there was one form of
promotion that could provide the best of both worlds in one easy to afford
package? And what if this promotional
vehicle could not only give you the clout to generate far more exposure than
traditional advertising venues, but it could also park you on page one of many
newsfeeds and search engines in less than a day. Would that get your attention?
What I am referring to are press releases. Not exactly the new kid on the block, press
releases have been around for more than 100 years. The first documented press release was
documented in 1906 when Ivey Lee released a statement concerning a train wreck
that killed 50 people in Atlantic City, New Jersey. His news item was not only picked up by a
number of newspapers across the Eastern seaboard, it also set the standard for
the vehicle now used by millions of companies and thousands of news outlets around
the world. When you consider that over 80 million people in the
US alone get their news online day in and day out, this is a niche that’s
begging to be filled. When you also take
into consideration the fact that everyone from journalists to bloggers and
broadcasters are always on the hunt for fresh stories and breaking news, then
this is one promotional venue that’s hard to beat.
Before you dive headfirst into the water, there are
a few things you need to consider. First
and foremost, press releases are not cloaked advertisements. They are newsworthy stories. As such, they can announce events,
promotions, awards, accomplishments and new products. Then can also be used to generate a feature
story provided that they gain the attention of other writers. Journalists of all stripes constantly comb
though press releases in order to generate material for an assignment. This is
also a place where they look for inspiration for an article or broadcast. So the first rule in writing an effective
press release is that you need to grab the attention of a writer or publisher.
You also want to grab the attention of bloggers and
search engines, both of which can propel your story to an even bigger
audience. A mention in a popular blog or
a page one posting on a major search engine can have a profound effect on both
your website’s traffic and your reputation.
It can also result in your receiving a call from other writer’s or
broadcasters who wish to interview you for their station or publication. While fleeting, the exposure from even a
single well-placed press release can be game changing. In fact it can elevate your status to that of
“valued expert” which can catapult you and your business to a whole new level.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that you are competing
against millions of other press releases all clamoring for attention. What this means is that unless your last name
is Kennedy or you are on intimate terms with a movie star or some other
well-known celebrity you are going to have to work long and hard to come up
with a story that has star appeal.
Take
it From the Top
In the press release game, the headline is where the
rubber meets the road. Unless you grab
the reader from the get go, the chances of your release getting read and
reposted are slim to none. Whether you
write the headline first and the release afterward or the other way around
matters not. What counts is whether your
headline not only describes the essence of your release, but also jumps out of
the herd. A dynamite release with a
lackluster headline will simply get lost in the shuffle.
Since you also hope to command the attention of
major search engines, you need to include important
Brevity
Does a Body Good
Next comes the body of the press release. Just as with social networking, there are
rules when it comes to crafting an acceptable press release. Since journalists
are your target, understand that they have neither the time nor the inclination
to research or extensively rewrite your company’s big announcement. Therefore you need to write the release as
you would like to see it appear in a news story. Start with the date and city from which the
release originates. The first sentence
needs to be concise. If the headline of
the press release reads, “New Caveman Diet Rocks,” then the lead might be
something like, “Forget the carbs, the Caveman Diet promises to shed pounds by
revisiting caveman cuisine.”
Then it’s time to move onto the first paragraph
which needs to hook the reader into reading more. Ideally it should fill in some blanks while
expanding the lead and providing additional detail. What you don’t want to do is turn the opening
paragraph into either a tweet or War and Peace. Ideally your release should be a maximum of a page
in length. It needs to communicate who,
what, when where, why and how, while sticking to the facts and keeping your
copy short, sweet and to the point.
Remember that whoever reads your release will in all likelihood have read
dozens of others just like it. If you
want your story to get ahead of the pack you need your release to be more than
well written. You need it to be
press-ready.
Who
Are You?
Lastly, consistent press releases can establish you as an
industry expert. This is important because establishing your expertise helps you gain the trust of
your target audience. It can also be a positive boon for media relations.
Whenever the media needs someone to comment on an issue related to your
industry, wouldn’t it be wonderful if your name was front of mind. Expert
status can be an asset that you can take to the bank. Well written and properly distributed
press releases will allow you to stand out among the crowd, gain the
attention of the media and above all start the presses rolling.
Carl Weiss is president of W Squared Media Group, a digital marketing agency in Jacksonville, Florida. He is also co-host of the online radio show Working the Web to Win which is broadcast live every Tuesday at 4 pm Eastern.
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