Maximize Exposure Through A Great Press Release

Online marketing has been on the rise for a while now. Since the Internet’s take-off, corporations of all scopes have flocked to its appeal. Why wouldn’t they? It’s more cost effective than traditional marketing, remotely available, and has the ability to reach the masses on an exponential level. With all this said, what other low cost, high impact options are available to marketers or corporations who want to explore other options besides print ads, television ads, and other plush media options? The answer is: The Press Release.

A properly crafted press release is many times the resource companies need to tell the world about what they have to offer. Not only can companies reach the masses with traditional public relations techniques, but press releases are now published online as well, exponentially growing the number of potential readers.

Trends continue to show significant growth for online content. A four-year study by Online Publishers Associated shows that online users are spending half their time visiting online content, a 37% increase from visiting content four years ago. There are several factors involved why content is so dominant on the Internet; including the transition of activities that have traditionally been offline. For instance, getting the news, finding entertainment listings, checking the weather.

While I was browsing through marketing sites, I found an article on PRWeb that outlined several tips on creating an attention-getting press release written by a widely known press release consultant. Keep in mind that a good press release published using the technology available today, combined with traditionally used forms of communication is a sure fire way to raise awareness and gain publicity for any corporation.

1. Make it "newsworthy."
Perhaps your company has a new product, a new management team, or new web site. But, as excited as you may be, those topics are not "newsworthy" unless you can come up with a unique angle or approach. Your opening sentence should be so compelling that it will capture the attention of the media you send it to. They are anxious to find fresh stories they can run, but they will not do your creative work for you.

2. Avoid clichés, hype and fluff.
Do not use exclamation marks, or say things like "save money," or "superior customer service." Press releases should sound informative, not a like biased sales pitch.

3. Use real life examples.
Tell a true example of how someone used your service and changed their life, became more healthy, started a new career, and so on. People want to know how something works, real life examples will give them the opportunity to gain understanding and more insight into your services, products, or causes.

4. Tie your story to current events or social issues.
If possible, Editors like to find stories that tie in to current events in the news. This will also make the company seem like an industry leader and up on current industry trends.

5. Use active voice.
Use verbs in the active voice to bring your release to life. Passive voice turns editors off very fast. A few good active verb examples are: accelerate, organize, discover, mediate, mobilize, conceptualize, etc. A list of commonly used active verbs can be found here.

6. Keep it short.
The fewer words the better. Stick to one page, which is 400 words or less. Editors and journalists usually receive hundreds of press releases weekly, if you are precise and stick to the point, you’re more likely to get noticed because there won’t be too much fluff in between to take up space. Just because a paper is long, does not make it informative, or interesting.

7. Leave out the jargon.
Use easy to understand terms and ordinary language. Write to a general readership, unless your target publication is a specific trade journal.

8. Use correct style and grammar.
Use Associated Press style unless you are targeting a specific publication that uses some other style. Correct spelling and grammar are essential. Proofread your release.

9. Get permission.
Never mention the name of a person, company, ticker symbol, or other identifying information without permission.

10. Use a standard press release format.
Editors do not want to hunt for the information they need. Guidelines, a sample, and templates for standard press release format can be found at WebWire.com.

11. Submit it to the right person.
You can waste a great deal of time and effort if you do not send your completed release to the person who decides whether to pursue it or not. You may want to consider hiring a consultant if you lack adequate experience. A consultant will know which journalists would be most interested in your story and have a wide network of journalists.