10/31 Writing an effective press release as part of your small business marketing plan
A press release or media release can be a great boost to your small business marketing strategies. Did you realize that most of what you read in the newspaper are there because someone sent in a press release? Free advertising like this is exponentially more effective than a paid ad in the paper.
To increase your chances of being published, there are a few key components every good press release needs. First of all, keep it newsy. Any press release written to sound sales-like will not be published. It has to have enough of a news element to interest the media to get any attention.
Start with a catchy headline and include a summary of the press release so the editor of the publication you’re submitting it to can quickly tell if it’s worth his time to read it. You want to include the most important points early on in the piece incase it gets cut when it goes to print. Include your contact information and a brief bio in an ‘about’ section after the main press release content.