It could mean the difference between toiling
in obscurity and becoming a regional celebrity, soon to be channeled through the media “echo chamber” and then catapulting to fame and newfound fortune by way of newspaper articles, magazine features, talk radio shows and TV appearances.
Laugh, if you will. But scores of business owners across the United States each year learn the value and transformative power of a creative, well written press release because they know the score:
- Media professionals, always on the hunt for a good story to fill their pages, websites and air space, know one when they see one and pursue it ardently.
- Their competitors rush to get in on the act and try to outdo previous versions of the story by pursuing a different angle (also known as a different “spin”).
- The original story, emanating from a press release, ricochets through the media echo chamber, effectively giving the story nine lives – and maybe more.
Press releases promote businesses
Press releases like these succeed in grand style at their basic purpose: to convey information that piques the interest of the media. Considering its target audience, a press release should be written in the style championed by journalists, or by concisely answering the six fundamental “J” questions: who, what, why, where, when and how. (The focus on the news media is why press releases also are referred to as “news releases.” Some people also call them “publicity releases” and, because they are usually sent electronically, “e-releases.”)
By any name, a press release must – absolutely must – contain real, legitimate news. Otherwise, media professionals will never validate it and give it play – in other words, bring it to the attention of their audience. At the same time, media professionals are well aware a press release has found its way to them for a reason, and this reason almost always centers on sharing a positive news bulletin. The challenge for the writer of a press release, then, is to write a newsworthy piece, serious in tone, while also advancing the interests of the business owner.
Don't miss out on “press release power”
If your business isn’t in the habit of producing at least one press release a month, it is missing out on myriad opportunities – and improving your visibility, enhancing your image and catapulting to fame and newfound fortune are chief among them. There are other compelling reasons to produce regular press releases, too, and the top five include:
- Establishing your business as “the voice of authority”
- Sharing your expertise so you eventually become a go-to source of information among both customers and the media
- Augmenting your inbound marketing efforts, accomplished by posting every press release online. Each time you produce a new page of original content on your website, you benefit from a “bump” in the search engine rankings. At the same time, you can shrink a press release down to “Twitter size” and send it out on social media.
- Developing an online media library – an important tool for journalists looking for background and customers looking for information.
- Building a mutually beneficial relationship with journalists. Once they know they can count on you for news, you will have attained some credibility in their eyes. And believe it: they will return to the trough for more.
With the stakes this high for your business, entrust your press releases to the media experts at ADTACK. They are skilled at conceptualizing, creating and executing marketing communication plans. And they can help you integrate press releases in your inbound marketing plan – and then watch your profitability
