Business Success Tips – When Is It Time To Write A Press Release?

Why make it a point to write press releases on a regular basis? Mainly, because they work and bring you the special attention you and your business deserve. They provide you with the perfect avenue for announcing a big event, (such as an upcoming teleseminar or speaking engagement); or sharing a great achievement, (such as an award for your book); and other newsworthy events. It’s your opportunity to brag a little, and by all means you should be taking advantage of this. Sometimes we find it hard to toot our own horns; that’s totally understandable. However, in your business, this is something you should be doing. You need to let the media and potential buyers know what you are up to. Think of it this way—if you don’t do it, who will?

Some fail at their press release efforts because they just don’t do them well or they make critical mistakes, which prevent them from getting the exposure they should. Fortunately, with these tips you no longer have to. Let’s touch briefly on the basics for a press release and how to get the best results when sending one out.

Press Release Writing Tips:

• In a nutshell - A press release is one page; 350 to 550 words. It starts with your complete contact information, followed by a killer title. The release itself should begin with (City, State) and date that precedes the opening paragraph. You then go into a dynamite opening paragraph which leaves the reader wanting more, followed by two to three supporting paragraphs that include a quote from you. Now close with an action paragraph telling the readers exactly what you want them to do (i.e., buy my book!). To top it off, add an “About Us” section (your brief bio). Seems like a lot, but it really isn’t. Once you create a template using this outline and actually write a few releases, you’ll see how easy it can be.

When writing your release, clearly state the most important newsworthy details. Make it compelling and include all the vital components including who, what, when, where, and how.

Press Release Submission Tips:

• Be consistent. Write and submit press releases frequently. For example, write a release when you first publish your book, but don’t stop there. As soon as the next big event happens, write a new release. When you do this consistently, people tend to expect to hear the great things happening in your business. They look forward to your next release to keep them up-to-date on what you are doing.

• Add all of your press releases to the press page on your website. That way, when anyone stops by your site, they will see all of your great accomplishments in one place. This alone will be beneficial to your business for years to come.

• When sending an email pitch, be very mindful of the subject line. The quality of the subject line in a press release will dictate whether it will even get opened. Test it out. Send out a few dozen with one subject line; wait to see if you hear back, and then try more with a different one. It can take a time or two to nail a good subject line, but it’s worth the effort.

• When submitting your press releases online, ALWAYS do a preview first before hitting the submit button. This will help you catch mistakes like having the date line twice (some sites automatically add it), having the title cut off because it’s too long, and so forth. It’s also a great opportunity to check and make sure the links are working.

• Use a professional service such as eReleases. You can’t beat the results you get. Not only does the release get out to major media, but oftentimes their staff will go the extra mile and help you create a more effective title or with the wording in the release.

These basics should help you master the art of writing and sending out press releases. The more you write them, the easier it becomes. Don’t want to do it alone? Then look to the services of an online support specialist who can handle everything from writing an outstanding release, to getting it great exposure for the best results.