Build Awareness Using Press Releases

by Chris Brown

Press releases are powerful tools! They carry the implied endorsement of the media that publishes them, helping you spread the word about your brand. However, since they are not paid advertising, you cannot control if your release will get published.

Chris Brown, founder of Marketing Resources & Results, suggest you increase your opportunity of getting into the media by using these tips:

Write like a reporter:

• Use proper formatting - Keep the release to one page, double-spaced, with the 5 W's in the lead (who, what, when, where, & why.) Don't use "our" referring to the company or its products and customers or "you" referring to consumers.
• Use an active voice, not a passive voice - Active is straightforward: ABC Company introduced a new product. Passive is backwards: A new product was introduced by ABC Company.
• Make it newsworthy - How does this information impact the community, the industry, the company? Why should the reader care? If you can answer these questions, this helps to make your story more newsworthy. Avoid superlatives and fluff.
• Be prepared - Create a backgrounder and fact sheet to follow up on your story. The reporter may want to do a feature story based on your press release. Include a media contact so the reporter knows who to contact.

Create a Headline to Grab Attention:

• Use an active verb. Avoid the "is" "was" "has" type of verb. Common headline verbs include: announced, formed, introduced, awarded, etc.
• Keep it to one sentence. If you need more space, use a sub head in italics below the main headline, but be careful. Some news organizations run both the headline and sub head together so you don't repeat the main thought of the headline, only expand it.
• Identify your organization. Increase visibility by using the name of your company in the headline.
• Stress the benefits - Use a subhead to explain why your announcement is important to a certain target audience. A subhead helps the reporter identify if the story is important to their readers and appropriate for their publication.

Include a summary paragraph:

• Write an "about" statement - Keep it 2 to 3 sentences long. This allows the reporter to categorize your company. Include your web site.
• Include contact information - Help the reader contact the appropriate department if additional information is needed.

By using these tips, you'll find that your press releases will be increasingly be picked up by the media and you'll begin to achieve wider awareness with your target marketing.

© 2005 Chris Brown, president of Marketing Resources & Results, a full-service marketing firm located between Cleveland and Akron. They help businesses introduce new products and build brands by providing innovative, cost-effective marketing solutions. To find out more, visit http://www.resources-results.com

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