3 Mistakes You Can't Afford To Make
When You Write A Press Release
Copyright © 2004 Paul Hartunian
Hartunian.com
You have the story of a lifetime. Editors are
going to drop their jaws in amazement. You just can't wait to
get the press release on their desk. You fire up the fax machine,
hit the go button and then rush over to your phone to wait for
the calls.
And nothing happens.
You check your confirmation sheet, 500 faxes sent
out successfully, but still nothing happens. Chances are you've
made one of the 3 fatal mistakes people often make when sending
out a press release.
The first mistake many people make in
writing a press release is they allow their own biases to taint
their story.
Who cares what you think? It may be important
to you, but what really matters is what the editor and the audience
he sells to believes.
Andrew Carnegie explains that he loves peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches, but he discovered a long time ago
that when he goes fishing the fish much prefer worms, not peanut
and butter.
As you write the headline to your press release,
be sure it pulls at the needs, wants or interests of your intended
audience. Every press release needs to be either fascinating,
shocking or relevant.
Some stories may seem hard to frame for the general
public, but it's usually just a matter of looking for the proper
spin to frame it in.
The fact that the city mall installed an Automatic
External Defibrilator (AED) may sound incredibly important to
you, but most of the general public will only wonder how much
of their tax money was wasted keeping some doctor happy.
If, on the other hand, your headline read: "20
Lives Could Have Been Saved If We Had Installed The Automatic
External Defibrilator A Year Earlier" now you have the world's
attention. Which lives could have been saved? Could it save my
life? What is this device?
Suddenly the "common folk" see a purpose
for it.
The second deadly mistake many beginners
make in sending press releases is to package them in flowery colors.
They want to catch the editor's attention.
They hire a graphic artist to draw incredible
artwork along the borders, they mold their type into the shape
of a tree. Anything you do to set you apart from the crowd will
do just that, set you apart from the crowd.
Editors will realize before even reading your
release that you're a beginner. The old timers know better. The
very fact that it's being faxed as a news story gets the editors
attention. He's in the news business. He has to sort though what's
going on to find the information they need during their news breaks.
The headline of your news release needs to be
in larger bold type, something that gets their attention. Everything
else needs to look simple and tidy.
Delivering your release along with a dozen long
stemmed roses will probably get a smile out of the editor, but
chances are she won't bother reading it.
The final mistake many make in composing
press releases is to say too much. They're worried the
editor won't find the story interesting enough unless they get
all the details.
If you can't make the story interesting in 150
words or less, then you probably need to go back to point number
one and reframe the story.
A professional press release always fits entirely
on one, single spaced page. And that includes contact information
and a bold headline on top.
A cardinal rule that'll keep you out of a lot
of problems is to remember always that:
THE ONLY goal of a press release is to get the
reporter to call you.
You just need to convince him that there may be
something worth looking into here. If they're at all interested,
they'll pick up the phone and find out more.
Avoid these three deadly mistakes, and you'll
be well on your way. As you write your release, be sure you:
1. Give them what they're looking for, and not
necessarily what you think is important.
2. Keep it simple, don't use gimmicks,
3. Keep it short and to the point.
Then go sit by your phone and wait for the calls.
Paul Hartunian is the world's leading authority on
publicity and self-promotion. At his website - http://www.Hartunian.com
- you'll find lots of information about how you can get free publicity
for any product, service or business you're involved with. Get information
about his complete publicity kit at http://www.Hartunian.com/prkit
. Sign up for his free publicity ezine at http://www.hartunian.com/subscribe
. You can reach Paul at (973)857-4142. Or by email at mailto:PaulHartunian@Hotmail.com
Free Publicity Resources
Free
eBook: Fast Track to Free Publicity
Get all the free publicity you want, attract hot prospects
who are ready to buy, skyrocket your credibility and close more sales
in less time--guaranteed! Includes interviews with a former TV reporters,
newspaper editors, and radio talk show hosts. Great tips, tools and
tricks from media pros who have "been there and done that."
1 hour digital audio and 65 page ebook download.
Free eBook - Press Release Magic
Download it free when you subscribe to our internet
marketing newsletter.
FREE
Press Release Tutorial
This tutorial will take you through the various steps to help you build
a successful publicity campaign. Learn everything from writing a press
release to using creative ways to gain free publicity for your website.
Free
Publicity Crash Course
Free mini-course will teach you basics of using the media to get getting
thousands of dollars in FREE publicity and advertising.
Special
Report "The Best Search Engine"
“How to get listed quickly in the best search engine (Google)
using only your own efforts at virtually no cost by accessing millions
of targeted prospects through the vast reach of mass media”.
What's the fastest and easiest way to generate publicity, build your
credibility with reporters, and actually get the media to start calling
YOU? Read this free Special Report by former TV anchorman George McKenzie
to find out how to use news service websites (like www.news.google.com)
to access reporters who are most likely to write about you.
