Have you just launched a new product?
Congratulations!
Now you want your potential target audience to know about it.
After all, you want your new product to boost your business by finding a whole lot of customers.
If you are responsible for writing the press release, here are a few steps you must follow.
Create an inspiring product-driven story for your business
The average reader may not be too interested in your story.
You can create curiosity by telling them how your product or service can solve their problems.
By telling them the specifications and other dreary details of your product, you are not likely to make any headway.
The brand details are not important at this stage.
Consumers are more interested on how a product can change their lives.
Focus on this aspect in your story.
Write the press release by keeping in mind a few key rules.
Most editors or journalists get hundreds of stories each week. A majority of them end in the junk folder.
A sound tactic is creating a killer headline that will persuade the journalist to know more.
Write the first line as a summary of your news story – and ideally it should not be more than 20-25 words.
Journalists typically look for answers to the 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Why, and Where).
If you want to be guided by good examples, take a look at the first lines of impressive press releases.
Quotes from subject matter experts or influencers add authority to a story. So try your best to include them in your business press release.
How long should a press release be?
Ideally, it should be about 300-400 words to fit the side of an A4 sized paper.
Text in bulleted form and with pictures or videos can help a lot.
Images and videos are worth a thousand words.
Including these elements in your story helps in garnering more attention, improving social media reach, and driving product awareness.
Use high quality distribution platforms
Yes, free press release sites can do the job for you. But free distribution has limitations and effective distribution is not cheap.
There is a lot of debate about which press release service is best.
For business press releases, look for a service that delivers good traction with decent analytics.
See if they offer add-ons so that you get more value for your money.
Some services offer addition of videos, images, and hyperlinks at no extra cost.
Syndicate your story
For better visibility of your release, it would be great if you can set up syndication.
You must publish or broadcast your news simultaneously in newspapers, television, and social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
A good press release may not require a great deal of investment. With a bit of consistency and effort you can do a good job.
Make sure to reach out to a few important media contacts that could be interested in your news.
If you have something newsworthy to share, do not hesitate – go ahead and do it.