Tips for Writing a Business Press Release
There are entrepreneurs who assume that business press releases are not effective simply because journalists regularly receive thousands of press releases from various senders. Since we are in a digital era, it makes sense to wonder whether press releases are still relevant. Make no mistake about it – business press releases are still important. In fact, a significant number of journalists use them for inspiration when writing content for publications. Press releases have evolved over the years, a fact that makes them relevant in today’s virtual landscape.
What to add to your business press release
How do you write an effective business press release in this digital era? What can you add to make it stand out from the rest? Here are the elements you need to focus on to make sure your press release stands out:
1. What’s the purpose of the press release?
For starters, you need to identify the purpose of your press release. What announcement are you hoping to make? How would you like this press release to influence the perception of your brand? Writing a press release without a specific purpose is like throwing spaghetti at a wall and waiting to see if it sticks. Useless and disappointing.
If you need to get press coverage using your business press release, then you should report something interesting. You need newsworthy content that offers value to the readers. If you develop such content, then journalists will be interested in hearing more and your target audience will share the story widely.
2. Who are the target readers?
After deciding on the topic to write on, you should think about whom you’re trying to reach. Are you targeting investors or potential partners? Are you targeting new clients or sending a message to your existing clients? Or maybe you are planning to sell your business.
It’s important to decide who the target audience is because it will help you decide what to include. This information will also help you to structure your content from the headline to the body. Most importantly, you’ll know what language to use.
3. What is the story?
Most people are surprised to hear that a press release basically a story written in a specific, prescribed format. As such, you must employ your best storytelling abilities. Writing a great story about your business means the journalists will have an easy time writing an article about it. If the story is newsworthy, then it’s likely to get published.
When you are writing it, consider what elements of the story your readers will especially enjoy and emphasise these elements. Furthermore, if there are elements of your story that can spark conversation or attract divided opinion you need to capitalise on these elements. These are effective ways to create a story that sticks in the mind of your readers.
4. Does your business press release provide answers?
In order to answer the right questions, you need to pretend you are getting interviewed about your story. Someone may ask you the basic W questions. These include who, what, why, when, where, and how. You must answer all of these questions concisely. Providing these answers ensures that journalists don’t have to reach out to get them. You’ll be making their work easier.
5. How accurate is your business press release?
While storytelling is an engaging way to share your business news, you must ensure that every piece of information you provide is accurate. You should not lie. If you exaggerate the facts or lie, then you will lose the trust of your readers. Therefore, ensure you are accurate when stating the facts, especially when providing the data points. You can even include images in addition to data and facts to make your release stand out.
7. Is your business press release authentic?
Did you know that authenticity sells? When you are creating a business press release, you need to draft it from a personal perspective. You should describe yourself and the business, and explain why your story is worth reading. If your content sounds informative rather than salesy, then you will gain publicity.
Many readers are interested in stories about actual people. They want an authentic story they can relate to. Most of them draw inspiration from the struggle and eventual success of a business. Thus, if your story is relatable, they will want to read it and gain hope that they can succeed as well.
8. Is your headline convincing?
Did you know that headlines that start with “who” have greater persuasive power? In fact, the click-through rates for such a headline can reach 22%. That’s because readers are eager to know the person or object behind the story. Therefore, divert your attention from why you are developing the story to whom you are writing it about.
Since the headline is the lifeline of the release, you’ve got to make it count. If the reader is not impressed by your headline, they will not bother reading the rest of your content.
8. Does your business press release include quotes?
Expert quotes are among the basic elements that journalists struggle to find when writing an article using a release. Journalists love a good sound bite. Thus, if you provide quotes in your release, then you’ve made their work easier. As such, you have a higher chance of getting media coverage. Even so, when you are providing the quote, you need to ensure that it fits your story. If it doesn’t add value to your business story, then it’ll be of no value to a journalist either.
9. Does your business press release get personal?
Journalists or media outlets detest generic business press releases. Thus, if you want to capture their attention, then you should get personal. You can read previous articles of your target journalist to get insight into the best way to write a press release that captures their attention. The more personal your press release and emails are, the more likely it is that your content will get noticed.
10. Did you pick the right recipients for your business press release?
Do not target media outlets or journalists blindly. On the contrary, you need to pick the right recipients before you send your press release. For starters, you can search for recipients by category. In order to do this, you can search for journalists in your niche industry. Sending your stories to journalists outside your niche can actually be a waste of time and create the impression that your brand isn’t a credible source of information. For instance, if you are in the financial sector, you cannot pitch to a hospitality industry journalist.
11. Follow up
After submitting your business press release to the relevant journalists, it’s time to wait. But don’t wait for too long. If you are don’t hear back in a few days, reach out to the journalist with a follow-up email. This can remind them about your press release, help those who hadn’t seen it to see it, and help you get insight into the next course of action.
Your turn
It’s impressive how easy it can be to write an effective business press release with the above tips. Given that your business can get multiple benefits from your press releases, learning how to write an effective business press release is worth it. Now that you know what to focus on, it’s time to write a story about your business.
If you are in a position where time and skills don’t match the quality of the business press release that you need, you should consider hiring an expert. Contact Pressfarm and they will help you write a business press release that will attract media attention.
