“A press release about your new logo or board position is a waste of time. Would you read a story about that? Probably not—so put yourself in the reporter’s shoes and find a hook that will appeal to their audience,” says Tracy Needham, president of Compelling Communications, LLC. So here are 5 tips to creating a press release that's worthy of being called news:
• Piggyback on stories that are already in the news. References to the economy, election, blockbuster movies, recent surveys, and latest celebrity antics can make your topic timely and up the interest factor.
• Tie your news to an upcoming holiday or event. Again, timeliness helps. The Boston Marathon and Earth Day both happen next week. You also have National Jellybean Day, Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day, and William Shakespeare’
• Share your expertise. A press release about an interior designer’s new web site is sure to send the recipient to the delete key, but one about her 5 Secrets for Choosing and Hanging Wall Décor will generate a lot of traffic to the new site.
• Spot new trends. It may be a recurring issue in industry journals, a new product category at all the tradeshows, or a change in what your customers are asking for—but providing insight on an emerging trend is definitely newsworthy.
• Show the uniqueness of the solution. For those standard press releases about a new product or service, boost your chances of success by using customer stories to show how your offering benefits the publication's readers in a way most similar ones don’t.
It may take a little more time to find an appealing hook for your story, but it’s an investment that’s sure to pay dividends. For more information on creating newsworthy press releases visit http://www.CompellingEzine.com for a free special report, The One Press Release You Can Write to Get Thousands of Dollars Worth of Free Publicity.
Permission is granted to use these tips with proper attribution.
