There are two schools of thought when it comes to press release relevance in 2010:
- They are no longer effective, or
- They are extremely effective, if written and managed well.
I’ve seen all kinds of press release ideas cross my path. Some worthy, some … not so much. Not every business needs that type of attention. Not all things that compel you to shout from the rooftops are really that interesting to a journalist’s readers, and these days that includes professional bloggers. Some things, on the other hand, serve the public well to know.
If what you’ve been rolling around in your head is truly beneficial for the masses – or even specific localities – take a minute to compare your idea with the information here to see if you should proceed.
First of all, where do press releases go?
Press, or media releases, news releases, etc, remain extremely effective if you know your audience. These days, journalists looking for specific stories tap into specific places to find them. The news distributed in those places is constantly updated, similar to the way Facebook updates. The information is posted and for a period of time, those interested can find it easily. New information will push that story down the line.
There’s a lot of news out there folks! But there are quite a few places looking for relevant, newsworthy information, too.
That is the strongest argument I can make about the importance of knowing WHERE those places are, and trusting a paid distribution source to not only distribute to the best locations, but also to manage your release once it’s posted. Free resources are still viable, but journalists and columnists are not going to sort for information posted there the way a professional blogger in a niche may.
I advocate using a paid distribution facility, and additionally distributing to free online press release sites, as well as pitching your story to a local columnist or reporter. That way, your news release, once picked up, can end up in magazines, newspapers, and blog sites as far as you want them to go. That is a significant audience.
How do you know if you should release your story to the press?
According to Mickie Kennedy, and others in the industry agree, your story should meet this criteria for the best recognition:
- Compelling personal or company history
- Are you featuring someone in your company who is an expert at a thing?
- Have you recently launched a major milestone – like a product launch, new client or partner, or industry award?
- Are you making a difference?
- Are you doing something better or different than your competitors?
- Does a case study or report that you can attach back up your story?
- Are you innovative, or is your product or service?
In addition, make sure your story is free from typos and advertising speak. Writing a press release is not the same as any other structured writing you may be familiar with. The style is important as journalists will glean what they need to know immediately, and may not keep the entire piece or angle.
Don’t go to all the trouble and expense for nothing. Hire a copywriter to craft your idea, and be prepared to supply additional information. A poorly written release that doesn’t respect the audience is all too easy to end up with if you don’t know what you’re doing, and a release just sitting in cyberspace doing nothing will not get you the results you hoped for.
Consider sharing your media release ideas with me. You may have something that shouldn’t wait to be seen. I’ll tell you if you don’t. Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle! Give me a call or contact me through my contact form for more information.
