Top 7 Things to “DO” with PR (plus 5 Simple Press Release Writing Tips)

by | Jan 26, 2016 | Business Development, Celebrate, Public Relations, Social Media

Writing a great press release just got easier, if you follow these 5 simple tips.

  • First – make sure you are sharing something that is actually newsworthy.
  • Second – tie in your news to a recent mainstream media or industry story.
  • Next: Add interesting stats and relevant quotes from a company thought leader, peer, author or expert.
  • Don’t forget: Get to the point and leave any “fluff and bluster” out of your release.

Lastly – end the release with your company’s “boilerplate”, which has strategic information about the products or services you sell (that relate to the information in the Press Release), as well as critical contact and social media info (company contact name, phone, email address, plus the complete name and URL to up to 2 company social links, Twitter and Facebook, for example.)

Now that you have a kick-butt release in hand – which contains timely, interesting news about one or more of the products or services you sell, strategic insight about an emerging trend that ties into one or more of your target markets, a new partnership, valuable tips, etc. – here are 7 things you can “do” with it!

  1. Post a copy of your Press Release on your website under NEWS.
  2. Share the title, a teaser blurb and a link of the Press Release from your site on all your social channels.
  3. Blog about some of your Press Release news, and include a hyperlink in your Blog post, to the full Press Release.
  4. Include the title and website URL for the Press Release in your email signature for at least one week after it posts.
  5. Add the Press Release announcement (with art that is applicable to the info in the Press Release) in your latest email marketing campaign (under a headline LATEST NEWS!)
  6. In a short pitch, share several succinct story ideas with a few direct contacts AND several handpicked influencers and members of the media. Include a shortened URL (from your website Press Release posting) as well as the full release as an attachment.
  7. BLAB or Periscope about one or more of the elements that you have written about in your Press Release, sharing expanded info, new data or resources, etc.

Of course everyone wants to be on Oprah and Ellen, and written up in the New York Times. But local mentions that are leveraged as recommended above can expand your reach, visibility and sales. Some companies who have profited from local media have been featured in:

  • daily newspapers like The Journal News and the Times Herald-Record
  • weekly North Jersey Media Group papers
  • the popular The Francesco Fix segment on NBC TV
  • Joe Connolly’s Small Business Report
  • MORE magazine
  • Entrepreneur Magazine and more

So, don’t delay – get your business cookin’ with smart Press Releases!