The Power of a Press Release

If you’re just in the process of building a new site, or making major changes to it, have you announced it to the media? Consider sending a press release to the local newspapers, magazines television and radio stations in your target market.

A press release is a summary of a project within your business that holds a storyline that would be of interest to someone in the media. What in your business would be of interest to a journalist, and ultimately to their readers? Anything can be made into a pitch for a media outlet. A new website. A seasonal promotion. A new line of product. Anything.

There are many great books that go into writing a press release. Try “How To Get Publicity” by William Parkhurst, or “Guerrilla Publicity” by Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman and Jill Lublin.

Most media outlets now have an email address or an online form for you to fill out and submit your information. Choose a handful of places you would like to receive exposure in and write exclusively for their format. When you submit a release, follow up.

Just this past Sunday there was a two full-page article in the weekend section of my local paper on a photographer, and how she flies around the country photographing NBA stars. Why was it in the paper this weekend? Because the NBA All-Star 2005 starts this week in Denver. Photographing the NBA stars was a human interest story that flowed well with the theme of the week – so it was included and gave her incredible PR!

How did she capture such a huge article in the paper? With a press release. She was patient, and continued to send in press releases that pertained to a current topic. If you understand current trends in your local community, and create “news” within your business to include in your publications, you will get exposure!

With a press release entitled:

Local Photographer Plays With The NBA Stars
Or

How A Local Photographer Makes NBA Stars Shine

You’re guaranteed to attract attention with the local media. It’s timely. It’s relevant. And it’s newsworthy!