Tips for FREE press coverage
Press Releases can be a great way of getting FREE publicity for your business. And, editorial is likely to be read my more people than almost any form of advertising. Just follow this month's Top 10 Tips and see how much you can achieve.
- Use press releases as a part of your Marketing Strategy
Plan to produce regular articles to maintain customer interest and market profile - If it's in print, people believe it
Customers are much more likely to believe editorial than adverts. Stay honest but aim to make an impact - Keep a database
Of editors, magazines and papers that will be read by your target customers. Get to know the editors and what type of articles they might be looking for. - If you have a trumpet, go out and blow it!
Your article has to be newsworthy so look for an angle. A big order, change of premises, new people on the team, a special event, environmental issues, new threats. All these things attract interest and make your article more likely to get published and read. - An amusing twist
Do something outside of the norm for your business to get yourselves noticed. - Layout
Press releases should be on A4 paper, one side only, double line spacing, wide margins. Start with the word "Start" and end with the word "Ends". Add contact name, address and telephone number. Provide background notes for editor. - Don't rely on an embargo
Papers want to be the first to sell a story. They may not always respect your embargo. - The Headline is the "ad" for the rest of the article
An imaginative headline will attract attention to your article but don't be disappointed if the editor changes it. - Photos
Send a good quality colour photograph if relevant. Label back of photograph with reference to your press release, names of people (left to right) contact name and telephone number. - Straight forward
Unless your writing to a specialist magazine avoid using jargon. Keep legal and aim to be seen as pro-active and positive rather than reactive and negative. - Getting a response
Build in an offer that applies only to readers of the paper that you are aiming at. That way you are likely to get the offer published.