Press Releases – How to Get Information About Your Company in the News

Press releases can be the most important part of your marketing plan this year. Publicity is the good side of advertising with the added bonus that you are being verified by a third party. Press releases can get your company in the local newspapers, on television and in trade journals. This is the kind of advertising that is priceless and does not cost a great deal of money.

To take advantage of this wonderful way to stand out, you have to keep these questions in mind.

1. Is there anything "new" in my story?
2. Is there anything unusual or unexpected about it?
3. Would this be of interest to anyone outside my business?
4. Will anyone actually care?

The ideal length of a press release is about 300 to 400 words. It should be 3 or 4 short paragraphs long and contain a few quotes.

The headline should be an eye-catching and genuine headline that contains the important keywords of your release.

The opening paragraph should answer the "Five W's": Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Start your release with the date and location as well a lead sentence that concisely summarizes the release.

In the body, use as many concrete facts as you can and avoid embellishment. Use sub-headings and bullet points to make information easy to digest, particularly if you're including figures or statistics.

The ending should include your company's contact information at the bottom. Provide access to more information by including your website.