Having your small business in the news can be a dream come true, but media packages cost a lot of money and feel so forced and scripted. There is an easier way to get your small business in the news and it happens to be FREE: press releases.
What is a Press Release?
It is when you as a business, send out a piece of news or information to the public and to the press because it is newsworthy and you want to share the news. It is your official statement on the subject.
Press release topics include: store opening announcements, rebranding/reopening/remodeling, anniversary, the announcement of an event or party being, and more. There is no right or wrong reason to write up a press release, as long as it is newsworthy. If your written piece reads more like an ad than a statement of an event, then your piece will likely not find its way in the news – or you will be sent to the advertising department for information on a paid media packet.
Press releases do not only work for corporations. It does not matter the size of your business – if your press release contains NEWS, then it will likely get picked up. If anything, a local paper would want to share news centered around their community. This works in your favor as a small business owner!
How Do I Write One?
The key to getting your press release in the news is writing one that is so good, the reporter can simply copy and paste. (This does not necessarily always happen, but Vivian has had it happen before!) It should be: short (no more than a page or two), clear and concise, have all the right information, and be written in a “news” way. You should also include contact information in case someone wants to reach out for more information.
Wait a second. What does written in a “news” way mean?
Press releases need to be factual and void of emotion. When you are writing about your own small business, you tend to want to be excited, happy, or use your brand voice. For marketing purposes that’s great! However for a press release, something that is going to be read in a newspaper or on the news, there should be no emotion involved.
What Needs to be Included?
Your press release should include:
- Contact information in the header.
- Title and subheading that summarizes the press release.
- News location and what the news is/why it is newsworthy.
- Details and additional information: try to include a direct quote.
- Boilerplate
What is a boilerplate?
A boilerplate should be a brief summary of your small business, where you are located, and contact information. For example:
The Seasoned Marketer is a resource hub for marketing advice designed to help small business owners. They have a video library of 200+ marketing videos, a marketing podcast, and free downloads designed to help small business owners with their marketing. They also offer social media marketing, email marketing, and consulting services.They are located in the Charleston area and can be contacted at help@theseasonedmarketer.com from Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm.
If you have a physical location, please put your actual address in your boilerplate. If you have a phone number, you should absolutely include that as well.
Press releases can be a simple but powerful marketing tool to help get your small business in front of new potential customers. We want to encourage you to take a chance and write up a press release for your small business. If you want extra help with your press release, send us an email at help@theseasonedmarketer.com or check out the S.O.B. Marketing podcast episode below!
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Feel free to share your thoughts with me, I can be reached at vivian@theseasonedmarketer.com!
Looking for more free marketing tips and content specifically for small business owners? Check out our podcast, S.O.B. Marketing Podcast. Every Wednesday we discuss a new topic to help small business owners take on marketing on their own. Listen to our episode of the S.O.B. Marketing podcast wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube! Have a topic you want us to discuss? Email us at Help@TheSeasonedMarketer.com!
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