Help your customers find your business
The first press release
You need to make the announcement that you are open for business. Ideally you should get your press release out before you open your doors, but of course there is no reason why you should not send on out later or at any time. You do need to plan it carefully and write it in a way which will appeal to your target market.
- Will your business appeal to a specialist market or to a wider audience? Plan to send your press release accordingly, whether to a niche magazine or to the local newspapers, or either or both.
- Head it “Press Release”. State the obvious so that there is no mistake.
- Space the text so that it is easily readable.
- Have an eye-catching headline.
- Don’t write too much. It is a bit like writing a blog post so try to confine yourself to 400 words or so, or even less.
- Get all the important information in the first two or three sentences, and then expand on it in the rest of the piece. Remember a journalist may only use the first paragraph.
- A press-release is not “one size fits all” so use the style of the publication you send it to. That may mean several re-writes if you are sending it out to different papers and magazines.
- Quote yourself or a business partner or employee. e.g. “Jean (Smith) said: “I am really excited to be offering my interior design skills in the local area and sharing my life’s passion with the people of Townsville”.
- Read your release carefully to make sure it really sounds interesting. Ask your friends if they think it is lively and engaging.
- Check for spelling and grammar and ask someone else if you are not sure.
- Make sure you know the copy deadlines of the publications you target and send in your article well in advance.
- Do not forget to include your contact details at the end.
- Find out who is the best person to whom you should send the press release.
- If emailing a photo, check the required format though it may not matter too much. If posting, then check in advance on the form required.
You should now be all set to launch your business into the world.
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