The Lowdown on Press Releases
Posted on October 25th, 2009 in Offline Marketing & Promotion, Press Releases, Writing Content.
Tags: magazines, media, newspapers, Press Releases, writing, writing a press release
I’ve talked briefly about press releases and how they relevant to indie musicians but there really does need to be a little about what a press release is and how you can use this method of marketing to your advantage to circulate your news effectively.
What is a press release?
Press releases are, quite simply, news stories. They are written in the third person with the aim of relaying information to a reporter or editor about a story, person, event, service or product.
Who are they aimed at?
Being aimed at the news media, they need to be interesting, short, informative and punchy in order to cut through the rest of the hundreds or thousands of press releases any editor or reporter receives.
Who can submit a press release?
Literally anybody can submit a press release. There are many means of doing this and with variable outcomes. The outcome will very depending on the story, audience, timing, relevance, how well it is received, where it is published and various other factors. Press releases can now be submitted to online press directories, directly to newspapers and magazines via both post and email.
How can I write a press release?
There are various templates you can use to base your press release on which should give average results. Obviously, experience within the marketing field will lead you to know which angles work, which don’t, which words work best for triggering an action, emotion or stir interest or excitement and more, but having a professional do the work for you better guarantees you success unless you have experience in this area of writing.
How can I get the most from my press release?
If you have limited experience when it comes to writing and you want to get the most from your press release efforts and news, it is probably best if you had a professional to write your press release for you. At least then you can ensure you can receive the full benefit.
If you are serious about writing press releases it’s a good idea to start reading lots of good newspaper and magazine writing. I’m not talking Nuts or Zoo here. I’m talking real writing and get a feel for the style they write in and apply this to your own style.
Have you had any success from writing press releases? If so, what angle did you come from? Did you write and publish it yourself? What success did you see? Please comment below.
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