Hints on Improving Press Release Results

Letting the world know about new employees that have been added to the company, announcing an office move or expansion, receipt of an award, events, new product line or company acquisition are good reasons to release a press release. However, for the press release to get the attention it deserves there are a number of factors that should be included. Press releases are not popular only because they are free, when writing your press release keep the following information in mind to help your business improve its effect.

Relevance: When deciding where to send the press release review who the information is most relevant too. If the press release ties in with national interest or hot button issues then submitting to national publications makes sense. For information that is only of interest to a specific group of people or the local community, targeting local publications would offer the best chances of getting a response to your press release.

Timeliness: Businesses often tie press releases into holidays or upcoming events in order to gain additional attention. A small business that sells products for the affluent African American community could choose to release a press release on Martin Luther King's birthday. By tying the event into what their company is about, they ensure that their message is seen by journalist writing stories about his birthday, also ensuring that the target customer would be interested in their press release and read it instead of just glancing over it.

Unusual: In business quirks, weird news or unusual stories are also wanted by the press. If your company has a story to tell that is different from what the mainstream media usually covers it may be more likely to be published.

Correct contact information: Update your contact list periodically, trade publications and regional newspapers often have a number of changes in personnel and contact information. Call and verify that you are sending a press release to the right contact person before you send it. You can also verify that the phone number, email and fax number are current.

Time sensitivity: When releasing your press release you likely want the information to receive immediate attention. The format of your press release should include "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" and be typed in the upper left hand corner. If your release is promoting an upcoming event and you want to be assured that the release will be published in enough time so you should provide a release by date.

Errors: The contact information for your story should always be included, even when included a surprising number of businesses have information that is misspelled, or not adequate to allow for further contact. For example, including your email address but not including the web server would make the address worthless to a journalist or potential customer attempting to contact you. Contact information with a Web site spelled incorrectly or a press release that includes a phone number without an area code is useless for promoting your business.