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10 ways to make sure your press release gets published - a FREE tool to help

Free publicity? Write a press release. How many times have you seen that advice? Press releases are a great way to get publicity if they get published and that is a big if. Many never do. How can you make sure that your press release does get published?

Here are 10 things to consider when writing your press release.

1. Make sure your press release is newsworthy. Have you released a new product, opened a new market, started a new office or team? That's great but ask yourself why does anyone care? Can you relate it to something else in the recent news? Don't release age old news

2. People hate being marketed to. Reporters will only publish things that are of interest to their readers so don't make it a marketing peice. They don't care it you have a new product and are not interested in promoting your business they are interested in one thing and one thing only, publishing things of interest to their readers.

3. Remove your ego from the process. Put your sales self on the shelf. Create something interesting to read not something that strokes your ego. Make sure that the release is written so that it can later be developed into a story by a reporter if they like it.

4. Always write your press release from a journalists perspective remove the I from it and don't we all over your copy. No one cares what I do or that we have a new website. They only care about how this relates them.

5. Read a lot of human interest stuff before you write your press release. Pick up the local paper and read it. Read the lifetime sections and really look at the headlines. Research other press releases and see how they are written and get a good guide to follow.

6. Keep it short. In this age of computers we all have short attention spans.

7. Use an announcement type style. Not a chatty and friendly as a blog post.

8. Make sure to include the date, city, compnay name in your press release and contact information. Include your website and blog if you have a separate URL for that and any supporting links.

9. Make sure to address the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of your topic. This should be pretty common sense advice but not always followed so I had to point it out.

10. Use journalistic standard such as in the words of How to Write a Press Release Wiki, "indicating If the press release is for immediate release, write "IMMEDIATE RELEASE" in all caps on the left margin, above the headline". And signaling the end of the release by adding three ###symbols directly under the last line of your press release.

For more information and really good how to advice read How to Write a Press Release Wiki

Once your Press Release is written and ready for publication run it through HubSpot's Press Release Grader. This FREE tool will help you evaluate you press release a provide you with an effectiveness score.

Writing a great press release is hard work and you need help to make sure you are writing it so that it will get published.

Sources for this post: How to Write a Press Release Wiki, Hub Spot Press Release Grader and Publicity Insider

Posted by Caryn Webb Digital Coaching by an e-PRO on 08/20/2008 12:36 AM

Comments (33)

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33 Comments on 10 ways to make sure your press release gets published - a FREE tool to help

AUG

2008

wow!fantastic advice!

Great information - thanks for sharing!

As always, you have provided some real good content and tips. I am going to save and work on later:) Getting ready to head for Buffini's MasterMind Summit in San Diego and, of course, I have clients and business ready to go now! LOL! It never fails, plan to go on a trip, you get real busy and fast.

It's a Good Life!

Fran

Well you know where I put this great info....yep on the Featured List for the e-PRO Group :) Thanks, and I'll be a lot of folks could use this info.

AUG

2008

Caryn, excellent list. i have used press releases when i have a mortgage day at one of my branches and when i lecture at a local college to business students on credit and budgeting. it's a great way to get your name in front of people and appear as an "expert"

CARYN, Thanks this post will certainly come in handy right now for me. You always have something helpful to share.

AUG

2008

Thanks for the great tips, bookmarked it for later reference

I was in PR for years (which makes me think that I really should be using my skills better on myself, but I digress). A few more things to add: Include interesting quotes from others, when you can, keep it short...one page of copy preferably, include a good photo with cutline, create a relationship with some writers-offer your idea and let them run with it, be consistent, use a PR template for your news releases so they look polished and professional.

Thanks everyone for your comments. I have emailed all of you thanking you inidvidually.

Lesley thanks so much for adding your comments and sharing your expertise. The best thing about AR is all the great sharing that goes on.

Warmly, Caryn

AUG

2008

Hi Caryn,

Good info on this one, book marked for future use. BTW, I cruised on over here after reading about you in Kathy's post. See you around in the Rain.

Caryn,

Just popped over from Kathy Mcgraw's Blog to say hello...and subscribe to your blog!!! Thanks, Fran

Lynda:

Thanks for stopping by! I was so surprised by Kathys post and grateful for her and your support.

Fran: Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate yor subscription and your kind words.

Kathy McGraw you are a real Gem!

AUG

2008

thanks and I think your right

Hi Caryn,
I'm here at the recommendation of Kathy McGraw and it looks like you have provided more information in this post than I can digest early this morning. It is getting a bookmark for more exploration later. Thanks.

It does look great, thanks - bookmarked!

I am one of Kathys sheep too, have to go where I am led! glad to meet you, I will put you on my reading list for catch up. If you ever need a 5th place to post, come join us over at my other favorite group. cheryl

Hi Caryn, You have some fantastic info and freebies.. I will be back, thanks to Kathy for pointing me here.. I am a Cheryl also - come on over the the Cheryl group - we accept others.. God bless,

Hi Caryn, Thanks again for another informative blog!

Ronald: Thanks for you comments and stopping by. Hope you find it useful.

Cheryl: Sheep are always welcome I love animals. I grew up on a farm!:) Thanks for your kind words.

Cheryl Gilliam: Glad you like the blog, stop by often. I am working on a proposal but will viist everyone's blog on Thursday and have a look at your info.

Cynthia: Awesome chain re do. I will stop by on Thursday and comment. Working on a proposal and have a deadline for Wed evening.

Thanks to Kathy McGraw for all her help and kind words. Good friend here in the rain.:)

AUG

2008

Good tips, Caryn - press releases can be a very frustrating thing! I'll take any advice I can get.

SEP

2008

Kent:

Thanks for your comment. It can be frustrating. You put a lot of work into a release so you want to do everything you can to make sure they get published.

SEP

2008

Caryn,

Great information. I too bookmarked it and plan to use it.

Great post very usefull information in this market. Thanks

Caryn, thank you for sharing your ideas with us, it does make sense to have a guideline to work with, most of us want to write something, not all of us come up with the right stuff. Your post encouraged me to keep on trying. Thanks a lot. House

Antonio

OCT

2008

Thanks for the tips, I appreciate the opportunity to get more insight to the media and how to use it to our advantage.

OCT

2008

Hello Caryn, we need to do one as our office has recently moved. Your tips and resources will be helpful to us. Thanks! John

Great tips! I am going to book mark - check out the "grader" next time I have a press release.

I also send a hand written note to my local papers that run my press releases. Not sure if it makes a difference but I figure it can't hurt!

OCT

2008

Thanks for this information. We have attempted press releases before, unsure we we had the right format. If your press release gets picked up, will you be informed beforehand? I'm going to pass this along to my husband, who loves entertaining. Thanks! Wendy

Brenda: Thanks for your comment. I hope this is all usefule to you.

Jerome: Thanks for your comment. We have to do all we can right now.

Antionio: Keep at it. The free tool really helps with figuring out what you need in a release and what you don't.

Allen: Thanks for your comments. I hope this offers some insight into how to make this process work for you.

Alexander: Congratulations on the move. This is the perfect time to do a press release! Remember, make it newsworthy. Good luck.

Debbie: The press release grader is a really good tool. Once the release is written it help you to figure out what needs changing and helps with actually getting your release published.

Ricky: Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. To answer your question to know for sure if it gets picked up set up a Google alert for yourself. Thebest way to keep tabs on your self, your business and your releases is to sign your self up for a Google alert. More about that this week.

OCT

2008

Thank you for sharing this information....I am in the middle of doing several marketing campaigns and this tool will surely be a great aide in the process.

OCT

2008

Pamela: You are welcome. Thanks for the comment. I sure hope the press release grader works well for you! I like the HubSpot tools. Try the Website grader tool while you are there too.

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