Getting Press: 4 Steps For Writing An Effective Press Release

As a rule, I believe most press releases are not worth the time it takes to write them.

Newspapers, magazines, and online news outlets publish articles, not press releases, which means publishing your news will require extra steps for them. And we all know how quickly extra steps can derail a close!

But that's not to say a press release is never appropriate, particularly for announcements that editors aren't likely to devote much space to.

For business owners, press releases are great for announcing upcoming events, awards, or reaching a milestone. There is a chance your release will catch the interest of a reporter or editor who then decides to interview you and write a story, but the odds aren't great, which is why my public relations company doesn't use them as part of our standard operating procedure.

You can boost your chances of securing at least a mention in a newspaper or online news site by sending your release to the editor of an appropriate listing. Many local and regional newspapers and national magazines run lists of events, brief news items about promotions and business awards, and other such announcements. Being included in such a list will likely mean you'll also be included in the publication's list online, which adds to your visibility.

Remember, to increase you chances for success, do your homework: Check your local and regional publications and learn what types of lists they run and to whom you should send your release. For events, be sure you know on what days the list runs and send your release in plenty of time for it to publish beforehand.

Here are some other tips for writing a press release:

Before you send your release, carefully read back over it. Is it more than 400 or 500 words? It may be too long. Is all the relevant information provided right up front? Did you remember to include contact information?

Finally, make sure you send it to the appropriate editor.

Marsha Friedman is a 23-year veteran of the public relations industry. She is the CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated.com), a national firm that provides PR strategy and publicity services to businesses, professional firms, entertainers, and authors. Marsha is the author of Celebritize Yourself and she can also be heard weekly on her Blog Talk Radio Show, EMSI's PR Insider every Thursday at 3:00 p.m. EST. Follow her on Twitter: @marshafriedman.

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