Have just heard that the latest press release I wrote for a small but up-and-coming business has now been published in over 60 sources, with many still to be counted. The copy I produced has been published almost unchanged – except to be edited for length in some cases, and to be given the byline of an inhouse staffer in some cases!
This is huge success for this company, which focuses on press releases and case studies for its entire marketing effort. It’s just the latest of a number of pieces I’ve written for the company, and they’re all attracting attention.
So why are these press releases getting through to publication? As an ex-editor of a magazine who used to be deluged by press releases daily, I believe I have an insider’s view on what works. Here, then, are a few thoughts on how to gain credibility with the people who make publishing decisions, rather than making them thoroughly irritated with you.
1. Have a story to tell. There are many businesses and agencies who have a target to produce x number of press releases per month, regardless of whether they have anything to say.
2. Talk to the people involved to get their take on the story. What people say and what they have written in documents are very different, and if you want a lively and interesting piece, find out what people really have to say.
3. Get your key message right up there in the headline. The fact that a customer has bought your product isn’t exciting news. The fact that they’ve cut costs by 25% as a result is.
4. Target your audience. A technology business, say, will have an audience in technology publications and line-of-business publications. Tailor your story to suit your audiences – you might even produce two versions of your press release.
5. Understand your audience. Don’t send press releases about new appointments (yawn) to a publication that doesn’t feature new appointments.
6. Spell out why your story is worthy of attention. Are you the first to achieve something? Is your product more advanced than any other on the market? (and are you sure about that?)
7. Including comments from happy customers is worth a great deal more than quotes from your own MD, though you can do both.
I have to admit, given that we were overwhelmed by press releases from everyone and anyone, we had other ways of weeding out the pieces we wouldn’t publish. These are entirely subjective, but might provide some food for thought.
Straight into the bin went anything that:
1. Used the word “unique” unless the claim was backed up
2. Used the terms “very unique”, “quite unique” or any other version that qualified the word “unique”
3. Used product or company names that were unnecessarily difficult to type with LoTs of CAPiTAL letters in strange places
4. Anything overly long and complicated
5. Anything from PR companies who sent us reams of press releases from their clients on a daily basis
6. Anything badly written
Editors are, after all, human.
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