When used properly, the press release can be one of the most effective communication tools for getting your story across. Unfortunately, the press release is one of the most commonly misused tools by brands. It has become a crutch for a lot of companies. Don’t know what to do? Send out a press release!
The problem is that a press release isn’t always the right tool for getting your message across. Press releases should only be used when you actually have news to deliver. An effective press release creates a sense of urgency that gives a journalist a reason to care about your story right now at this very moment. In other words, a good press release is newsworthy.
Of course, everybody has their own definition of newsworthy. What truly makes a press release newsworthy in the eyes of a journalist?
It matters now.
There are a million different factors that go into determining whether or not something is particularly newsworthy, but what it all really boils down to is that the story matters right now. It’s relevant to the journalist and her audience.
That could be anything from a new development at your company to a human interest story to results of a new study to a tie-in or commentary on a current event. It could be an announcement for an upcoming charity event you’re hosting or exclusive details about a new product you’re releasing. If it’s something that is relevant and important at this very moment, it’s probably newsworthy.
If your press release contains information that you could have delivered last month, it probably doesn’t warrant media coverage. Or at the very least, you need to spin the information in a fresh way that adds a newsworthy element to the story.
So, before you send out that next press release take a look at it and ask yourself what makes the story important and urgent at that moment in time. If you don’t have a good answer, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download Five (5) Free PR and Press Release eBooks ($67 Value) here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/pr-bonus-5-free-ebooks/