Total Guide to Getting Free Publicity for your Business – part 2

If you read our last piece on press release writing, you’ll know now that you can get a bit of free publicity for your good news story. But you have to make the content appealing and newsworthy, otherwise your release will go straight in the deleted box. Journalists call it ‘spiking’ the story!

When you start typing try to:

1. Get to the point in the first paragraph – a strong sentence which grabs the interest and explains the story.
2. Include all the vital information - who, what, when, where, why, how
3. Keep it short and simple (around 300 words).
4. Include your contact details and any extra useful information (notes to editors) at the bottom
5. If possible, get some photos to go with the release – your chances of publication are hugely increased if you include a decent photo
6. Cut and paste your press release into the body of the email. An attachment may not be opened or get through a spam filter

Before you send it, check it carefully then ask someone else to proofread it as well to make sure it is word perfect, makes sense and conveys your message. You may understand it, but the real test is if someone else does.

Then send it off to the right people, along with the photos. So, that means try and find out the names and direct email addresses for the sort of journalists you want to target. In other words, don't send a feature idea to the sports editor and don't send a business piece to the fashion editor.

A day or so later, follow it up with a phone call (ideally) or an email; make sure they received the email, make sure they have read it, check if they are interested, use your powers of persuasion (but don't be annoying).

None of this is rocket science but it is time consuming. If you aren't confident of your writing skills then it may seem even more daunting. In that case, why not, employ a PR professional? This won’t cost as much as you think and will be much less expensive than taking out a paid for advertisement, which carries less credibility with the public.

Jo Smyth - Word Worker