Nothing is more exciting than preparing a large announcement in a press release. Hooray, a press release! News! Developments!
How can you make the most of your press release?
Let’s think one step further: what happens after the press release? Are you prepared for the attention on your company that will follow?
1. Use Your Words!
Have you been investing in adwords? Are you trying to incorporate certain keywords into your content? Don’t leave them out of your press release. Particularly if your press release will be on your website (as it should! See below!), consider implementing keywords you want to grab.
2. How Important Is Your News?
There are a number of excellent wire services. That said, not all news needs to be paid for and put on the wire. Smaller news updates are worthy of being included on your website but do not need to be widely distributed. If you put out a Businesswire or Marketwire release every time someone in your office sneezes, it can create the impression that you don’t know what big news is. But you do! So show them. Put out major news releases only when you really have something to say.
In general, the wider distribution (wire) releases will tend to be items that create industry buzz, that highlight a major step for the company, or that are timed as the company is trying to obtain investor interest or media interest. Other items can go directly to your website.
3. Action Items
Great! You have news. Now what? Consider if there is an action item that can be included in the press release. What can someone who is interested in your press release do now? Contact you? Meet you at an upcoming event or conference? Go to a specific page on your website to learn more about that product or development? You’ve got their attention, now you have to figure out what to do with it.
4. A Chapter In Your Story
If you anticipate another news development coming soon, consider setting the stage. Think of your press releases as an ongoing storyline that should have some sort of continuity. They should relate to the “chapter” before (read: your last press release) and they should set groundwork for anything that may be coming. Remind your readers what has happened recently at the company and prepare them for what the company hopes for next. Support the impression that your company is a growing, thriving entity on a journey they want to be part of.
5. Polish Your Website
Your PR is a satellite of a much bigger communications package. Take a quick review of your website. Is the current site messaging consistent with how you’re presenting your company in the press release?
Now look at individual pieces. Does your press release quote executives? If so, take a look at their profiles. Does your PR talk about a new product? If so, make sure there’s a page of information about it dedicated on your site. And so on.
6. Shine Up Your LinkedIn Profile
That too! These days, that’s one of the first places people go for business information.
7. Improve Site Lead Capture
Great, someone loved your press release and went to your site to learn more! Now what? Make sure your website captures contact information from interested parties, even beginning with a basic mailing list signup. Giving others your contact information isn’t enough- you need theirs in order to do effective marketing down the line. Oh yeah, and make sure these lead captures, general email addresses, etc. work. I can’t tell you the number of times we’ll find out that someone’s info@ address was a dead end. Oops!
8. Have a Newsroom
As you put out press releases, make sure they’re easily accessible from your website in an easily accessed, distinct area. Consider using a blog mechanism to make them easily searchable.
By thinking of your press release as one piece of the bigger communications strategy for your business, you can make them work much harder for you. Good luck and happy writing.
If you have a question about your press strategy, how to write a press release, or how to improve your corporate communications, contact Lucky 13 Strategies for a complimentary consultation.