9
When is it Appropriate to Send a Press Release?
0 Comments | Posted by kpolacek in How to Get Media Attention, How to Write a Press Release
It is a question public relations professionals are asked a lot; When is it appropriate to send a press release?
There is no right or wrong answer to the question. There are many reasons a business would send a release. Press releases can announce a new product/service, highlight an existing product/service, announce an event; the list goes on and on. It is better to have your business name out there, than not at all.
The important thing to keep in mind when writing a press release about a product or service is to avoid making it a sales pitch. You may be asking yourself how that it possible since you want to sell your prodcut or service?
Well, it’s all about the wording. Look for news stories that go well with your product/service. For example, if you’re a company that sells energy efficient heating and cooling systems, you could send a press release about your service/product when there are stories about rising energy bills in the news. It’s all about getting your name out there at the right time. And in the example, you would write about how your prodcuts cut down on the energy bills but without directly or overtly trying to sell the product.
News outlets are more likely to pay attention to your news when it qualifies as news or has some sort of news value. Maybe instead of writing about your new service, give your opinion about how the status quo works. For example, as an expert in your field you could say something like ‘heating and cooling systems today are costing too much money and hurting the environment at the same time.’ Presumably, you would then explain why you think that and the media might want to interview you based on that opinion. It’s much better and more neutral than writing a press release that sounds like a commercial for your product.
So, while there are many different times that are appropriate to send a press release, it’s much more about what you say and how you say it in a news release than when you choose to send it.
