A media release is really a handy tool used to share with the media about something newsworthy. A comet dropping on your front lawn is newsworthy. The President popping into your place of business is newsworthy.
The fact that you think your product or service is the greatest available in the market is NOT newsworthy.
A newsworthy press release has to grab the interest of the reporter or editor and the intended audience trend press news. So if your business creates gift baskets you would like your press release to grab the interest of certain reporters and your target market (e.g. Christmas gift shoppers, parents, etc.).
Now that we're clear on which we mean by newsworthy let's examine making a media release a magnet for the audiences.
Find your News Hook
First you've got determine the angle for the release. Just because what you're selling isn't alone "newsworthy" doesn't mean you can't tie it into something that is newsworthy.
I'm planning to illustrate this time with our gift basket example. Gift baskets are often filled with items that are comforting, tasty and/or visually attractive. Again, that alone is not newsworthy.
But if a media release was written about how students and parents struggle with end-of-year gifts for school teachers the release just might get the interest of education and lifestyle reporters searching for interesting angles for the education or lifestyle beat.
The purpose being made this is actually the importance of the current environment when buying news hook for the media release. Consider holidays, local festivals, political activity, trends in the economy and numerous environmental news factors that you could utilize to offer your media release a news hook.
Share Objective Data
As well as describing an interesting aspect of your product or service and why it's very important to your target market, try to include some objective statistics. Reporters love facts, as do readers.
Like, if our hypothetical gift basket business owner was to fairly share some statistics concerning the popularity of gift baskets and recent trends in the kinds of gift baskets preferred by consumers, the release becomes more than merely an advertising and instead a source of useful information for numerous people.
Facts that support what you assert in your press release helps to create interest and credibility in the data you share. An appealing and credible release is more prone to attract reporters who'll write articles that'll attract YOUR target market.
The target of your press release is to help grow your business so you must make the creation and distribution with this promotional tactic a vital part of your marketing plan.