The great thing about publicity is that it works.
There’s little or no cost involved. It automatically positions you as an expert in your field and gets your ideal clients wanting to do business with you in a way that paid advertising never does.
Getting a reporter to act on or publish your press release can be a bit tricky so Sharon Bolt, Publicity Expert and Founder of Get Free Publicity Today, has written 7 Simple Steps to guide you:
-
People read differently when they’re reading for fun or to locate key information – they tend to scan rather than read. Complicated concepts and sentences will break the reader’s train of thought and they become frustrated. A press release should be easy to read, but never talk “down” to the audience or be condescending. If the copy addresses complex ideas, theories and data, write it in a manner that makes it understandable to the layperson.
2. Avoid technical words or jargon in a press release, unless it’s being written for a technical audience (engineers, physicians, attorneys, etc.) or those familiar with the subject. If a specialized term must be used that the average person wouldn’t know, provide a short explanation.
3. Press releases and articles are written in the third person. The use of “I” “You” and “We” (in the first person) is unprofessional and doesn’t command the same level of respect. Blogs can be written in the first person, but keep the use of “I”, “We” and “You” to a minimum.
4. Always include who, what, when, where and why in press releases. If the release is for a special event, include the full date and time (for example: Sunday, May 10, 2014, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.).
5. Every press release should have at least one quote, though two is better. The quote should refer to the person making the quote by first and last name and official title within the company (founder, owner, director or manager) if he/she hasn’t already been mentioned in the first paragraph.
6. After the individual named in the press release is introduced with first and last name and official title, they are always referred to throughout the rest of the release by their last name only. For example: Smith’s innovative new technique is changing the face of laser surgery.
7. When writing a press release, stick to the facts and don’t make claims that can’t be substantiated. Press releases provide newsworthy information about a product, event, service, company, etc. They should run between 350-500 words.
The key to writing a great press release is to think like the reader.
Your press release should be able to keep the reader’s interest.
Put yourself in the reader’s shoes. Before sending out your press release, ask yourself:
“Would I want to read my press release?”
Many businesses and entrepreneurs have rocketed to stardom and turned into national sensations through the use of press releases. The good news is you don’t need to pay a PR company thousands of pounds a year you can do this yourself. To find out how to write press releases that create free exposure, enhance SEO and generate sales go to www.getfreepublicitytoday.com. You’ll be able to download Sharon’s in depth report called, “How to Write an Attention Grabbing Press Release” for free.
Sharon Bolt
About the author
Sharon Bolt is a publicity expert and the founder of Get Free Publicity Today, a company that specializes in teaching business owners, entrepreneurs, government entities and non-profit organizations how to build a brand, increase visibility and generate sales through free publicity.
Sharon initially employed the services of a Public Relations company in 2006 to promote her dog training talents but she soon discovered that she got far better results by being her own publicist. Consequently she cancelled her agreement with the PR firm and now helps others to achieve a superior level of PR and marketing success.
Sharon has contributed to more than 40 different local and national newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations. She’s been interviewed on BBC Radio 2, The Independent, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Sunday People, The Sunday Post, The Metro, GMTV, BBC South Today, BBC South East and BBC Look North. She is also the co-author of 2 highly acclaimed books; ‘Successful Women in Business’ and ‘Every Entrepreneurs Guide: Running Your Own Business.’
Prior to the launch of her publicity enterprise, Sharon had a dog training business. She is known as one of the top canine behavioural experts in the world and was the expert featured in the BBC Documentary “Britain’s Most Embarrassing Pets.” Sharon still maintains her regular slot on BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey where she provides advice for the listeners’ dog dilemmas.
Sharon is the creator of many online publicity courses through which she explains, step by step, how business owners can get featured in the media time and time again, and revels in helping entrepreneurs realize their full potential.
Sharon was born in the UK, she has travelled extensively throughout the world and has lived in Australia and Germany. She now lives in Sussex, England, with her husband and two dogs.
For more information about Sharon and her courses go to www.getfreepublicitytoday.com