One of the many obstacles new small business owners need to hurdle over is the trying process of spreading great word of mouth about their company. Thanks to the impact and reach that social media has today, a small business owner can reach thousands for free with the click of a button and the update of a status. However, there are still some effective methods of marketing that have been around since advertising first became an important part of doing business. Press releases, though having changed significantly over the years, have adapted along with the new forms of media and continue to prove to be an effective way to inform a large audience about what’s going on with your business.
While it’s important for startups to continue utilizing Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn in their social media roster, don’t forget to include a monthly press release in that lineup! When you’re ready to get started on crafting a release, keep the following four areas in mind.
Create an informative title.
Unlike a subject header for a blog, press release titles don’t need to be loaded with “how to” openers or the most recently trending buzzwords on Google. They do, however, need to be informative and contain as many of the 5 W’s (who/what/when/where/why) and 1 H (how) as possible to grab the reader’s attention.
Include links back to your site!
Because press releases are predominantly an online entity, you have the ability to link back to specific websites. Some press release outlets have a limit of links you can include, so be sure to adhere to those rules and to choose wisely on where you hyperlink to if that’s the case. Link back to your own company home page just once and if you’re quoting a new company you’re partnering alongside, hyperlink back their website too so they can enjoy some extra traction.
Add some sound bites or quotes.
Quotes are great additions to any press release! They add a little extra flow and offer up a more personalized reflection at what the brand is doing. Always include a quote from someone on your startup’s team giving their opinion on the topic you’re promoting. If you’re able to, add in additional quotes from other business owners or partners with their perspective on what you’re promoting. (Be sure to get their permission to quote them before the release goes live first!)
Proofread everything before it goes live.
When you’ve been staring a Word Document for over an hour, small mistakes have a way of blurring into the laptop screen and making you miss the little things. Ask a few members from your team to look over the article before you submit it in for distribution. To a fresh pair of eyes, little spelling and grammar mistakes will jump out and putting your team’s heads together will create the best, most diverse version of a press release.
