How To Ruin Your Press Release in 3 Easy Steps
by Karon Thackston © 2003
I see it almost every day. People who want to
generate a press frenzy, but go about it in just the opposite way
that they should.
There are some definite strategies you need to use when writing a
press release that gets results. There are also some
long-standing, proven ways to completely and totally ruin your
release. In an effort to help you get what you want out of
your next press campaign, I'd like to share the top three
"bombs" with you.
Step One - Ignore Your Target Audience
Just as with advertising copywriting, you have to understand who
you're writing to and what those people want. When you write a
press release, you're not targeting the end user. you're targeting
journalists.
While your potential customers may respond to claims that you're the
best, that your product or service is going to make them happier,
healthier, richer or more beautiful. reporters will definitely not!
Journalists are fact-oriented people. Their job is to give a
well-rounded view of anything they write about. new scientific
developments, the latest upheaval in the Middle East, or your
product or service. In order to appeal to journalists, you'll
have to give them the facts and allow them to make up their own
minds. Anything less will be a huge turn-off that will cost
you
any type of publicity from the reporter's publication.
Step Two - Write Your Press Release Like an Advertisement
This step - if done properly - can ruin your press release all by
itself. There is nothing more annoying to journalists than
receiving a hype-filled sheet labeled "Press Release."
I've actually read about cases where reporters turn over such
"releases" to their advertising department as leads!
Remember what we just discussed in Step One? Now that you have
a good vision of your target audience in mind, don't blow it when
you begin to write.
Keep a picture of Tom Brokaw or some other stiff-necked news anchor
taped to your computer monitor while you write. If you
wouldn't hear Tom using the verbiage you're typing into your release
on the nightly news, don't include it in your copy.
Step Three - Send Your Press Release Out to Everybody on the Face
of the Earth Whether It Is Applicable to Them or Not
Here's yet another "tactic" that so many well-meaning
people misunderstand. Again. just like advertising, you have
to keep your target audience in mind.
If you manufacture automobile parts and sell them to repair shops,
would you advertise in a golf magazine? Certainly not! Why?
Because it's very unlikely that you'll get any response.
Wholesale auto parts are not what most golfers are looking for.
The same holds true when distributing your press release.
Take the time to develop, rent, buy or broker a list that will get
your release in front of people who will actually care. Will
it be free? No. Will it work? Unless you use one
or all of these three ways to ruin your release, it should.
Are there more ways to ruin your press release? Oh sure!
Lots of them. But these "Top 3 Killers" require the
most attention. Before you write your next press release, take
time to stop and think. Are you using any of these three
steps? If so, make changes now so your release will accomplish
everything you've hoped for.
-----------
Let Karon write targeted copy, press releases and ezine articles
for you. Visit her site at http://www.marketingwords.com,
or
learn to write your own copy at http://www.copywritingcourse.com.
|
