"89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases"

Welcome to this 89-day tutorial on how to write powerful press releases. Each day, you'll learn one short lesson on how to write or distribute a press release. And each week, we'll concentrate on one aspect of writing press releases. As you continue with this class, you'll see examples of good and bad press releases. But let's start with the basics.

Week #1:

Why you must stop writing the standard "old school" press releases aimed only at journalists and start writing press releases that anybody can find online...also, essential questions you must ask yourself before you start to write.  

Lesson #1:  Stop writing press releases only for
                          journalists

Gone are the days when you wrote a press release, sent it to the media, called reporters to see if they received it, then crossed your fingers and hoped they'd print it. If they did, you got a clipping to add to a clip book.

If you didn't, you were in hot water with your boss or your client and you had to come up with a good reason why the media didn't cover your story.

Thanks to the Internet, those days are gone...forever.

Now, the world is your audience

Today, I want you to start writing press releases directed at people anywhere who need what you are offering, not just journalists. The Internet makes it possible for you to post press releases to your website and to send them to press release distribution services which will send them all over the Internet (more about this in Week 11).

When someone is looking for information on a certain topic and uses a search engine to find it, even if they don't know you, they'll stumble across your press release if it includes the keywords they used during their search.

Let's say you live in Boston and you sell antique doorknobs. You can write a press release about your products, being careful to insert the phrase "antique doorknobs" and other relevant keywords throughout your release. Then you post the press release to your website and to press release distribution services.

A woman in New Zealand who needs antique doorknobs for a house she is refinishing does a Google search for "antique doorknobs." Google finds those keywords in your press release online and includes it in the search results. The woman in New Zealand reads your release, visits your website, sees your catalog, and buys the doorknobs she needs--all before a journalist has even seen your press release.

If reporters write about your doorknobs, that's great. But even if they don't, you've already made a sale. Now isn't that a lot easier than trying to get your release printed in a newspaper in New Zealand? (In Week 10, you'll learn more tips on how to make it easy for Google and the other search engines to find your press releases.)               

Opportunity #1: When you form an alliance

Write a press release when you form an alliance with someone else. For example, if your bridal shop has an alliance with a limo company that will give brides-to-be a series of free workshops on how to plan a wedding, let the world know.

Tomorrow: A time-honored rule about press releases
                     and why it's time to finally break it

Please, help spread the word about this tutorial

If you like this tutorial, let your business associates know about it--even your trade associations and chamber of commerce. Also, if you're a blogger, ezine publisher, newsletter editor or speaker, spread the word to your audiences. Just give them this link where they can sign up and receive the first day's lesson: http://www.PublicityHound.com/pressreleasetips/art.htm 
 

Need help with publicity?

The Publicity Hound's Resources List includes products and vendors that can help with many aspects of your publicity campaign. You'll find press release writers, publicists, audio experts, ghostwriters and more.