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"89 Ways to Write Powerful Press Releases"
Lesson #28: Prompt the media to
call you
If we want a reporter to call us for
an interview, sometimes all it takes is sending a press release. And
it doesn't have to be long. In fact, it shouldn't be too long.
We want to tell them enough about our business to intrigue them so
they pick up the phone and call us.
That's what Marie Subranni in New
City, New York, did to publicize her business called
Lawnaments
just outside the Big Apple.
She surprises homeowners celebrating a happy occasion such as a
birthday, graduation or new birth by placing lawn ornaments on their
front lawns in the middle of the night.
She sent the press release below to
five local media outlets. Her daily newspaper called and ran a
two-page story July 4, 2006. It included a photo and a sidebar
explaining details and the cost of the service.
"Initially, I was disappointed because nothing happened," Marie
said. "But people must have set the story aside because today alone,
a month and a half after the story ran, I've already gotten five
calls from people who saw it."
Notice the suggestion that people use
her service to honor military men and women.
Here's the release:
Thieves in the Night Replace Greeting Cards
New City, New York - June 1, 2006
--- Greeting cards and email greetings are a thing of the past. Lawn
greetings are the newest discovery in "gotcha" technology.
Lawnaments, a lawn greeting company located in New City, New York,
delivers their greetings and celebration reminders in the dark of
night in an effort to surprise or "prank" the recipient. Marie
Subranni, owner and operator of Lawnaments, explains: "It's an
unusual way to celebrate a special occasion. Anyone can send a card
or an email, but this shows that some real thought went into the
process."
With one phone call and a low price, you can hire Lawnaments to
deliver a personalized yard greeting under the cloak of darkness.
With the car engine and lights off, and while trying not to make a
sound or wake the family hound, Lawnaments sets up an elaborate
display of flamingos, cows, pigs and smileys in a custom arrangement
to fill the lawn.
In the morning, the recipient wakes to a yard-sized greeting
celebrating common events like birthdays, anniversaries and
graduations... to uncommon events like a job promotion, or even a
"welcome home" greeting for a soldier.
To honor our military men and women, Lawnaments provides a special
military display, free of charge, to anyone who's deployed or
returning home. Whether we agree with the war or not, Lawnaments
believes these men and women deserve this recognition.
With a definite eye on attention grabbing, lawn greetings are a new
and fun way to celebrate any occasion. "The surprise lasts a day, the
memory lasts a lifetime," Marie said.
For information:
Email
-- END --
Jeff Zbar, the U.S. Small
Business Administration's 2001 Small Business Journalist of the
year, explains the kinds of news, pitches and other information that
small-business reporters are looking for. He details them all during
an interview with me called
"The Fastest, Cheapest, Easiest Ways to Publicize
Your Small Business."
Opportunity #28:
Free consultation
Some businesses, like consultants for instance, offer free
consultations. And if potential buyers like what they hear, they
might hire you for a longer assignment.
Tomorrow: We'll kick off Week 5 and learn how to write
great headlines for our releases
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