Writing Press Releases That Get Noticed

by: admin | Total views: 145 | Word Count: 715 | View PDF | Print View

Among the various
foolproof methods used to boost traffic to your site (ezine
advertising, and search engine submitting, to name a couple) one method
seems to be forgotten about by many new Internet marketers. That method
is writing press releases.

Press releases are a way to get your
business exposed to more and more would be customers. They are written
as a news article and submitted to editors who would then print them or
follow up with you for a story.

An example of a successful press release can be found at http://www.allprobizops.com/successrelease.html. Take a moment to read through that article and then take a closer look.

You'll
find that this press release, just like any good news article, answers
some basic questions for the reader. Not only that, there is a specific
formula involved in constructing the piece.

Here are the questions:

Who…will bring or brought about the event?

What…is going to happen or has happened?

Where…will or did this take place?

When…will or did the event occur?

Why…will or did it occur?

How…will or did it happen?

Now, here is the formula. If you plan to write a great press release you must know and understand how to build it:

First
is the headline. Choose the words carefully to convey several things at
once to the reader. They must be brief and to the point. You say what
the news is about in ten words or less.

The words of
your headline must be exciting and dynamic. Don't be afraid to make a
bold claim your headline, say for example, "Thousands of People Reap
Thousands in New Internet Business." Just be sure – very sure – you
back this up with proven facts in your article.

The next
component in the formula is the opening. This is where, in no more than
two sentences, you capsulate your information – tell what the article
is going to be about in bite size. Answer the "who, what, when, where,
why, and how" questions as briefly as possible. Save details for later.

Analyze this part of your press release carefully. To be
successful the article must be able to peak the readers' attention at
this point. In other words, if they read nothing further, they have all
the information they need to take action.

Now, shape the
third element, the body. Elaborate on your opening. Add descriptions
and benefits, quotes and testimonials. Be sure all of your quotes begin
and end with quotation marks and give credit and credentials to the
persons you quote.

For instance, instead of ending a
quote with, "says Barbara Smith," end it with "says Barbara Smith, six
figure online entrepreneur and highly praised lecturer on small
business on the World Wide Web. Isn't the second way much more powerful
and convincing (provided of course, it's true)? That's giving credit
AND credentials.

Finally, close your press release with
a short call to action. Use a sentence to summarize, then tell your
readers how they may get more information. Don't go for the jugular
here, though; wait for a follow up contact to make your final sale. But
do use action producing words like "get" and "now" ("Get more
information "now" by phoning [your name] at [your phone number]).

A
few final words are important now. Let me combine them with an exercise
to help you remember the five "w's" and one "h" of successful news
writing. Make sure you thoroughly consider these questions as you plan
and write your release:

Who…will benefit from reading your press release?

What…do you want them to know?

When…is your information available?

Where…can they find more information?

Why…is your information valuable in the lives of your readers?

How…is
your information unique? It's going to be submerged in a sea of press
releases your intended publisher will have to review.

These are the best means I know to get your press release published once it's submitted to an editor.

P.S. More on this topic can be found by reading Dr. Randall Hansen's Guide to Writing Successful Press Releases at http://www.stetson.edu/~rhansen/prguide.html.

P.P.S. Directories to find places to submit your press release can be found near the end of the same web page.

About the Author

Brian Moore publishes 'BizOps Secrets', a complete ezine resource for online success. Subscribe and receive a free 5 line classified ad. AllPro BizOps, Proven Business Secrets That Work Online. http://www.allprobizops.com

Rating: Not yet rated

Comments

Add Comment

Copy and Paste Article Code.

Remember: The article body, title, author bio and links may not be changed or removed. By publishing this article, you agree to all the terms in our Terms of Service.

More articles in this Category

1: An Easy Blueprint on How You Can Type Articles For Hard Cash
2: 3 Simple Shortcuts To Writing A Book
3: Make Money Writing - How To Sell Your Information For Big Profits
4: Publishing A Book, 7 Simple Strategies For Self Publishing Success
5: How To Write A Book, 7 Tips To Make Your Book A Best Seller