What would it be worth to you have favorable front page news about your business? Positive media coverage is more trusted and more likely to be noticed by readers than paid advertising, so you should be seeking what’s known as “earned media” for your business as often as you can.
But what to say? Why should the media cover your business?
Here’s a sampling of ideas from around the web:
- Winning an award
- Launching a new product or service
- Partnering with a charity
- Releasing a new report, data, or an article
- Helpful tips for getting the most out of your product or service
- Interesting background of your supply chain, ingredient sources, etc.
- Explanation of how your values affect your business
- Opening a new location
- Inspirational story of overcoming a business challenge
- Hosting or teaching a seminar
- Partnering with another business
- Changing your processes, methods, or tactics
- Hosting a contest
- Revealing industry scams or tricks
- Making predictions for your industry
- Holiday events
- Hosting a tour of your facility
- Providing free product/service to a nonprofit
- Taking steps to become more sustainable
- Hiring new key talent
- Celebrating a milestone or anniversary
- Attending or exhibiting at a trade show
- Securing new financing for growth
- New website launch
- Customer profiles, interviews
- Interview a competitor or partner
- Joining an industry association
- Sponsoring a concert or event
- Participating in professional development events
- Adopting a new mission or vision statement
- Deep dive into a specific aspect of your business
- Making a free consultation available
- Launching a referral or affiliate program
- Arrival of exciting new inventory
- Serving a celebrity
- Providing volunteers to an event
- Changing the name of a product or service
- Announcing a public appearance
- Setting up a customer advisory group
- Creating a new customer loyalty program
- Announcing that you are available to speak on topics of your expertise
- Announcing the results of a survey or research you’ve conducted
- Announcing a store redecoration or remodel
- Celebrate a longtime employee’s hiring anniversary
- Serving on a nonprofit board or public committee
- Piggybacking on current events
- Congratulating staff accomplishments
- Providing insider tips
- Announcing a new division
- Announcing a new crowdfunding campaign
Write your press release in newspaper article style:
- Present the most important facts in the first sentence, then follow up with supporting information
- Don’t use vague or overly emotional language — except as part of a quoted remark
- Keep it simple
- Be specific with time and place
- Avoid personal pronouns (I, we) — except as part of a quoted remark
By writing your press release in a style that mimics a newspaper article, you are helping the newspaper or other media outlet get the information in front of their audience quickly. Make it easy for them!
Don’t forget to send it to sierracountybiz@gmail.com!
Advertising is expensive. Start writing press releases to earn free media to grow public awareness of your business — and your sales figures!