Press releases will help spread your company’s news which is a valuable benefit in marketing, however, a lot of people don’t know how to write a press release. Here are the top five mistakes that you will want to avoid.
1. Know Your Audience – When a company releases a new product or reaches a long term goal, its employees often want to spread the news to everyone. Keep reporters and potential customers interest by writing in a neutral, third person tone. Also, product specific and internal lingo should be left out. Think about who you’re trying to reach and set your tone accordingly.
2. Don’t be boring! – If you start out every press release with the company’s history, readers will be turned off quickly. Don’t make them read half the page just to find out what they want to know. The general rule is, the longer it takes for you to answer the 5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where & Why), the less effective your press release will be.
3. Keep it Short and Concise. – If someone emailed you a 3 page press release, would you read the whole thing? Keep the information short and concise. If you need to direct the reader to you website for more information, you can.
4. Don’t forget Link – Make it as easy as possible for customers to purchase your product or find out more with hyperlinks in your press releases. That doesn’t mean link every single word in the entire press release! You want to avoid looking too over-promotional.
5. Contact Information – What’s the point of writing a press release if your customers don’t know who to contact to buy a product or get more information? Include up to date contact information and avoid listing your company’s general telephone number. You will want to list a specific person’s number to take on any media inquiries to put a name to your news. It is also a good idea to include your social media channels.