25 Great Reasons To Write a Press Release

I'm often asked, when should you send a press release to the media? My response is always the same. If it's newsworthy and useful to the reader you should send it.

When deciding whether to send out a news, there are many things to consider. There are no hard and fast rules, but as an online PR specialist I've sent out hundreds of news releases over the last several years and the most important thing the remember is to make sure that the release will interest the reader of the publication you are targeting and is newsworthy. If it doesn't meet these two criteria, you're just wasting both your own time as well as the editor's time.

A great news release can accomplish a lot of things for your business. It can be used to announce information to the public, your shareholders, your customers and your competition about your activities.

Because it can be difficult to determine whether or not something is newsworthy, I press release ideas|ideas for news releases}|developed this list of 25 news release ideas a scholarship Scholarships bring opportunity to individuals who might not otherwise have the chance to go to school, which is why it always brings good PR along with it.|Announcing a contest or competition Who doesn't want to win something or get something for free?}

Host a seminar, class, or workshop This is another great way to establish yourself as an expert in your field while educating the public with your message.

Opening or remodeling your exisiting office Although it isn't major news, it helps position your company as moving upwards.

Major Media Mentions Recent spotlights in magazines or in television programs can demonstrate your credibility to other media outlets, so you should let them know about it.

Major Policy Changes Can demonstrate your companies acceptance of new ideas or willingness to change with the times.

Recognition of Longtime Employees Retaining employees says a lot about the quality of a business and it's business practices, so you should let the public know about it.

Innovative use for your products If your product helped someone out of a major bind, it's might be newsworthy. If they discovered new creative ways to use your product it allows you to feature the product in a new light.

Financial projections and forecasts Releasing financial information about your company can demonstrate it's strength, an attractive attribute to investors.

Upcoming public appearances Whether it's an industry tradeshow or the county fair, your customers want to know where you'll be.

Now that you have written the news release, what's next? How do you get your release into the hands of the media? {Should you submit the release yourself or hire a public relations firm|Can your company handle its own media relations or should you hire a PR {professional|specialist|firm? The following questions may help answer your question:

• Are we receiving the exposure we deserve?


• Would additional media coverage increase the amount of business to our company?


• Are we utilizing an effective PR strategy that remains consistent in maintaining media exposure levels?


• Does our competition an unfair amount of media coverage?


• Have we prepared a press kit to give to journalists and interviewers with the necessary items? Are we able to keep this up-to-date?


• Is our staff properly trained to interview with reporters and relay our message to the public?

We should first define the roles of a PR firm. Many people don't understand the difference between a Public Relations firm and a marketing firm or ad agency. A PR firm handles media relations. It is the interface between a company and the news media, focusing on the company's reputation and image. A marketing firm, on the other hand, handles advertising placements or develops advertising messages and strategies.

The PR firm or specialist, often referred to as the publicist, will pitch journalists and editors on a story idea involving a company, invention or individual. The PR firm will attempt to match a story with a particular media outlet with respect to the interests the people who read, watch or listen to that particular outlet.

Many large companies handle their public relations in-house by maintaining as staff trained in media relations, while others hire outside PR firms and or publicists to handle their media campaigns. The route your company should take depends upon your company's own resources and needs.

These reasons to write a news release were written by SEO professional, Wes Upchurch and distributed through His article marketing service.