8 Ways To Use Storytelling In Your Press Release
There are a number of ways to use storytelling in your press release for more effective releases that will expand the reach of your brand.
Whenever you are planning to send out a press release, the first step is to decide what the goal is of sending it. Do you want to launch a product, increase brand awareness, or get more traffic and sales? Once you are clear about your goals, then you can craft a press release that will help you accomplish that goal.
1-A great story versus a sales letter
A press release is not a sales letter or an ad. You might include some points from your sales letter, but a press release should be much more like a news article than a promotional piece. The best news articles are clear stories with a beginning, middle and end that take the reader from Point A to Point Z in a straight line without a lot of twists and turns.
2-Grab attention with a great headline
Press releases have become more popular in recent years as a marketing tool, so your headline needs to help you stand out from the crowd. It should be short, sharp and interesting. Think of it as the title of a storybook. The title and the cover of every book is a ‘promise’ of what you will find inside. Therefore, your title should be a promise regarding what a person will learn if they click on your link to go to your press release.
3-Tell your story with a great “cover”
Your press release won’t have a book cover, but it can achieve the same instant impact and appeal as a book cover (which people often judge by) through the media that you include with your press release. Every picture tells a story, and a picture can also be worth a thousand words or more. Your images can serve as the gateway to reading the story, and the illustrations that move readers forward with the story.
4-Tell your story with other media
Other media besides images can support the story and move it forward. These include infographics, screenshots, PowerPoint presentations, and videos. Add any and all of these to offer more depth, dimension, and detail to your story.
5-Use Quotations
Quotations can add interest to the story, especially if they are from a leading expert and/or provide a whole new take on the information or a new dimension to it. For example, you could use a testimonial about the product you are trying to launch to make the story more compelling for your target audience.
6-Add Attachments
Most press release services will allow you to add attachments. Label/name them clearly. They can include your mission statement or the story of how you got started in business.
7-Ask for action
Depending on the goals that you have set for the press release, you can add a call to action that will align with your goal. For example, you might say at the end of your story, “Click here for more details,” and provide the reader with additional information that enhances your story.
You could also say, “Now that you’ve read our story, tell us yours. Click here and let us know how this works for you, or other useful things you’ve discovered.”
8-Use the stories to educate and illuminate
Tell real stories about yourself and your company. Get co-workers and clients to contribute. Get testimonials from real customers. These success stories will both educate and inspire. They should also illustrate your points to help you achieve your press release goals.
From the moment we are born, we learn from stories. They entertain, educate, uplift, persuade and inform. Use them in your press releases and see what a difference they can make to your business.
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