Is Your Press Release Missing This Key Feature?
One of the main mistakes that new press release marketers make is to leave out a key feature that no effective press release can do without. This key feature is a call to action, or CTA.
1-Your press release goal
The first thing to consider is the goal behind any press release before you ever write it. What do you want to accomplish by publishing it?
It could be to boost subscribers and sales. Or, you might be hosting a live free or paid event and want people to join as sponsors or guest speakers. As the event date approaches, a release with date, time and venue, and information about tickets and any costs will all help drive foot traffic so you can meet your attendance goals.
2-Call to actions related to your goals
Once you have determined your goal, then you can create the key feature of the press release, a call to action that will get them to do what you want them to do. Let’s look at the example above of the live event.
Your target audience is:
i-Journalists reading the release
ii-Potential sponsors
iii-Potential guest speakers
iv-Potential attendees for the live event
Each one of these groups should get their own call to action.
i-journalists
Journalists will be interested in a couple of different things in relation to your press release and your company as a whole. The first is, who are you? A link that gives them a CTA relating to visiting your media center is helpful.
You can also create CTAs in relation to the media that accompanies your press release, such as a video. Do use one or two high-quality images to support the press release. If you have any other multimedia content, give them a CTA to visit a special page to see and download more.
You can also create a PDF of your release, or supporting material. For example, if your press release is about a new survey you’ve just completed, create a PDF of more detailed data. If you want to give away a free special report, create a PDF of it as well, or send them to a registration page and give the CTA of “Fill out the form below to get your free download.”
ii-sponsors
Potential sponsors for the event would need specific calls to action that would enable them to connect with you in a meaningful way.
Sponsors need to know your contact information, including a particular person to deal with. They might also need your business’s tax ID number in order to write off the item as a tax deduction for a legitimate marketing expense for the business.
iii-guest speakers
Guest speakers would also need specific information and calls to action in order to register as a paid speaker and the topic they wish to talk about, so you can start organizing panels and time slots for each speaker.
iv-attendees
Anyone who wishes to attend the event would need specific details about it and precise CTAs, such as “Click here for your free ticket-limit 500 registrants only, so act now.”
Any CTA will help you with your return on investment (ROI), but a CTA which conveys the message of “Act now” in some way will help make every press release more successful.
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