Should I Do A Press Release?

Many new marketers and small business owners wonder about press releases and whether or not they should publish one. The short answer is yes. If your business has any sort of news that the media would be interested in, then a press release could be an ideal way to connect with them.

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What is a press release?

A press release is issued to communicate with journalists and other media representatives to provide them with the latest news about your business. The main goal of a press release is to gain media pickups. journalists who find your story interesting will write an article about it on their publication.

Why issue a press release?

A press release can help you achieve several different business goals, including more:

  • Sales
  • Subscribers
  • Traffic
  • Brand Reach
  • Attendance at a live event

Issuing a press release can be one of the fastest ways to achieve one or more of these goals. But there are several other reasons why you should do a press release. Here are a few.

1. Press releases are free or cheap compared to ads

Once you have written a press release, you can send it out to a large number of journalists via a distribution service. If they give you pickups, your press release has the potential to reach thousands, if not millions of people, depending on how many pickups and how large the publications running your information.

There are both free and paid distribution services. Each operates a bit differently, but both are often used by busy journalists looking for story ideas for their next article.

Paid services allow you to include items like images, a PDF download, and perhaps a video or embedded video link. Including media will help you get even more media pickups.

2. They give you the chance to connect with a whole new audience

People might be interested in your niche, product or services, but are not seeing your messages. Press releases give you the chance to tap into a whole new audience who might be looking for exactly the kind of information you provide and the type of items you sell.

3. You can build a relationship with the media

One press release might not make them sit up and take notice, but a consistent stream of high-quality press releases will put you on their radar as someone worth paying attention to. Your press releases should be newsworthy and error-free. They should not be ads disguised as press releases.

In some cases, they might like your material and start to see you as a trustworthy authority in your niche. This could lead to consulting opportunities and even media appearances.

4. They give you really quick traffic

Even if only journalists see your release, giving a clear call to action by asking them to click to learn more will give your traffic a boost. If you then get pickups, you could get a flood of traffic all eager to learn more about your new product or service, for example.

5. They can really drive sales

Including a press release as part of your marketing mix when you launch a new product can really showcase that product and drive sales right out of the starting gate. Again, a strong call to action will give them a good reason to go to your sales landing page and buy now.

Call us today to speak to one of our PR specialists: 1-800-713-7278

Anthony Santiago is Director of Marketing at Newswire. With over a decade of experience in PR, he helps ensure that clients understand the value of brand messaging and reach.

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