In the News: Can my small business use press releases for marketing?

Press releases are a cost-effective way of increasing awareness around your brand and should be a part of your overall marketing strategy. They effectively enable you to directly communicate with your consumers and when picked up and syndicated they can reach a wide range of users.

Why Press Releases Work
Press releases are often overlooked as a valuable SMB marketing tool. Advertising is generally the first option that small businesses use to get the word out about their products and services, neglecting the real benefits that they could leverage from successful PR.

1. Broad coverage: Your information is potentially viewed as many people as possible. The more compelling the content, the more likely that it will be reposted online;
2. Build links: Journalists and bloggers may use your keywords when they repost quotable chunks of your press release in their coverage of the news creating solid inbound links;
3. Third party endorsement: People place more value on third party commentary than personal advertising and are more likely to make a purchase.

Tips for Press Releases
Not sure where to start? There are some hard and fast rules that you should follow to maximize the opportunity that a press release gives you - remember it is about the quality of the news, not the size of the business.

1. Interesting news: Use press releases for important announcements that people want to read about like a new CEO, winning an Award or an innovative new product;
2. Killer headline: The headline is where people make the decision to read your press release or not. It needs to entice them to read further, so spend time on getting this right;
3. Minimal words: Be concise and to the point. Don’t overdo the keywords, it will make it harder for readers and search engines to find;
4. Call to action: Every press release needs to entice the reader to click through, usually to the company website. Use things like downloads, free consultations, special offers and podcasts;
5. About section: Always include a spiel about your organisation at the base of the release. Make it a clear summary of who you are and how you stand out from competitors;
6. Special landing page: Use a dedicated landing page for press release readers to convert them into solid prospects;
7. Research your market: Create a list of bloggers and sites in your field. Write a version of your release especially to cater to their readers;
8. Blog post: Where appropriate, write a blog version of the news and use this on social media sites.

Expert opinion: Here's what our media expert, Diana Lauritson, has to say about press releases:

"This is a very interesting debate among communications professionals. There has been a movement declaring the death of the press release - read more about it here and here.

Of course, arguments can be made either way. There are benefits to press releases because they show credibility/legitimacy, are a good way to let people know when companies are working together, and a great way to keep your company news organized and accessible. They are also cheaper than many other advertising options. However, I think we can all agree that the traditional press release is not as effective as a means for publicity as it may have been in the past. Blogs and social media have allowed companies to share information quickly and with great SEO results, and have in some ways replaced the need for press releases. 

Nonetheless, press releases have evolved to accommodate enriched content (photos, videos, links, social media sharing buttons), and their distribution methods have also evolved. Knowing which kind of content to include in the release, as well as the best methods for distribution are key to leveraging the benefits of a press release. Wire services can be useful, or strategic paid placement of the release to get better results. If sending to contacts or media lists, be sure you are sending to the correct reporter or point person within the organization for optimized results. "

See Diana's LinkedIn profile

Final Thoughts

A great marketing strategy uses a range of channels to contact consumers. Press releases are an additional marketing tool that you can add to your planning to maximize your reach without overtaxing your allocated budget.

At Change3 Enterprises we are integrating press releases into our overall marketing strategy. We understand the value of press releases as an additional channel that has the potential to reach a broad range of prospective customers.

Do you need some professional advice on how to get started with press releases for your brand awareness? Talk to one of our experts about either a new or ongoing strategy to manage your business press relations.

ChangeU: For your independent study ...

A Complete Guide To Writing An Effective Press Release http://bit.ly/17MaYli
Using Press Releases To Market Your Small Business http://bit.ly/1vaFOOJ
Do Press Releases Still Matter Yes But Not Like You Think http://onforb.es/1DlkpoC