Press Release

If you’re thinking about public relations strategy for your business, you’ll certainly be considering press releases. But, although many know what they are, few know how and when to use them. A press release is a written communication that reports specific but brief information about an event, circumstance, product launch, or other happening. It’s typically tied to a business or organization and provided to media through a variety of means.

Issuing a press release doesn’t mean the media will automatically run with it. Media outlets will ask the same questions they always do: Does it interest their readers? Does it benefit the community in some way? You should also consider other outlets that might pick up your press release. If you’re lucky, bloggers, tweeters, and others on social media may find it worthy of promoting within their social networks.

Most press releases are available for “immediate release.” This means anyone can share the information as soon as you make it public. If you’re publicizing an upcoming event, for example, you probably want to encourage as much timely coverage as possible.

Other press releases may have time limits to when media can begin reporting or may allow only certain media sources to report them immediately. They may be offered to other news services, websites, or blog owners for publication at a later time. If you’re sharing something that needs to remain secret until the right time, you might specify a date coverage can begin.

The main purpose of all press releases is to promote something significant and specific, and to do so clearly. Beyond that, a press release is a document that adheres to a strict format and serves three marketing and promotional purposes:

To notify the media about an event in hopes that they will spread the word.
To share something about your business, hoping a reporter will see a story in your press release and write an actual news article about it.
To promote your business’ appearance on the internet via blogs, websites, and social networks.
There is a debate about whether that last approach really fits a press release, or if “news release” is the more appropriate term. In any case, social media presents a more direct line to your customers than traditional media outlets.