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Get Press:Your Guide to Getting Great Press Coverage

Table of ContentsIntroductionChapter 1: Intro to Public RelationsChapter 2: Creating Your PR StrategyChapter 3: How to Write Your Own Press ReleasesChapter 4: Radio and TelevisionChapter 5: Next Steps

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Get Press: Your Guide to Getting Great Press Coverage

Intro to Public Relations

You may have a marketing strategy. You might even be dabbling in social media to increase awareness of your brand. But what about public relations? How much time and effort have you put into this element of your overall business strategy?

Maybe you’re not even sure of what public relations is. In a nutshell, public relations (or PR for short) includes any forms of communications that amplify your message to a wider audience. It’s not advertising, and it’s a shade different from marketing. It ties in with social media.

PR includes press releases, which we’ll cover in-depth in this guide, as well as articles and blog posts that journalists write about your brand in the media (newspapers, magazines, and blogs), and television and radio interviews. A solid PR strategy involves getting as many people to see your news or media mention as possible.

But how do you get journalists to want to write about your brand? Ah, therein lies the rub. It’s a difficult task, but not an impossible one, and this guide will help teach you to get the attention of the media to increase your brand’s exposure.

So, What the Heck IS a Press Release?A press release is a short, formal communication, usually around 400 words or so, that focuses on a news angle. It is either distributed using an online press release distribution service or emailed directly to editors, journalists, and/or bloggers.

Press releases have drastically changed over the decades. In the “olden days” (even just 10 years ago) people would mail press releases to media contacts! Via snail mail! Consider the speed at which we get breaking news nowadays. Quite a change.

The Internet has also changed how we share press releases. Now, even if the Wall Street Journal doesn’t pick up your release, hundreds of potential customers and other journalists can still view it online, thanks to Twitter, Facebook, Google + and press release distribution services.

CorpNetNellie’s Fave Ways to Share a Press Release

• Twitter: instead of tweeting the headline, change the text to ask your followers a question, then link to the release to create discussion.

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• Facebook: create a News tab that includes links to all your press releases.• Google+: if you get media coverage, tag the journalist on Google + to tie him into the conversation.

If you’d like to get a look at some press releases online to get a sense of what they’re like, take a quick moment to visit these sites to see today’s headlines.

• PRWeb• Marketwire• PRLeap

You probably noticed that most of the releases followed the same format. You’ll learn that later in this guide. If you read many releases, you’ll start to see certain elements that can be used over and over again in your releases. Reading press releases on similar topics to what you want to cover can give you ideas for your own release.

Benefits to Press ReleasesLarge corporations have long been using PR and press releases to get more attention for their brands, and now small businesses are also picking up on the trend. It’s important to know that while a press release can help you connect to a journalist who might cover your news, the bigger benefit is in the online world.

1. Online Exposure Within a day of submitting your press release to a distribution site, it’s instantly available online. The more places your company and URL appear online, the better the exposure for your brand. So if your press release shows up on 50 different websites and news channels, more people see it and can click to your website to learn more about your brand.

2. Better Google Rankings Press releases are fantastic little tools to help you build Search Engine Optimization or SEO. Google likes websites that have a lot of links to them. Everywhere your press release appears, you’ll have a link back to your website. So Google thinks, “This site must be pretty important, to have so many other sites linking to it,” and it bumps you up search results!

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3. Media CoverageWhen you are fortunate enough to have a media resource talk about your company, this is better than any kind of advertising you could buy. People look at news and blogs as objective (usually) resources, and they’re more likely to trust your brand if they read about you, rather than seeing a flashing ad for your company online, which they tend to ignore.

But Shouldn’t I Hire a PR Firm for This?

If you’re getting clammy hands at the prospect of having to write your own press release and pitch the media, don’t. So many small businesses assume only a public relations firm can handle its PR needs, but that simply isn’t true. All you need is a little guidance (found here) and the initiative, and you can start building up your company’s public image!

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Chapter 2: Creating Your PR Strategy

Before we dive into the nitty gritty of press release writing, let’s take a moment to discuss your overall public relations strategy. Just like with any marketing efforts, anything you do in regards to public relations should have goals and a strategy affixed.

What is your goal when it comes to PR? Certainly, you want more exposure. But make a list of any and all goals you want to achieve, such as:

• We want to rank higher for our primary keywords on search engine results• We want new customers• We want more links back to our website

Be as specific as you can with these goals, as you will measure all of your PR efforts against them. How many links do you want back to your site? What sort of an increase in new sales would you like to see from your PR efforts?

Before you start your public relations efforts, take a measurement of where you are in terms of your goals today. What is your web traffic? How many customers do you have? These will serve as benchmarks so that after you issue a press release or get media coverage, you know how much these numbers have changed as a result of your efforts.

CorpNetNellie’s PR Strategy Tip

You may not be sure of what you can expect from PR in terms of results, but start conservatively in your numbers. You can always go up from there.

Developing Your PR StrategyIn the same way that you have a mix of tactics you use in marketing your business, your PR strategy will contain a mix of tactics as well.

Press releases, naturally, will be part of that strategy. How often will you put out your news? You

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probably have an idea of how regularly you have updates that could turn into great press releases. We suggest no fewer than one press release a month to maintain your online presence.

Make sure you have a page on your website dedicated to company news. Keep this updated with links to your most recent press releases, and make sure to have a contact for journalists that might want to reach out. We’ll cover creating a media kit later in this guide.

Part of your PR strategy should also include maintaining relationships with the media. But don’t wait until you’re ready to pitch them to connect. Start by following journalists and bloggers on social media and reading what they write.

You’ll also need a plan for how you’ll share your news and PR efforts through your social channels. Each press release should be Tweeted and posted to Facebook, Google + and LinkedIn at a minimum, and do the same for any media mentions you get.

As you grow your PR efforts, you can look back at your strategy to ensure you’re on track to meeting your goals. Tweak it as necessary; it’s meant to be a living, breathing document, and change will only help to improve it!

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Chapter 3: How to Write Your Own Press Releases

CorpNetNellie’s Recipe for a Successful Press Release

If a press release is a cake, it includes a few basic ingredients:

• Crafty headline• Summary• First paragraph• Supporting paragraphs• Juicy quote• Images or video• About Us• Contact section

Writing a press release is easy! If you follow the “recipe,” you’ll quickly find it easy to write tons of press releases.

1. Start With Your SubjectWhat is your press release about? Keep in mind: it MUST be newsworthy! No one likes reading self-promotional releases. Some newsworthy topics include:

• Launch of new business/grand opening • Launch of new website • New product or product line• Addition of major client or contract • Announcement of contest • Major company milestone• Announcement of donation to charity or participation in nonprofit event • Award received • Coverage in major media source

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This list isn't comprehensive by any means, but just ask yourself: could this be a headline on the front page of the news? Or anywhere else in the newspaper? Or is it more of an article or sales piece? If it's the latter, save it for something else.

2. Back to School: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and HowJust like back in grade school, you’ll have to know your who, what, when, where, why, and hows about the subject you want to cover:

• Who does it involve?• What is the event/announcement?• When and where does/did it occur?• Why do readers care about your news?• How is it happening/did it happen?

From this you'll have the meat of your release, so use this info in the first paragraph (remember, most people won't read past the first paragraph, so you want all the necessary information to be there).

3. Find Your KeywordsMake a list of keywords or phrases that relate to your business. An easy way to do this is to ask yourself how you would describe the business. You want to use phrases people are likely to search if they're looking for your product.

Use a tool like Google’s free Keyword Tool to zero in on the keywords more people are searching for.

If you serve a local market only, make sure to include your city. If you own a bakery in San Francisco, try to include these keywords or phrases in your press release: "San Francisco bakery" or "SF bakery." This will put you closer to the top of the results for those keywords.

Test out the keywords you’ve jotted down by searching for them in Google to see what results come up. If the results show listings you want to be among, they're good keywords. Use the keywords throughout the release, at a rate of about one keyword per 100 words in your press release. So a 400-word press release should only have four keywords; choose them wisely.

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4. Add Supporting ParagraphsAssuming someone does read beyond that first paragraph, you’ll need a few more supporting paragraphs. These can provide additional information on your news, give a location and time for an event, and include a quote from a company representative.

Choose someone who is tied to the specific news or event, or an exec for your quote. Aim to get an interesting quote; press releases tend to be full of really boring ones no one wants to read. If the person you’re quoting doesn’t have a clue what to say, write something for her, then get her approval on using it.

5. What “About” Your Company?Press releases include what’s called a boilerplate about your company. You likely already have one on your About Us section of your site. It’s a paragraph or two that explains what you do succinctly. This goes after the paragraphs.

6. How Will They Contact You?After the About the Company section goes the Contact section. Be sure and put a contact that is the most relevant to the topic. That might not be you, so if you don't want a lot of phone calls with questions you can't answer, put the appropriate person.

Most releases are around 400 words or less. There's no need for your release to be longer than it needs to be, so say what you need to say and be done.

Putting it All TogetherHere you can see a press release we issued to understand how all these ingredients play together to make a beautiful press release online!

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Distribution for Press ReleasesNow that you’ve learned how to write a press release, it’s time to show it to the world! You’ve got three primary ways you can distribute your press release:

• Online, through a free or paid service that sends your release to dozens of news websites• Directly to journalists, in the hopes that they’ll cover you• Directly to bloggers, in the hopes that they’ll cover you

Distribution Method 1: OnlineThere are dozens of press release distribution sites--some paid and some free--that will put your news on more websites than you could do on your own. The sites your release will appear on range from the very popular, like Google News, to the lesser-known niche sites in your industry. The more, the merrier.

Here are a few of the more popular online press release distribution services. Fees vary, as do services offered. Pay attention to whether a site focuses on geographic distribution; if you’re a local business, this matters more. If you serve a national audience, your goal is to be online, not just in one region of the country.

PRWeb.com• Based on search engine options, not geographic distribution • Prices range from $89 for basic to $499 for premium features• Allow you to share your release with your social networks

MarketWire.com• Distributes to geographic areas of your choice• Prices range from $145 for some Regional to $415 for National• Also offers other services, like social media analysis and monitoring

PRNewswire.com• Connects you with 5,500 news channels• Contact for pricing. Also offer discounts for bulk purchases• Also offer service to connect you directly with journalists

And for those of you with smaller or invisible budgets, there are also sites that will distribute your release for free. Keep in mind, the paid services will get you on more recognizable websites, but if being on as many sites as possible is your goal, see where you appear with this free list.

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• prfree.com• pr.com/press-releases• 1888pressrelease.com• prurgent.com• theopenpress.com• free-press-release.com• sanepr.com• pressabout.com• ecommwire.com• pr9.net• pressreleasespider.com

Distribution Method 2: Pitching JournalistsAs a small business, you hope and pray that a journalist (or ten) will take interest in your little company and write about it, thus amplifying it to the masses. The problem is, every other small business has the same goal, so it’s hard to get the attention of journalists when they get a flood of press releases in their Inboxes daily.

We recommend starting locally. Find out who covers your industry or business in general at your local newspaper, and befriend that journalist. Read her articles. Comment on them and share them on social channels. When you have exciting news (and ask yourself: will the readers of this publication genuinely care about it?) pitch her on it. Once you get some local coverage, it’ll be that much easier to move up to regional and then national journalists.

Finding the JournalistsIf you don’t already have contacts at newspapers, magazines, and websites, dig in and start researching. Spend a few minutes on a media channel’s website and find the appropriate person you’d want to pitch. Create a spreadsheet with the person’s name, email, phone and what he writes about. This document will be indispensable for you.

Don’t Jump the GunIt’s tempting to email or call a journalist immediately, but you won’t get the best results that way. Instead, start this process long before you want to pitch the media, and spend time getting to know each journalist you want to contact.

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CorpNetNellie’s Pitching Tips

1. Research the journalists who cover your beat2. Read their writing3. Comment on their articles4. Connect via social media5. Retweet and share their content6. Pitch with a well-crafted letter

Because journalists get pitched so much, building that relationship will be your key to success. You want to show that you’ve taken the time to really pay attention to this person (who doesn’t love that?) and that you know her readers. There’s nothing more insulting to a journalist than getting pitched by someone who hasn’t even read her columns.

Perfecting Your PitchYour pitch email is extremely important, so spend a significant amount of time on it. First, it’s important to customize it for each journalist you send it to, otherwise you might send a letter mentioning the wrong publication!

Start with a name. Your pitch is much more likely to be well-received if it’s addressed to “John” and not “Dear Reporter.” It’s worth the research time to find out who writes about your industry.

Open by mentioning an article he’s written that you particularly enjoyed, and why. Bonus points if it relates to your pitch:

Dear John:I enjoyed your article in the Times Weekly last Monday on the FDA’s new regulations for organic yogurt. As an organic yogurt maker, this is a topic highly relevant to my industry.

You can see that this intro will lead into your pitch. When crafting your pitch (the story angle you want the journalist to take), factor in these elements:

• Why is it relevant to this journalist’s readers?• Why should he care?

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• How will this news benefit his readers?• What’s unique about the news?

It can be easy to wear blinders when it comes to your news. Of course your news is the most exciting thing since sliced bread! But see it from the journalist’s perspective, and you might realize it’s not as exciting. Be respectful and only pitch stories that really would benefit his readers.

Give a brief summary of your news. Don’t go overboard. There’s a debate as to whether you should paste your entire press release into the email you send (definitely don’t send an attachment, or it might end up in a spam filter). We tend to go middle-of-the-road and suggest that you link to your online press release in your pitch so that if the journalist wants more information, he can easily get it. Some journalists won’t even pay attention to your press release, so make sure the rest of your pitch contains the info he’d need to write about you.

Keep it short but offer additional resources, should he be interested, such as photos, quotes or more details. Provide your contact information.

Following UpThere’s a pretty good chance you won’t hear back from the journalist. They’re busy, and sometimes they just don’t receive your email. Follow up a week later to enquire that he received your email. If you don’t hear back then, he’s likely not interested.

Sample Pitch LetterWant to see a pitch letter in action? Here you are!

Dear John:I enjoyed your article in the Times Weekly last Monday on the FDA’s new regulations for organic yogurt. As an organic yogurt maker, this is a topic highly relevant to my industry.

I wondered if your readers might be interested in something we’ve got going on. As the city’s only certified organic yogurt maker, we’ve become part of the sustainable food culture, and to that end, have started offering free yogurt making classes each month.

Our students range from school children to farmers interested in learning to make their own yogurt. Here’s a recent press release about our participation in National Yogurt Day.

We’d love to invite you to participate in a yogurt making class (bring clothes you can get dirty!)

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on the 5th. It would make a fantastic story for your column.

Please let me know if you are interested so we can make arrangements. I look forward to hearing from you.

Beth StoneOrganix Yogurt733-485-3466

Distribution Method 3: Working with BloggersThe perception of bloggers has significantly changed in the last few years. No longer just hobbyists, bloggers are now journalists in their own right. And they’re a necessary component for your PR strategy.

Researching and pitching bloggers is similar in many ways to pitching journalists, with a few key differences. One is that bloggers tend to want to find more interactive ways to work with you. They won’t just publish your press release. They’ll want to try your products themselves so they can share their experiences with readers. They’ll want to find sustainable ways to work with you for the long-term.

CorpNetNellie’s Tip: Best Days to Pitch a Press Release

You’ll get better result if you send your emailed pitch to bloggers or journalists on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. On Monday people are frantic to catch up on the emails they received over the weekend (why anyone is sending email on the weekend is beyond me). They’re more likely to delete your pitch. On Friday, people skip out early and aren’t thinking about work. So mid-week they’re more likely to read your pitch.

And aim for midday as well, so they get your email after they’ve cleaned out their Inboxes first thing, but before they head home for the day.

Building Blogger RelationshipsMuch like you would with traditional journalists, make an effort to get to know who the bloggers in

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your industry are. Read and share their posts. They’re even bigger on Twitter and Facebook, so sharing their posts will get their attention.

Observe how the bloggers you’re targeting work with other brands. Many will have a “PR Friendly” page on their blogs that will give you information on how they might work with you. Some will require payment to share your news or review your product. It’s up to you whether you want to pay it or not.

Ways to Work TogetherThere are many ways you can work with a blogger, but here are the most common:

1. Sharing Your NewsIn all honesty, this won’t get you as far with a blogger as it would a journalist. The more involved you can get with a blogger, the better the results.

2. Reviewing Your ProductShe will take photos of your product and share her experiences in using it. Because her readers trust her, they know her review is honest. Just be aware it might not be a positive review, and don’t fear that. You asked for honesty when you set up the product review. Just do your best to make sure her experience with your brand is positive.

3. Giving Away Your ProductMany bloggers offer product giveaways, which serves you well because a blog’s readers will clamor to win the prizes you’re offering. This is a great method for increased visibility.

4. AdvertisingMany bloggers offer paid advertising in conjunction with PR coverage. Purchasing an ad on a blog can be cost-effective.

5. Sponsored PostThis is a blog post you sponsor (pay for). It is disclosed to be just that so there is no mistaking that the brand (you) have paid for the content.

6. Multi-Level CampaignAs you build a relationship with a blogger, you may find more than one way to work together, and may be able to create a long-term PR strategy together. Look for bloggers that are highly influential in your industry who have done this sort of work before.

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Chapter 4: Radio and Television

While we’re all gung-ho about the Internet, let us not forget its predecessors, Radio and TV! Being interviewed on either of these channels is also a great component of your PR strategy.

Who to PitchJust like with journalists, start local. Watch your morning news segments and listen to talk radio programs to identify which shows cater to your target audience. Which anchors cover topics similar to your news? Spend time getting to know their style and then do the research on how to connect.

CorpNetNellie Says: Don’t Overlook Podcasts!

Podcasts--which are radio-style programs broadcast online--provide you with the great opportunity of reaching a nationwide audience with your brand. Find programs that target your ideal customer and find out how to get on the show. Pitch your expertise in this situation, not company news. Podcasters are often looking for people who know their stuff in a given industry...and that could be you!

Preparing for the InterviewOnce you’ve been invited to come on a television or radio program, it’s time to prepare! You want to come off polished and poised, so do a little practice beforehand.

What to WearIf you’ll be on the radio, this isn’t an issue. But for television interviews, your wardrobe decision is key. Keep these tips in mind:

• Stick to bright, basic colors that complement your skin tone.• Avoid patterns; they don’t render well on television.• Go conservative on jewelry and accessories.• Make sure your nails are groomed and/or manicured.

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What to SayIf you know what you’ll be interviewed about, practice developing a few “sound bites” that you might get the chance to say. A sound bite is a well-spoken sentence or two that might end up being the only thing the television producer keeps out of a 30-minute interview! (Yes, you’ll be interviewed much longer than the actual clip they use; frustrating but good to know!) Boil it down to your core message: if you could tell the audience one thing, what would it be?

Practice speaking clearly and succinctly, and avoid using vocalized pauses (“uh” and “you know”).

How to Hold YourselfBe conscious of your body movements during an interview. You’ll likely be nervous, so you may wave your hands too much, or scratch your face. Be aware and try to minimize these nervous tics.

Be calm, cool and collected so that you represent your brand in a positive light!

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Chapter 5: Next Steps

Now that your press release has been distributed online or was written up in the media, it’s up to you to let everyone know! The more places you share it, the more people will see it, and the more will click the link back to your website.

Your WebsiteThe first thing you should do is link on your News page to your press release or news coverage. Anyone visiting your site should be able to see all of your news on a single page, and be able to click to the original sources.

Also copy part of the press release or article into a blog post to share with your blog readers, and link to the original article.

Social Media ChannelsThe next thing to do is share the press release or media mention through your Twitter, Facebook, G+, LinkedIn and any other profiles you use. Make it interesting and don’t just copy the title of the press release:

We were mentioned in @Allure Magazine on its Hottest Prods page! Woo hoo! See the good company we were in: [link]

And for sites like Google+, Facebook and LinkedIn, try to start dialogue around a topic relating to the news for better engagement:

Our recent press release talks about how the JOBS Act affects small business. How would you say it would affect your business directly? [link]

EmailIf you’ve built up a solid subscriber list for your company emails, sharing your news with this audience can also help you get more interest. Share it as a sidebar, or as your primary announcement in your next email, linking to the original.

Measuring ResultsThe purpose of your PR strategy is to get results. But how can you determine whether your news release, media mention or television interview did any good if you don’t measure results?

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Google Analytics is a fantastic tool (and free) you can use to measure traffic to your website--specifically resulting from you distributing a press release online or having a website or online publication write about you and link to your site.

A quick look at Traffic Sources will show you which sites sent people to your website. You can easily see if visitors came from a press release distribution site, news channel or media source. Use this information to decide which channels you want to put more efforts into using. Also, if you used the free press release distribution services mentioned in chapter 3, you can see if they were worth the effort. If not, simply remove them from your PR strategy.

To see what sites published your release instantly, search for your business name or the keywords you used in your press release on Google. You can also set up a Google Alert that will tell you where your keywords or business name are appearing online each day.

Your paid press release distribution service will also provide you with some analytics for your release, including:

• How many people read it• How many channels distributed it• Where it appeared online• Which countries received distribution

Some press releases will garner tens of thousands of views, while others will get less. This usually depends on what your release is about, how enticing your headline was and what channels you selected for distribution.

Use this information to figure out which topics got more interest, and write more releases on similar topics.

Creating a Media KitA media kit gives journalists everything they need to write about you. Back in the day, this was always a physical print kit in a folder. For some industries, print is still the way to go, especially if you exhibit at trade shows and want to get your info in the hands of journalists. But the Internet makes it easy to create an online version as well.

Remember, your goal is to provide everything a journalist or blogger might need to write about you, so be accommodating by providing more than enough information, including:

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• Info about the company (boilerplate)• Logo• Images of your product• Major milestones• Company history• Bios of execs• Links to your most recent news• Contact info for the person who handles your PR

Make sure to keep your media kit updated, as it reflects poorly upon your brand to have an outdated media kit!

CorpNetNellie’s Resources for Creating a Press Kit

No matter what industry you’re in, a press kit comes in handy. Here are more articles to help you perfect yours!

• How to Create the Ultimate Online Media Kit• How to Put Together a Press Kit• The Ingredients of a Press Kit

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ConclusionHopefully after reading this, you have a better sense of how to create your public relations strategy and write and distribute press releases. Invest a little time and effort into it, and you’ll soon be reaching your PR goals!

As always, if you need help with starting a business, incorporating a business, or forming an LLC, CorpNet.com's professional staff is here to assist you every step of the way... And once you know what you're required to file, we can take care of the details for you! Of course, if you have specific legal questions or concerns, you should consult an attorney for sound advice.

Please reach out to us with any questions as YOUR business is OUR priority!

And please follow us on the social media platforms at:

Twitter: @CorpNet and @CorpNetNellieFacebookLinkedInYouTube

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About the Author

Nellie Akalp is an Internet entrepreneur, mother of 4, and CEO of CorpNet.com, her second incorporation filing service based on the simple philosophy of truth in business and her strong passion to assist small business owners and entrepreneurs in starting and protecting their business. Through the various “Do-It-Yourself” and “Business-Startup” services she has founded since 1997, she has formed over 100,000 corporations and LLCs for small business owners.

Her last company, MyCorporation.com, was acquired by Intuit in 2005. Today, she and her husband, Phil, operate CorpNet.com where they help small business owners incorporate a business, form an LLC, or file a DBA, in any state, and in any county across the U.S.

As CEO of CorpNet.com, Nellie is a strong advocate in educating small business owners and entrepreneurs about the importance of protecting their personal assets and enjoys discussing legal and business issues concerning everything from business startup through (hopefully) acquisition. She is also responsible for overseeing and managing the daily operations of the business. Nellie is also a small business expert contributor at a variety of small business outlets, including: Small Business Trends, The Business Insider, Mashable, and AMEX OPEN Small Business Forum.

To learn more about Nellie, view free guides starting a business, incorporating a business, or forming an LLC, receive a special discount, or see how she can help your business get off the ground quickly and affordably, visit her small business corner or follow her on Twitter @CorpNetNellie.

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