Content is hard to conceive and it is very common to have writer’s block. With all the new in the world, such as social, listacles, and more.
Sometimes going old school can be a good thing. However, the when it comes to your small business public relations strategy, and the traditional press release is advantageous for your business and brand.
Back in the day, news was only delivered through the early morning newspaper. Fast forward today, the vast majority of people obtain their news either through a Twitter headline, what’s trending on Instagram, or what is being shared on Facebook.
What Is a Press Release / News Release?
A Press Release helps to build meaningful news that can help your small business stand out in Malaysia and build confidence of your customers over time.
A press release is an official announcement (written or recorded) that an organization issues to the news media and beyond.
Whether it’s called a "press release," a "press statement," a "news release," or a "media release," we're always talking about the same basic thing.
While the heading should contain action verbs, the first paragraph should answer the "who," "what," "why," and "where." The press release should also contain understandable language and a quote.
Most press releases are short at just a page long -- two pages, at its maximum.
The goal is for your small business to ultimately, provide enough information that news outlets or any reader have sufficient material to gather information about your activities for publishing.
It may be tempting to craft a press release tht twists the facts, but remember this is a piece of information that is published to the public domain live for others to see. As it would be positive for your small business, but on the flipside it could also be detrimental.
So instead of taking the press release as a way to earn short-term news coverage, think of it as a long term marketing strategy for your Malaysian small business.
Rule 1: Make your headline irresistible.
Just like writing any article the title, sets up your press release for success. It can’t be stressed that starting with a great headline, is extremely important.
Although this seems like a daunting task, but consider the diction carefully, and you would be creating a highly captivating headline.
Use action verbs, clear, understandable language, and keep your headline simple and short -- fortune (and search engines) reward the brief, so keep your title to one line to clearly focus people's attention on your topline message.
Most importantly, make it interesting: Keep in mind that reporters get dozens, if not hundreds, of releases each day, so invest the time to write a compelling headline. It's worth the time and effort on your part.
Rule 2: Convey the value.
For anyone reading to be inclined to share your announcement, you have to tell them upfront why they should care.
The first paragraph of your release should cover the who, what, why, where, and how of your new launch, update, or development. People don't have time to sift through details and fluffy background information.
There shouldn't be any new, crucial information covered after this section that the reader could potentially miss.
Rule 3: Offer a tempting quote.
It's time to bring your details to life with a quote that reporters can use for context around your announcement and help paint a picture of how your news effect.
Ideally, quotes will be from key stakeholders in your company including your executive team, project leads, or those directly impacted by your announcement.
Quoting key figures and authorities underlines the importance of your development. The chosen quote should shape your narrative and emphasize the core of the announcement.
Rule 4: Provide valuable background information
In this last paragraph, keep in mind that the reader already has all of the important information.
It can be tempting to provide superfluous facts and tidbits about your company or the development of your announcement.
Offer details here that strengthen your narrative, like creative or noteworthy ways your company developed the project or announcement at hand.
Rule 5: Summarize the "who" and the "what" in a boilerplate.
Make your press release incredibly easy to reference.
Describe what your company does in clear, plain English, include a link to your company's homepage early on, and make your boilerplate succinct and straightforward.
To keep yourself honest, ask a friend or colleague to read the press release without context and ask if they can easily and readily explain why the announcement matters.
