Press Releases |
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If you're looking for FREE publicity, don't pass this method up. I've used it to amazing effect over the years. It works. It doesn't matter where you are - it will work, if you know what to do and how to do it. I've obtained the equivalent of millions of dollars' worth of free publicity by being interviewed on talk shows when I held an event in aid for the blind. I was featured in every newspaper and every TV station in my own country, and even made the CNN news! Pretty cool, considering the fact that I'm not even from the U.S... The first thing you must have is a newsworthy item. By "newsworthy" I mean something that the media would want to write about or give coverage to. The media would cover your item if it would benefit their readers, listeners or viewers in some way. Does it entertain their readers, listeners or viewers? Does it help them in certain aspects? Does it involve them emotionally? Does it make them happier? Richer? Taller? Smarter? Faster? Is your item of a sensational nature (jumping into the Grand Canyon with a tiger tied to your waist and a parachute to break your fall)? Is it hard to believe (you eat only grass to live)? Did you run the 100m in under 9 seconds? In relation to your Internet business, just what do you provide there that can be newsworthy? Do you sell human eggs of models for couples unable to have children but looking for a good-looking "mother"? Do you have a live web cam event showing a fight between a snake and a mongoose? Do you have a concept on your site that involves the active participation of people around the world, like assembling a team of chess fans to challenge the world champion of chess (as had already been done)? What newsworthy item you can provide is only limited by your imagination. This is the single most important thing you must have in your quest to get free publicity. Think long and hard. The fact that you have a new web site up and running is not a newsworthy event - thousands of web sites go on-line every single day. Once you have your newsworthy item, you must then:
1. WRITE THE RELEASE I call it a media release instead of a press release because I write it for, and send it to, all media, not just the press. There are a lot of information elsewhere on this already, but I'll give you a brief outline of what you need to write about. You need to think of at least 3 different angles for your media release. By that I mean the following: If your newsworthy item is one where you offer the eggs of models for sale, your possible angles could be:
The first angle touches on the possible 'good fortune' childless couples now have by the availability of models who are willing to part with their eggs. For the couple, their belief that a good-looking model's egg may produce a good- looking child for them although the model is only one-half of the process may well be something a lot of similar couples want. They may feel it's better than getting an egg from a woman they have never seen. The media would want to publicise this because it benefits childless couples looking for alternatives. The second angle gives the public a look into a new aspect of the modelling industry - of models who not only model but provide a service by helping childless couples get the child with the look the couple want. This is of interest to a lot of people because it breaks the public's normal perception of what a model usually does for a living. The third angle involves the public directly by asking a question that requires their feedback. It can pose a few questions - like whether it is ethical for a woman to sell her eggs, and what is a "good cause", to name just 2. This may be a controversial topic, depending on the country you're in, and controversy sells. The reason for coming up with various angles for essentially the same item is to provide the angle the editor/producer of the newspaper or media program that appeals to him most. If you get an editor/producer who is not sympathetic to childless couples, for example, and that is the only angle you're going for, you'll lose the chance. This same editor may be more inclined to cover the modelling world for whatever reasons. Or he may prefer to provoke debates and discussions through a direct question posed to his readers/listeners/viewers - perhaps his newspaper or program caters to a more "intellectual" readership. Thus coming up with various angles of your item means maximizing your chances for publicity. Then decide on which angle you would like to go for first. Which angle, in your opinion, would give you a better chance for publicity? Ask your family and friends. Watch their reactions to the various angles - the more controversy or discussions you can create, the more "newsworthy" you angle is. An alternative would be to send all three angles to three different sets of media contacts. You may have all of the angles covered by the various media, thus reaching a wider audience than you could otherwise. Once you have decided on your angle (you send out your releases based on one angle at a time), you then need to write your release. You write your release having regard to the 5Ws and 1H - the who, what, where, why, when and how of your story. You write it in the "inverted pyramid" style - that is, all the 5Ws and 1H are dealt with in one paragraph. The paragraphs following that will expand further on the facts provided. Writing in the "inverted pyramid" style allows the editor of a newspaper to easily edit the story to fit the space he has. If he has to cut the story short, he will begin leaving out details from the bottom of the story and work upwards. If he's left with one paragraph, that one paragraph will be the first paragraph that tells the whole story. For example, you may write the following:
The just-launched web site at www.modelseggsforsale.com provides childless couples with the eggs they need to conceive their child - from models who are happy to sell their eggs not only to supplement their income but also to meet demand by childless couples hoping to produce a good-looking kid.
The What: Eggs for sale The Who: Models and childless couples The Where: The web site at www.modelseggsforsale.com The Why: To meet demand by childless couples The When: Now The How: On-line, through the web site Then you expand on the story like this, with a headline. I'll show you the entire release with contact details: YOUR LETTERHEAD Contact: Jane
Smith
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE December 15th 1999 Mr. James Harvey, Good-Looking Eggs For Sale To Childless Couples The just-launched web site at www.modelseggsforsale.com provides childless couples with the eggs they need to conceive their child - from models who are happy to sell their eggs not only to supplement their income but also to meet demand by childless couples hoping to produce a good-looking kid. "It's something that is wanted for a long time by childless couples," said John Doe, the owner of the site, a father of 2 children. "A lot of couples would prefer to see how their "virtual mothers" look like and find the one that most closely resembles themselves before buying the eggs from her. This way, not only would the child look like them, but the couple may have a higher chance of getting a child that is better-looking." A childless couple, Mr & Mrs. Jackson, are happy that such a service exists. "It's what we've been hoping for, not just to get our characteristics but more to satisfy our own curiosity as well as to whose eggs we are given." For details on how childless couples can choose their future child's race, hair color, eye color, height and many other characteristics in just a few seconds in the comfort of their homes, contact Jane Smith at 555-12345678, e-mail her at jane@modelseggsforsale.com or check out the web site at www.modelseggsforsale.com/media . ###
Note: I made up the above URLs and names in the release for illustration purposes. No imputation of the statements to any party referred to therein is intended, although there is such a site (but not the right domain). Make your release fit on 1 page at most with double spacing. Include the word, "End" or the signs, "###" to signify that you have reached the end of the release. You would include the phrase "For Immediate Release" if you don't have any particular dates you're looking at to publicize your site or product/services. Otherwise you may say, "For Release On Thanksgiving" or "For Release On 15th January 2000". Then comes your headline. This is very important and you need to come with up a number of headlines that makes the reader want to read further. Your headline is your ad for the rest of your press release. Mess this up, and nobody reads what else you have to say, which means no chance of publicity for you. After the headline, you have the summary of the facts, which I have dealt with earlier. And then the few paragraphs that expand a bit more on the summary. The last paragraph encourages the media to give you a call to find out more, or to check out a specific part of your web site where further information can be found. Now that you've got your release, you'll also need to prepare a bio sheet on yourself. Tell your history, age, background, any work experience if relevant to the issue, and so on. This bio sheet will be sent together with your release to targeted editors/producers. 2. SEND IT! You need to compile a list of names you can address your release to. You can check out some media directories available on CD ROMs or on paper. A good source is: http://www.gebbieinc.com/index1.htm You can both fax and deliver your release by mail. Use the latter especially when you have photographs you would like to include, and/or you have some time to go before you want your release to be used. Use fax if you don't have any release date. 3. FOLLOW UP? Once you've sent your releases to editors/producers of the media, you may or may not want to follow up with them. It depends on how many people you've sent your releases to. If you've sent it to only 10 or 20 editors/producers, then by all means follow up with a phone call to remind them of your release. Some PR gurus are against following up, but I'm not - in fact, I find it to be a good way of building rapport with the editors/producers, and putting my release in front of them. This is even more so when the editors/producers are busy (as they always are) - and if I don't call, others will, for their own releases. This reduces the chances of my release being attended to. When following up, say, "I sent you a release 2 days ago on models selling their eggs to childless couples. I'm wondering whether you have any questions on that?" Don't ask, "Did you receive my release?" You'll get a "What release?" answer, or worse, "No." If you have sent your release to more than 20 editors/producers, forget about following up - it's just too time consuming, and you'll definitely get some exposure anyway (assuming you've followed the "rules" about being newsworthy and writing a proper release). Sometimes you'll get a call from them - a reporter will follow up with you and ask you questions to give your story more meat. If so, hang on tight - you're about to become a superstar (or supervillain, depending on the slant by the editor/producer). Unfortunately, with media releases, there isn't any way to control how your news will appear. But it's usually worth doing. 4. WAIT FOR IT TO APPEAR! Check the media on the day your release is scheduled to appear (if it was to be released on a certain date) or within a few days after you've sent it to your media contacts. If you spot any in the papers, clip it out and put it up on your web site. Newspaper clippings act like 3rd party endorsements of your product! 5. WATCH YOUR TRAFFIC SOAR! The moment you've been waiting for - a big surge in traffic to your site. And believe me, it'll happen - there's simply no other feeling like it. I know - I've been there - with millions of dollars of publicity being given to me FREE! Press or Media releases activities are really worth pursuing, provided you do it right. Put some thought into it, and you'll not be too far from your pot of gold! Click Here To Share Want Some Help Writing And Distributing Your Media Release? Click here for an amazing Service from Sen Zé! Sen
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