So you’ve written a press release. Now what? Simple: now it’s time to try to get your press release picked up by the media to maximize your reach and get publicity. So how exactly do you do that? Luckily for you, we’ve got some helpful tips!

First, capture attention. You need a buzzy, eye-catching headline that’s enticing without being too long or giving too much away and a subheadline too. Brainstorm a bunch of different options that could work for your content and then whittle your list down to your top few before ultimately choosing the one you feel is strongest. If possible, try to pull in a coworker or friend to give you some feedback on which is the most interesting for an outsider opinion.

Second, cover your bases. While it may take you back to middle school, using the simple question method is a tried-and-true way to make sure you’re not missing any key information. Who, what, where, when, why and how are all good things to ask yourself as you write your press release to guarantee all the facts are provided to readers. You’ll also want to assume that the reader has never heard of your company or product and be as clear and concise as possible in your copy.

Third, make it easy. If the media has a question about the product or announcement in the press release, you want it to be easy for them to learn more or get in contact with the right person about it. Include links to your company’s social media accounts, website, etc., as well as your contact information in the release itself. At the end of the press release, be sure there’s a clearly stated media contact (whether that’s you again or someone else) and email listed so media outlets can reach out.

Keeping these three factors in mind, you’ll be on your way to writing a great press release that will be that much more likely to get picked up and spread by the media. Kudos!

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While Thanksgiving is about gathering together with friends and family and being grateful, it’s also become well-known for what happens after the Thursday holiday: Black Friday. Consumer culture is in full swing as buyers go crazy to snag great deals whether for themselves or for December holiday gifts. Knowing this, it’s important you capitalize on this prime buying time by being smart about your marketing strategy and also putting out a press release ahead of Black Friday.

Continue posting on social media but ramp up your posting schedule! Make sure to use language that instills a sense of urgency in prospective buyers so they will be more likely to buy over Thanksgiving weekend as they understand this is a special offer that is only being offered at this specific time. Share your posts far and wide to ensure as many people as possible see and make a note to buy your product or visit your website for deals during this frenzied shopping period. Consider boosting posts too or paying for advertising to really publicize what your business has going on for Black Friday.

You’ll also want to be sending out emails about the deals you have launching on or before Black Friday to reach those who perhaps are not on social media and to remind those who are on social media in another medium as well. Plus, be sure to put out a press release as soon as possible announcing the special deals you have going on this month and include links to your websites and products within the release.

You can also run a special promotion to get people buying faster by giving something free to the first “x” many people who buy a product or announcing that a certain price/product is only available to the first “x” number of buyers.

Many businesses see their sales go up for the long holiday weekend and you want to be sure yours do as well. Follow these great strategies this November for a successful Black Friday for your business! Happy Thanksgiving!

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If you write a bad press release, it’s practically worse than if you hadn’t written a press release at all. Luckily, there are four core key factors you need to be sure you’re aware of when writing a press release in order to make it “good”  — and we’ve listed them here.

1. Newsworthy. Press releases shouldn’t just be about mundane updates happening at your company — the whole point of a press release is to announce something inherently newsworthy. Whether it’s a new product, new hire, change in company policy, etc., you want to make sure that what you’re taking the time to write a press release about deserves attention from the greater public. Otherwise, you can just send an internal announcement to employees at your company if you want to share news but it’s really only “newsworthy” to those working at the organization.

2. Engaging. From the headline to the very last word, you want to engage readers in whatever your press release is covering. Grab attention with an interesting but brief headline and keep your press release short as well — without leaving out anything important. Cover the who, what, when, where, why, and how within the first paragraph or two of your release so the most relevant and crucial details are divulged first before moving onto other relevant, but less weighty facts.

3. Quotable. Putting quotes in your press release gives your content a more human factor and allows readers to feel like they’re getting to know your company on a deeper level. Don’t jam-pack your release with quotes but include one or two that add value from credible and diverse sources.

4. Inclusive. Your press release should end with you including things like your contact info and company details. Facts about your company, such as when it was founded, how big it is, its mission, etc., are standard practice. And if there’s anything truly brag-worthy and unique about your business, you’ll want to include that too. Plus, your name, email address, phone number, and any other relevant method of communication to get in touch with you should be written as well so if a journalist is interested in doing a story or someone wants to learn more, they have an easy way to contact you for further information.

Now that you know the four key factors to a good press release, make sure you put them into action in your own release writing in the future!

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