Press Release Ideas: 7 Press Release Ideas That Really Work
The most common mistake marketers make when creating press releases is assuming that journalists write stories “about” companies. Your new business, new company president, new hire, or new product may sound great to you, but the sad truth for marketers is that most reporters just don’t care.
As a former television news reporter, I can assure you that most press releases that news organizations receive go straight to the trash can. The few releases that capture the attention of journalists have a few things in common. Here are seven types of stories that reporters often consider “newsworthy.”
– Studies and surveys. A company with a healthy marketing budget can pay a survey company to run a newsworthy survey, essentially creating news whenever they want. For example, an apartment listing website might conduct a survey on how more Americans are choosing to rent over buy in the current economic downturn.
– Lists. You see these stories on the news all the time: “10 Most Congested Cities,” “15 Fattest States,” “Best Cities to Start a Small Business.” Just think of a list that relates to your business and hire a research firm to crunch the numbers. For example, a lawn care company might publish the “20 Best Cities for Beautiful Gardens” list.
– Hero narratives. You will know this story when you see it. The snowplow driver who cleans the parking lot of a nursing home in his spare time. The firefighter who removes kittens from trees. The CEO preparing inner-city kids for the management track. To identify these stories, it’s important to have open lines of communication between employees at all levels of your company.
– News you can use. These are usually similar to list posts, but much cheaper; no need to hire an expensive research company. They can often take the form of lists or bullet points. For example, “Seven Ways to Avoid Foreclosure,” “Top Tips for a Healthier Pet,” or “How to Save Money on Her Apartment Rent.”
– Legitimate news links. To take advantage of this type of press release, you’ll need to act fast. Current events can become old news in a matter of days. Story ideas in this category include a church holding a vigil for a missing child and a business filling a truck with supplies for disaster victims.
– Far-Out Features. The weirder the story, the more likely it is to gain publicity with a press release. A local restaurant offering a $500 burger is the kind of outlandish story that can attract media attention.
– Trends. Are local rodent populations increasing? If you’re in the pest control business, that’s an opportunity to put out a press release. Ideally, you’ll have facts and figures (bonus points for a graph) to demonstrate the trend. Be sure to include the relevant numbers in your press release.