Blog Archives « All Editorial Blogs

5 Tips to Write Effective Press Releases

Sandy Meyer

Effective press releases help pond and water garden businesses by providing free publicity in trade journals, industry newsletters, consumer magazines that target your audience and community newspapers. Unless you work with a trained marketing or public relations person, you might benefit from some tips on how to make the most of these documents for your pond and water garden business success.

Here is your chance. Click here to register for a FREE Webinar on How to Get the Most out of Your P.R. PetProductNews.com, a sister-site to WaterGardenNews.com, is offering this Webinar on Wednesday, August 5, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. PDT. Sherri Collins, editor of Pet Product News International and colleague, will host it.

In the meantime, use these five tips to keep your press release out of an editor's trash can and on its way to publication.

1. Keep your text direct and brief. Write short, easy-to-understand sentences. Avoid industry jargon and acronyms to reduce confusion. Because you do not know who will be reading your press release, write for the general public.
   .
2. Do not bury the news, which is the point of your press release. Because this is the No. 1 reason for the press release, include this important in the first paragraph.
   .
3. Avoid repeating information. This technique helps people remember and appropriate for advertising, but not for press releases. This also helps you keep the text concise.
   .
4. Know to whom you are sending the release. I continue to receive press releases addressed to editors who have not worked on the magazine since 2006. Check the publication's masthead (a list of people who worked on it) or the About Us and Contact Us pages on its website.
   .
5. Do not try to sell anything. Editors and reporters are looking for newsworthiness. They are asking themselves, “Why would my readers care?” and “How does this information help them?” The proper place to sell your product or services is in an advertisement.

For more information about how to write a press release to get publicity in print and on the Web, make sure to register for the free webinar. Applying what you learn during this one hour can benefit your pond and water garden business for years to come.

« See All Editorial Blogs »

 Give us your opinion on
5 Tips to Write Effective Press Releases

Industry Professional Site: Comments from non-industry professionals will be removed.

Point 5 is soooo important, as it seems that someone is trying to sell us something everytime we turn around. It is refreshing to read something from somebody who writes for the love of the hobby. Mike, Redondo Beach, CA Posted: 8/15/2009 6:13:18 PM