Press releases are a great avenue to provide newsworthy information about events, product or service launches, innovative research and development initiatives, or anything that might be of interest to the masses. However, writing a press release is not as simple as throwing information on a page. You need to capture the imagination of an editor or news producer and inspire them to share your story.
Your Melbourne Media Relations experts
Ink Big Copywriting can craft a press release that captures the essence of your story and helps your business or organisation to gain exposure in the press. We also provide advice about media strategy and how to handle publicity – both good and bad.
What makes a good news story?
It’s all about finding an angle that will interest an editor or news producer, and ultimately their readers or viewers. Is your business celebrating a special milestone? Do you have a moving human interest story to share? Will a recent research and development finding be of interest to the wider public? Together, we’ll find an angle that will hook the audience you’d like to pitch to.
How we structure a press release
Once we’ve interviewed a relevant business representative, we will write the press release in the form of a succinct news article. It’s important to include all of the relevant details, without writing an essay. A one-page summary of the key facts and figures is best, combined with a snappy, attention-grabbing headline and your contact details for follow-up interviews.
How to increase your chances of media exposure
Once we’ve sent you the press release, it’s up to you to forward it to the media outlets of your choice. Here’s a tip: make sure the media outlets are geographically appropriate. If it’s a community newspaper, for example, ensure that you send the press release to relevant newspapers in the local area. A community newspaper on the other side of Melbourne is unlikely going to be interested in what your business is doing.
It’s a good idea to follow up with a phone call to make sure the editor or journalist received the press release and to highlight the key points over the phone, concisely. If you are contacted by an editor, journalist or news producer, it’s important to keep in mind their looming deadlines and respond promptly.
Lastly, a strong visual can work wonders for the placement of a news piece. Be creative when pitching photos or visuals to accompany stories.
What’s involved when you work with Ink Big Copywriting?
Please give us a call to discuss your media relations needs.