Press Releases are still a valuable tool in the age of Social Media. In fact, you can reach many more potential people with Social Media than in the “good old days.” As I was editing this post I read a terrific post on the Spin Sucks blog. Gini Dietrich‘s main point was that PR is not publicity and publicity is not PR. She is correct. Many who commented on the blog, including me, agreed.
Here are 20 reasons, spread across six categories, for issuing a Press Release:
Organizational
1) Organizational changes
2) Reorganizations
3) Promotions
4) New Hires
5) Opening of new facilities
Product/Service
6) Introduce new products
7) Introduce new services
8 Product enhancements
New Business
9) Contracts awarded
10) Contracts received
Mergers and Acquisitions
11) Acquisitions
12) Mergers
13) Divestitures
Financing
14) Receipt of investment by third party
15) Initial Public Offering
16) Secondary Stock Offering
Other Cool Ideas
17) Progress Report on initiatives
18) Case Study
19) Employees and officers named to non-profit boards
20) Awards received
The Takeaway
Press Releases are a great way to spread news about your company. There are hundreds of reasons to issue one.
Those are some my reasons. Please comment below.
- What other reasons would you add to the list?
- What is your favorite reason for utilizing press releases?
- What has been your experience with using press releases?
If you would like to contact me, you may do so by visiting my LinkedIn page or e-mailing me at rcberman2 (at) yahoo.com.
22 replies on “20 Reasons For Issuing a Press Release”
You list a number of valid reasons for issuing a press release but if you have a website a press release is also a powerful tool in creating awareness of your brand. From a search engine optimization perspective a press release can give your website a bit more authority, can provide targeted traffic and valuable backlinks from reknowned and authorirative (high pagerank) websites.
[…] role in sharing your message with the outside world. They should be expert in Online and Off line Press Releases as well as many other aspects of the […]
[…] say two industry bloggers this morning: Rob Berman’s blog, “20 Reasons for Issuing a Press Release” rehashes one of Pickett&Associate’s fav’s, Gini Dietrich’s “Spin […]
Great list.
If you are having some sort of Sweepstake or contest.
If you want to tie in one of your ideas to a current event.
Thanks Rob.
Pat:
Thanks for adding to the list.
Rob
Hi Rob,
I used to work for the newspaper – years ago. One of my duties was to go through the press releases and decide which one’s were story worthy. What I found was it was those releases which told a story – about a person or a business, a story with a unique angle, which were most wanted and most interesting.
Catherine:
You are so correct about having a story. If it is not newsworthy it will not end up in the news.
Rob
Rob, Great list of reasons for writing a press release. I’ll be submitting a press release to announce workshops that I’ll be presenting at a local nonprofit. It should be a win-win-win for all of us – the nonprofit, the people who take the class and me. So hopefully, the local newspaper will accept and publish it.
Sherryl:
Sounds great. It always helps to follow-up with a phone call to the local paper.
Rob
Great reasons and a helpful list w/ additions from others…. Is there a list of where to “send” these press releases? And some “How To” guidance? That would be really useful.
Charles
Charles:
There are a number of online PR services. We could give you some “guidance” if you would ask some specific questions for us to respond to.
Rob
Part of what I do involves writing the occasional press release. I’ve found them very effective, particularly online releases. It’s not so important the online outlet you choose, but whether or not it offers feed subscriptions, cross publishing, and automated scripts for third parties to use.
Publishing to these outlets is great because many websites and platforms use their feeds for pulling fresh news and content relevant to their own niche into their site to present to their audience.
The additional linking is a bonus as well even if it carries no rank.
You can also issue releases to capitalize on trends. Green solutions and how your company embraces them, your businesses entry into Social Media, things of that nature seem somewhat popular.
Good reasons Rob. But the difficulty is to get them published. So the press release has to be news worthy unless you know the journalist you are sending them to or are a big advertiser of the publication.
Catarina:
I think the ease or difficulty lies in which of the reasons you are issuing a press release. Also, if you send to the NY Times versus your local paper the success of getting the publicity will vary dramatically.
Rob
The humble press relaease is still a valuable especially for small business and the reasons you gave Rob are very useful.
I have found press releases work well when done in combination with other marekting activities to maximise the impact.
Susan:
Press Releases work great as part of an integrated marketing plan. I always advise folks to get the press release out on a timely basis.
Rob
Press releases are a great way to promote a book. You can do an online press release or a newspaper press release.
Julia:
You are correct about the online press releases. I always suggest doing the on line as well as the traditional ones.
Rob
Rob,
Thanks for sharing the reasons for making press releases. These are all great ways to get some positive media coverage for your business.
Chris
Chris:
Thanks for reading.
Rob
Great list Rob! 6 & 7 are important for me as I haven’t yet done my press release. I would imagine that “name recogntion” and “credibility are what I’d add to the list.
Keyuri:
No time like the present to get working on the Press Release. Thanks for the additions to the list. I intend to do another post in the future adding to the list.
Rob