Press Releases for Small Businesses

All newsworthy events concerning your business should be written up in a press release. The release will then be sent via email, fax, or regular mail to a list of media outlets and key contacts that can potentially spread the word about your business through articles in the print media or stories/reports

An effective press release should provide the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the story in a concise manner. The release should spark readers' attention with a strong headline and immediately feature the prominent details of the story in the opening lines. People in the media have little time to read the numerous press releases they receive, so yours needs to be media friendly. This means that the writer or reporter should be able to practically lift the information from the page and use it in their story, with little to no edits. Make sure that your press release is grammatically correct, well written, and of interest.

Below the important news, you should provide basic information on your business. Make sure to include:

• Contact information
• The release date
• A headline
• A dateline — where the story is originating from

You need to be discerning to determine what information is worthy of a press release. Too many non-descript press releases are tossed in the trash everyday. You also need to be accurate and up to date with your information, so double check your facts and figures carefully before sending. Press releases should be one or two pages, at most.

Typically businesses, especially new businesses, will have a press kit, which should include several recent press releases, a backgrounder (a one-page history of the company), newspaper clips (when stories have been written about the business or individuals behind the business), and possibly photos. A well-designed press kit will provide potential clients, vendors, investors, and media representatives with a brief overview of the activities of your company.

Click here for samples of press releases.