When you write a press release, it’s important that it becomes a powerful marketing tool for you and your small business. You certainly don’t want to invest your time writing and distributing your release, only to discover that it didn’t bring you any traffic, leads or sales.

To ensure that your press release writing efforts are not in vain, here are ten tips for writing powerful press releases that work:

1) Provide Newsworthy Content.  Make sure that your press release is timely and relevant to your readers. You can accomplish this by tying your story to current events, recent headlines or social trends.

2) Write Like a Reporter. When writing your release, use third-person (he, she, etc.) and a reporter-like format. Take a look at today’s newspaper to reacquaint yourself with the way that journalists write articles.

3) Capture Your Reader’s Attention Instantly. You only have a few seconds to capture your reader’s interest. Therefore, take time to create a compelling headline and a strong first paragraph.

4) Use Important Keywords. In order to optimize your press release for the search engines, identify what keyword phrase your readers will use when searching for your topic. For instance, if you are writing a press release about a new Twitter application that you invented, your important keyword phrase is: “new Twitter applications.” Incorporate your keyword phrase into your headline and throughout the body of your release.

5) Utilize Links, Files, Images and Videos. Many press release distribution services allow you to insert relevant files, images, links and videos to augment your press release. This allows your readers the chance to interact more fully and completely with your small business.

6) Provide Solutions. Illustrate to your readers how your small business has solved real-life problems for your clients and customers. In addition, if you can insert testimonials into your release, it will further enhance its effectiveness.

7) Just The Facts. Avoid exaggerations, hype or embellishments. Remember that today’s consumers are highly skeptical and that it’s important to establish an atmosphere of trust with your readers. The “truth and nothing but the truth” should be your small business motto.

Be Concise. Avoid long, drawn-out paragraphs, excessive use of adjectives and unnecessary redundancy.  Make sure that your release is straight-forward and to the point. Save your flowery language for your poetry class.

9) Proofread. Don’t forget to proofread your press release for spelling and grammatical errors. Simple proofreading errors will instantly discredit your company’s professionalism.

10) Provide a Clear Call To Action. It should be crystal clear exactly what you want your readers to do after they read your press release. Do you want them to call a 1-800 number? Visit a website? Download a free offer? If you don’t tell your readers what to do, chances are they won’t do anything.

It’s important to remember that press releases work. However, you do need to follow a few simple tips to ensure that your press release will be successful.

Writing press releases to highlight your small business accomplishments can be a phenomenal way to gain extra exposure and visibility.

However, most small business owners don’t understand how to write a press release that will bring them results.

Before you take the time to write your press release, make sure to implement these seven quick and easy tips to ensure that your press release is a success:

1) Limit your press release headline to under 80 characters in length (including spaces).  In addition, avoid using ALL CAPS. (You don’t want to shout at your readers.)

2) Your entire press release should be between 300 and 800 words. Shorter is always better in the world of public relations.

3) Limit the number of links within your press release to one link for every 100 words. You don’t want editors and readers accusing you of “link spam.”

4) Avoid hyped-up, exaggerated phrases such as “best”, “amazing”, “state-of-the-art”, etc. It’s important that your release remain factual, straight-forward and believable.

5) Write your releases from a journalist’s third-person perspective. Never use “I” or “we” unless it’s in a quote.

6) Read samples of good journalism (such as the New York Times or Washington Post). This will remind you how to write from a journalistic viewpoint.

7) Avoid using industry jargon that will confuse or alienate your readers. It’s vital that your release is simple to understand for each of your readers no matter what their background.

In addition, when you write and distribute a press release, you want to ensure that you always include these pertinent facts about your products and/or services:

- What is your product/service?

- Why does your prospect need it?

- When is your product/service available?

- Where is your product/service located?

- How will your product/service improve their life?

- Call To Action: What do you want prospect to do?

If you follow these simple steps when writing your press release, you are sure to bring extra visibility and needed exposure to your small business.

Perhaps you have just launched a new product in your business. Or you may have fresh, innovative news to share with your customers and target market. One way to get the word to the masses is to create an online press release.

Online press releases are a powerful tool for the small business owner operating on a shoestring budget. Obviously, press releases alert the media about your newsworthy event, product or service, but they also can provide SEO benefits, allowing your target market to learn about you as well.

However, if you want to truly reap the vast rewards of writing and distributing a press release, it’s essential that you understand how to write a press release that commands attention.

Unfortunately, because of the obvious SEO benefits of press release distribution sites, they are frequented by spammers who are only interested in outbound links for their own websites.  They produce poor-quality news releases that are empty of information or newsworthy topics.

It’s important that you don’t fall into the trap of creating generic press releases that offer little to no value to your readers. Your press release shouldn’t be an advertisement. Press releases are a public relations tool. They are not designed to advertise your product or service or create a hard sell. They are solely for the purpose of sharing news with the public.

Five Ways To Create A Powerful Press Release

1. Learn How To Write a Press Release Correctly.

Of course, press releases will vary in their basic writing style and voice; however there are basic guidelines that you should keep in mind. Most press releases follow the Associated Press (AP) style guidelines.  Of course, you should check your press release for grammatical and spelling errors before you distribute it.

In addition, your press release should read like a newspaper story and use third person (she, he) as opposed to the first person (I, we or you). It should also contain a catchy title that uses specific keywords that are relevant to your story.

You should always provide contact information so that the press can contact you immediately if they have any questions.

2.  Write News-Worthy Stories.

One of the most important aspects of your press release is to make sure your release is timely and relevant.  It’s crucial that your press release is newsworthy and would be of interest to the media and your target market. Make sure to include the who, what, when, where, and why of your angle throughout the body of your press release.

3. Combine Free PR Distribution With Manual Distribution

Choose 3-5 free press release distribution sites and focus your attention there. It’s completely unnecessary and counterproductive to submit your release to dozens of sites at once. In addition, you should begin to compile a list of media contacts in your own niche or industry. Each time that you create a press release, you should also manually submit the release to this list. Combining free online distribution with manual distribution will maximize your efforts and leverage the power of your press release.

4. Use The Power Of Social Media Tools.

If possible, choose online distribution sites that allow you to tag your release with related keywords and social bookmarking options. This will help the media and your prospects find you based upon specific keywords that are related to your story. In addition, post your release on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and any other social networks that you are involved with.

5. Publish Your Release On Your Own Website.

As soon as you write your press release, make sure to publish it on your own website as well.  One of the main perks of this strategy is that you create a timeline of the newsworthy events related to your company. If the media does visit your website for more information, they will be able to browse your archives and ascertain additional information about your small business.

Press releases can be a very powerful tool for your small business; however, if you want your press release to attract hundreds, even thousands of visitors to your website, then it’s important to ensure that you understand the basics behind writing, releasing and publishing a well-crafted press release.