5 reasons why your small business should send out a press release.

Some people in this digital age may think that sending out a traditional press release is old fashioned. However there’s nothing like the tried and tested ways of communicating to newspapers, magazines, radio and TV to contribute to the stories that journalists are looking for to fill newspapers and also their online presence.

Let’s face it most of us get our news online these days and in this fast moving world there’s always room for a new story. If you have the right things to say.

In an ideal world it would be great if a journalist or celebrity happens to stumble upon your product and by chance shares it to their thousands of followers and on the back of that your small business reaps the rewards. But alas, that’s not always the case. 

That’s why you have to shout about your own successes and use the art of story telling to engage with journalists. So think about what you have to say and if you have a story.

You may think it could raise your profile but you’ll also think about how will it impact your bottom line and, of course, what will it cost.

Here’s why you should send a press release.

You can do it yourself and put the ground work in to craft the ideal press release and gather contact details for journalists. But you should bear in mind they can often be short on time and often only skim the title before making a decision. They also don’t want the hassle of rewriting the whole story and may just want to feature the press release as it is. That’s why asking an expert to do it for you can save you a lot of time and their effort may see results far quicker than you can manage. 

You don’t have to go with a large PR agency and pay a retainer, there are some talented people out there who can help those of us on a budget.

If a journalist chooses to feature your story then they must think others will be interested in what you do. That means you’re clearly doing something right and have a great product! By sharing the media coverage you get on your social media sites and on your website it will sure make you look like you’re good at what you do, is better for your brand and more credible. 

When you are featured in the press they often link back to your site which has a positive impact on your Google ranking too. And links to your site from more influential sites are always a positive. Even if they don’t share a link, people will Google and find you to check out your business.

With all that new traffic visiting your site from the press coverage, these leads can be converted into customers. You may see an increase on traffic and sales although bear in mind often people visit more than once across a small period of time before actually purchasing.

Many people out there won’t be aware of you or even follow you on social media so it’s a good way to introduce your product to potential new customers who don’t know you exist. Sharing the press coverage you receive, retweeting and using hashtags can open you up to a lot of people out there who had no idea you you were in business.

There are many reasons why you should send out a press release and I’ve only mentioned five. If you’re struggling to think of what you have to say and struggling to think of a story then get in touch and we can have a chat over a coffee about you and your business.

If you are looking to get in touch with a certain PR guru that I used, send me an email and I can introduce you.