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It’s a powerful marketing tool. It costs nothing if you write it yourself. So why don’t financial advisors write and distribute more press releases? If they have websites, why aren’t they regularly posting press releases on their “News Room” pages? There may be several reasons: uncertainty about the “rules” for a press release format, the need to think about public relations opportunities, and someone to write and distribute them. But any business, especially a small one, can take advantage of this underutilized marketing tactic.
The primary purpose of a press release is to get published in targeted media such as local newspapers, trade magazines, and Internet media. The higher up the media food chain you go, to national and global publications, the less likely your “news” will catch the attention of an editor – unless something really shocking or profound happened in conjunction with your business. A secondary purpose is to add meaningful content to a website to improve its search engine ranking. Ranking also improves when the incoming links to your site increase in number when press releases get posted to news-oriented websites.
To write a press release, search online with the words “press release format” (include the quote marks around the phrase). Many resources give you a detailed outline of the proper format. Then, write about any possible newsworthy topics concerning your business. Examples: a new partner has joined your firm; your company launched its new website; new content has been added to your website; your company has sponsored a fundraising event for a charity; you have added a new service to your company’s offerings; you are offering a new workshop.
Email your press releases to the business editors of local newspapers and all trade publications. Post them online for free at www.prweb.com.
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