The press release has evolved, and so have the people that view them. It’s a truth all us PR and marketing professionals have known for a while. It no longer takes only a catchy title to catch a consumer or media member’s attention these days – you need more to stand out amongst the static.  If you’re a small business marketer looking to add some ‘color’ to the releases you send out, let these five useful small business marketing tips inspire your press release creation:

Tell a story. Don’t only think of your press releases as news – think of them as dialogues, stories that need to capture the attention of your intended audience. Watch the language you use by reading your releases out loud before sending them out. If it doesn’t sound like something you’d say to a friend or colleague, you might need to revisit your writing to give it a more personal touch. Stories capture our hearts, not only our attention, and telling a good one will bring your brand the attention it deserves.

Use original images. There is a time and place for stock photos – they are convenient, easy, and a lot of times it isn’t difficult to find something appropriate. If you’re a small business owner looking to stand out with your press releases, however, taking photos of your community, your office and your employees and using those photos to accent your releases will show your devotion to originality and demonstrate a creative eye. Both of these things are great for bringing customers in and bolstering your small business marketing efforts.

Keep it local. As a small business marketer, some of your clientele may be from the area directly surrounding your business. Address the needs of your local community with your press releases to bring people in and increase your revenue. Be involved in the community to learn its values, priorities and general interests to stay ahead of the curve and your competition.

Succeed socially. When you produce original, keyword-rich press release content and work to share it on multiple social networks, from Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn and beyond, you garner the attention of multiple types of people in your community. As a small business marketer, using social networks to interact with your customer base can make you more approachable, which in turn can make the products you’re trying to sell all the more appealing.

Evolve. We live in a digital era, where new technology and new practices are being presented every day. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by the wave of new information – stay up to date on by reading industry blogs, speaking to thought leaders, and sharing your thoughts socially. Having an active interest and insight in your community and your industry gives you more fodder for creating excellent press releases with excellent content.

No matter what you do to make your small business marketing a success, it can be aided with the creative use of press releases. What else do you think could be done to utilize releases in a new way to get better results? Share your thoughts in a comment below!

Photo courtesy: freedigitalphotos.net

Filed under: Strategy by Stacey Acevero