I get emails asking how small businesses can get themselves in the press. I don’t profess to be an expert but after talking to some media people here’s what I think:

• Make sure a reporter is interested in your topic. When selecting reporters to target for your article, review what they have recently written and try to draw a connection between your product or service and their stories and expertise. If you don’t know whom to contact, search the news organization’s website for stories about topics, products, or companies similar to yours and then approach those reporters.
• Create a story based on facts. The essential five Ws and the H of print media are who, what, why, where, when, and how. Be sure your story explains why the subject is important and leads them to an interesting conclusion by answering the five W's and the H.
• Write to an 8th grade reading level. A press release should be free of technical or industry jargon. Use short declarative sentences and common words to tell your story. In other words, write in plain English.
• Be brief. Every line, including the standard quotes from company executives, must provide reporters with useful information. So cut the fat out of your story and understand that, no matter how much editing you do, the reporter and editor will probably edit your work again and make it shorter.
• Cite sources. Back up your claims with credible sources (names, contact information, publications, etc.) a reporter can contact to verify what you’re saying. The newspaper’s reputation that is on the line too, so they’ll want to confirm the facts.

If you do those things, according to my sources, you will set yourself apart from the “looking for free press” crowd and improve the chances of your story actually making it to print.

Good luck!

Steve