Business Writing

Lesson 7: Advertising and the Press

Press Releases

Newspapers and specialist magazines (especially trade magazines) are often interested in writing articles about businesses, especially if you are launching a new campaign or promotion, or if you are planning to hold an event which will be open to the public. Private events attended by celebrities (including politicians, who are often eager to demonstrate their connections with the business world) are also newsworthy. You can contact these publications directly to find out who their business and events editors are, then contact these editors with press releases about what you're doing.

Journalists are always busy, and often welcome the chance to fill up leftover bits of space in their publications with easily written articles where you have already done most of the research for them. However, you should not assume that journalists in this position will be entirely uncritical, especially if you have previously attracted press attention for negative reasons.

A press release should be no more than a page in length. It should be written clearly and concisely, giving details of what is happening, when, and where. Your name and business information should appear at the top. Press releases accompanied by photographs are more likely to result in publication, but any photographs must be of high quality (as with photocopying, some definition is always lost during the printing process) and should ideally be professionally taken. Freelance photographers are available quite cheaply in most major cities, and can provide you with a business portfolio including a picture of your workplace and portraits of all your senior staff.

If you are sending a press release to a particular publication for the first time, you should include information on when your business was founded and (briefly) what it does. You should also mention any awards which your business has received.

Even entirely new companies can benefit from using press releases. Entrepreneurs can make exciting, inspiring business news. If you have an unusual new product or service, or simply an unusual way of doing business, make sure the press know about it.

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