Press releases get tossed out by editors all the time because they don’t connect with readers. To put it another way, they lack a news hook.

So what’s the best way to keep your news releases out of the circular file? You need to start thinking like a news editor. Understand that in today’s world, news is something that will interest a reader. The fact that you purchased an automatic lathe for your factory is not news — even though it you cost six-figures. Unless it brews lattes while cleaning the factory floor, you will not get much publicity announcing this purchase.

However, if you purchased the machine in response to record sales overseas and you think this could indicate a new untapped market for manufacturers, you have a news hook because you have connected it to readers who may be interested in broadening their markets. Or you could also localize the announcement by linking your purchase to a need to hire more workers. This local angle would interest readers looking for a job.

If you just write about purchasing new equipment, you are simply writing an ad. But if you connect that event to business trends or employment opportunities, you have a news story because you have connected the purchase to the needs of readers.

Another way to write a newsworthy press release is to connect your business to current events. Assume for a moment that you sell security systems to businesses. You could connect your product to a story about a recent theft at a local warehouse, or a major security problem in U.S. distribution centers by offering advice on how to avoid theft and minimize security risk. This kind of press release defines you as an expert providing insight into an ongoing problem that is of interest to many readers.

Sometimes businesses and nonprofits will generate monthly or quarterly reports about trends related to their industries. For example, if you own a travel business, you might produce a quarterly report that profiles travelers to Europe and interprets demographic trends. This would make you a travel expert that journalists can rely on to provide good information and insightful quotes.

A final word of advice: Do not seek publicity in your own industry. You need it in the industries your business serves. You gain very little from a news item in a trade publication serving your industry, but you gain much more with a short paragraph or quote in media serving your clients. Focus your PR efforts on those publications and you will get the kind of publicity that can translate into customers.

By Joseph P. Giunta

Source: allbusiness.com