A lot of independent agents know what a press release is 鈥� many even write them and distribute their press releases to regional or even national press.

What a lot of title insurance professionals don鈥檛 necessarily understand, however, is (a) what the press release is; (b) why it pays to write one; and (c) where to send it and why.

The mighty press release is a 1- to 2-page document that trumpets news. It tells an audience that something important has happened, usually to a company and why it is important. There are tactical elements to a press release: who is sending it; the date it is sent, the geographical place of origin (city and state); the headline and the body.

The best press releases keep it simple: they have three to four paragraphs that tell what the news is, why that news is important, what that news means to the company and customers, and a small amount of background on the company sending the press release. Persons from whom the press release is sent are often quoted.

Editors, reporters, TV anchors and radio broadcast people have traditionally relied upon the press release to alert them to news. Today, social media experts also use press release material to populate social media platforms and to include in inner-company and outside-company newsletters and other communication vehicles.

The press release is actually a celebration of a company. Done right 鈥� meaning well-written, regularly sent press releases 鈥� showcase a company鈥檚 strengths and help to tell a company鈥檚 story. A new hire, a new product, a company move, surpassing growth goals 鈥� the news is virtually limitless. It need only be true and told well.

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) says about press releases:

Purpose

Releases serve more purposes today than they ever have before. They provide valuable SEO for your website, serve as a primary source of information for your investors, and help align your internal teams on critical messages 鈥� all while advising the media of important changes and events at your company.

Content

No more boring, text-only content on the latest corporate announcements. The press release today can be an engaging, multimedia experience. This is where you can make a journalist鈥檚 job easy and increase your changes of getting coverage by including great B-roll footage, embeddable video and compelling, high-resolution images with your release.

Yes! B-roll can be dropped into a press release, as can YouTube links, photos, even animation.

But there鈥檚 really no need to reinvent the wheel. Go online to a company鈥檚 website that you admire. Look at their press releases usually housed under a 鈥淣ews鈥� tab. Read it and mimic it (but don鈥檛 copy and paste 鈥� that plagiarism, is unethical and opens up potential worlds of trouble).

Take a look at some of 星空传媒 星空传媒鈥檚 press releases:  /category/press/. Read one or two. They are carefully written, thoughtfully edited and purposefully distributed to appropriate media.

Feel free to follow the 鈥渇ormula鈥� of a press release and then distribute to media you want to reach via email. You鈥檒l be surprised when, done regularly and well, the attention (the good kind) your company ultimately receives.

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