Press Releases

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Overview

If you want to grow your business and get your products, services or accomplishments noticed, you need to know the right way to get the media’s attention. Press releases are a key marketing and public relations tool to build brand recognition, boost sales and gain credibility in your industry.

Whether you are a business owner, work in PR or marketing, or volunteer at a non-profit, this online course can help you write a successful press release, build solid relationships with journalists, and get published by prominent media outlets.

Highlights:

  • 32 practical tutorials.
  • How to write an effective press release.
  • Press release template and examples.
  • Industry pro tips for content and format.
  • How to target the right audience.
  • Using press releases as a marketing tool.
  • How to contact and build relationships with journalists.
  • Increasing brand visibility through press releases.
  • Using social media for promotion.
  • Crisis management communications.

Once enrolled, our friendly support team and tutors are here to help with any course related inquiries.


Summary

Skill level: Beginner
Certificate: Yes
Lessons: 32
Accredited by: CPD
Pre-requisites: None
Video duration: 2h 08m
Estimated study time: 16h for all materials

Accreditations and approvals



Syllabus

1

Try it!

Welcome to Press Releases

Press releases are an essential element of any public relations and marketing strategy. A press release can get your company, product or service publicity in print or online media, and even TV or radio.

2

What is a Press Release?

A Press Release is a one or two page document stating newsworthy information about a company, product, or high profile person which can be distributed through different media channels. It is used both as a public relations and a marketing tool.

1

The Purpose of a Press Release

In a nutshell, the purpose of a press release is to inform the media and the public about noteworthy information that has the potential to entice readers to want to find out more.

2

Identifying Your Target Audience

Identifying your target audience will help you craft a press release they will be eager to read, thus increasing the success of your press release.

1

Using Press Releases as a Marketing Tool

Press releases should be a fundamental part of your marketing strategy. When done right, press releases are a very effective way to market your company, promote your brand and sell products with a small cost to your company.

2

Monitoring the Success of a Press Release

Being able to monitor the success of a press release is very important because you need to know whether your marketing strategy is working, and you need to figure out how you can improve it.

3

Know Your Product Inside Out

Before writing about your product, you need sufficient product knowledge in order to communicate effectively with your customers.

4

The Importance of Teamwork

Irrespective of the size of your company or PR team, writing a press release should be seen as a team exercise.

5

Get Your Press Release Published

In order to spread your news as far and wide as possible, it is crucial to get your press release published.

6

Checklist for Contacting Journalists

When contacting editors and journalists, you need to get it right on the first attempt. You should use this checklist before sending your press release to editors and journalists.

1

Try it!

Grow Your Company with Press Releases

The regular publication of press releases can bring many benefits to your company, financially and in terms of its reputation and popularity.

2

Try it!

Branding Through Press Releases – Part I

Branding should be a constant component of your marketing strategy. Press releases are a great tool to build your brand credibility.

3

Branding Through Press Releases – Part II

Brand credibility depends on two factors, the expertise and the trustworthiness of a brand, both of which can be established and maintained with effective press releases.

1

5 Press releases Must-haves

There are five aspects you absolutely have to include to make your press release an effective marketing and branding tool.

2

9 Press Release Mistakes to Avoid

Covering the most common press release mistakes is crucial, as they might jeopardise the publication of your press release or whether it gets read.

1

Getting Ready to Write a Press Release – Part I

When it comes to getting ready to write an outstanding press release, everything you need to do falls under the big umbrella of research.

2

Getting Ready to Write a Press Release – Part II

To write an excellent press release, there are four additional aspects you need to research.

3

Write Like a Pro – Content Suggestions

Writing a professional press release is crucial to increasing your chances of standing out among the many press releases that flood journalists and editors each day.

4

Write Like a Pro – Formatting Tips

The formatting of a press release needs to convey professionalism and follow industry standards in order for it not to be dismissed outright.

5

Capitalize on SEO Opportunities

Press releases are not a typical SEO tool. However, if you optimize SEO strategically, press releases can contribute to your marketing strategy.

6

Timing Press Releases Strategically

The timing of a press release is crucial to its success. Timing will increase both the odds of getting your press release approved for publication and the readership of your press release.

7

Learn from Other People’s Mistakes – The Headline

It’s crucial to nail the headline, as that alone will determine whether people decide to read on.

8

Learn from Other People’s Mistakes – The Boilerplate

If written appropriately, the boilerplate has potential for both branding and marketing your company.

1

Effective Crisis Management

Press releases can be a very effective crisis management strategy. Inadequate response to a crisis can make stakeholders and customers lose faith in the company, so responding adequately to crises is a must.

2

Establish Who Your Target Audience Is

Once a company has established that there is a threat, it needs to identify the target audience to finalize their communication strategy.

3

Crafting Different Types of Crisis Statements

There are different types of crisis management statements depending on the stage of the crisis: the most common types are holding statements and reactive statements.

4

Determine Your Communication Channels

Once you have established your target audience, it will be easier to determine your communication channels because these two factors are related.

5

Learning from One Crisis Management Case Study

It is important to examine how other companies have dealt with crises in the past and draw conclusions from the outcomes of their choices.

1

Establishing and Maintaining Contact with Journalists

If you want to ensure your press release gets approved, published and circulated, having an influence with as many reputable journalists as possible is a must. 

2

Using LinkedIn to Connect with Journalists

LinkedIn is currently the top social media platform for professionals, and a recent survey indicates it is the preferred one among journalists. This is why it’s important to learn how can you use it to the benefit of your company

3

Become a Journalist’s Ally

Becoming a journalist’s ally means that you make their job easier, which in turn will help you by increasing your chances of getting your press release published.

1

Final Recommendations

Here are a few final considerations that you will need to make when tackling the task of writing a press release and distributing it.

Download syllabus