Valentine's Day may be officially over, but Love is still in the air as far as I'm concerned.
My previous Valentine's Post talked about "Why I Love Copywriting & Why You Should Too," but today, I want to talk about recently completed projects that I love and that you should too!
First, my spotlight is on a Press Release I wrote for a music concert at the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center in Georgia. A press release may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to copywriting, but it is an invaluable form of copywriting nonetheless.
Let’s break down what a press release is and what it can do for your business or organization.
A press release is a short document, around 200-300 words in the body copy, that is used to announce an event of some kind. Its job is to "Alert the Press," which is why it is called a press release.
It’s rather straightforward in its elements: who/what/where/when/why, but if done well, it will attract the attention of media outlets and they will spread the news for you. Who doesn’t like FREE PRESS?
The tricky part comes in two places, 1-The Headline, and 2- The Body.
Wait, isn’t that the whole thing? Almost, but I’ll save those other parts for another day.
The headline is THE most important part of the press release. If it isn’t bold, interesting, and catchy, no one will read the rest, and the whole document is useless. Creativity in this spot wins the day. Alliteration, puns, surprises, and shock-value are all welcome players in the sport of writing a good press release headline.
The body copy is tricky for the exact opposite reason as the headline. The body copy must contain objective facts without opinion or tricks, but have enough "flair" to make it interesting or it falls flat.
Too much creativity obscures the facts, and too little creativity bores the audience. You must strike a balance between facts and descriptors so that the Media wants to learn more about the event and regular folks want to attend it!
So, how did I do that in the press release for the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center?
First, I started with research. If you read my Spotlight piece about the magazine article for the CPA, you will see that I started with research on that project as well. Research is how I start ALL of my projects. I must understand all the components of what I’m doing before I can begin writing.
Next, I make and compare notes on similar projects, both from the client and from other sources. Then, and only then, can I begin to craft copy that meets the goals of the project within the parameters of a standard press release. It’s like a creative puzzle game with words—and I’m here for it!
Wordle has nothing on the puzzle of crafting copy!
By now, you might be wondering if you need a press release for your business or organization. Maybe, maybe not. Not every event is considered "newsworthy." Check out this quick list of newsworthy events and let me know if you need help crafting a press release for yours.
Ground Breaking Ceremony
Grand Opening
New Business Launch
Major New Product or Service
Grand Re-Opening (New Location or ReBranding)
Anniversary or Milestone Event
Music Event
Special Event Open to the Public
A "Drive" of Some Kind (cans, coats, food, toys, etc.)
Received a Major Award
Don't see your event on the list? Don't worry, it's not an exhaustive list anyway. Feel free to contact me to talk about whether or not your event would benefit from a press release. No strings attached. OK, there is one small catch— if we do decide to move forward with your press release, your project just might end up in a future Spotlight!
Welcome to my blog. Here I share tips for small businesses, copywriting tips, thoughts on marketing strategies, and fun ideas for growing your business.
I offer copywriting services for websites, digital marketing, print media, content marketing, and editing.
I'd love to hear how I can help build your
business better with words!
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#happyvalentinesday #businessowner #lovewhatyoudo #copywriter #copywriting #spotlightprojects #pressrelease
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