Press Releases for your Launch, re-launch or community event
Read on for 3 TIPS to get your business noticed again and again… and boost traffic.
Hint - it involves doing a little planning and a little time/work upfront. However, higher quality efforts could give far greater ROI (returns on investment)!
Is this for me?
First, ask yourself:
“Am I a new business in my town or serving a specific geographical region?”
“Am I re-directing my energy/client focus, recently refurbed or running an event worth shouting about?”
Local businesses in Chester at Dusk by Lizzy Biggs Photography
You may not have realised you can get a press release by contacting your local newspapers and providing a pre-written press release article and headline image/image suite.
“Yes Elizabeth I hadn’t realised (or actually I had), but why would I bother writing a press release and getting a quality photo I can give a newspaper permission to use - who even looks in a newspaper?”
Even if you think print is out, there are DIGITAL ARTICLES with BACKLINKS building web authority, not just brand authority! And then they share to their social feeds so your organic (unpaid) reach will be multiplied.
Case Study for Local Business running a Press Release… and their surprise ongoing benefits
One of my clients did this when they opened a local greengrocers shop. Exsqueezeme (Kriss Kazmierski and Patrycia Barczyk) knew they needed to introduce themselves to the tight-knit local community. To start the promotional ball rolling even pre-launch.
So, Kris called in the big lens (sorry photographer joke! Perhaps I should have just said Lizzy Biggs Photography?) before the shop was even ready to be presented. We did a pre-opening photoshoot of them as the patrons.
This meant when they wrote their newspaper article/press release they were then able to send in a great quality photo (rather than being subjected to newspaper photography or a selfie!) and build consistency and brand awareness by sharing the photographs on their own website and socials which corresponded with the image in the newspaper!
It’s a win-win-win trifecta!
The newspaper/s are happy - because they have more quality content that is locally relevant for it’s audience and it has cost them nothing to get
The shop/service provider, in this case a new local green grocers with a personal focus is happy because they get their news out to a much broader audience.
The public is nosey and wants to know what is going on so engage with the online content
So I told you before I had not ONE but THREE Tips to get your business noticed again and again.
No surprise about number one but read on to the power and ongoing benefits of 2 and 3…
Write an article and get a photograph to send to local newspapers about your launch / re-launch / an event of local interest you are running.
Great news - they will share it online / to socials thus increasing your organic (free reach), and using the same/similar images on your own socials will give your brand greater authority.
You will now appear in locally targeted searches as Google and other search engines count newspapers as trusted sources to quote from, which gives you the potential for continued ongoing visibility as long as the articles are live (years!)
And this is the surprise: Having permission and citation of the photograph owner means that the newspaper can quickly grab the image you provided (and thus cite/publicise you) when creating related local content (see below!)
How to get my business RE-POSTED in new articles
When the newspaper decides to run a feature, or another interest article, or has a news piece connected to your industry/expertise/offer you could be the poster child again…
Again you ask
“But Elizabeth, why would a newspaper journalist I don’t personally know want to feature my business/image in new articles?”
Look here: this is an instance where Kriss & Patrycia’s image got used again for the 3rd time, and it’s 3 years later…
Chester Chonicle article about greengrocers and food services offering at home delivery for covid lockdown
The article went on to mention 18 independent businesses with contact details.
That is 17 other businesses that DIDN’T get their photographs used or a business plug separately at the top of the page…
So why did Kriss & Patrycia’s greengrocer?
Because they took the time to write a press release they were already in the Newspapers archives / database.
Because they took the time to supply an image (my image) with the relevant permission (I give local businesses a press release in perpetuity to use in any medium e.g. newspapers blogs etc.. by any of their associates and representatives which in this case is the newspaper)
This means that when time is limited, and culture loves to sue/charge for images used without permission - re-using my clients’ names, faces, and image was a QUICK WIN for the paper!
= FREE ADDITIONAL AND ONGOING PUBLICITY!
who will this Press Release strategy work for?
VERY APPLICABLE: my photography business while it doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar studio or shop predominantly serves Chester in Cheshire and the North Wales border region, so would be of interest to Chester, Cheshire and North Wales Borders publications and news outlets
Less Applicable: my photography business also serves clients around the whole of England/Great Britain - so while this might make an interesting by-line it wouldn’t be of real interest to local papers if my business didn’t primarily have a local market.
Not Applicable: the branding strategy, coaching and photography training I do online is not of local/geographical interest meaning those services aren’t really relevant to this local paper strategy
Press Release Photography
While occasionally I will work for a PR Firm or Marketing Agency, generally speaking I am employed directly by my clients, and work with them to get images they desire and can use again and again!
Imagine having assets in your quick access posting folder that build know like and trust as well as get you an ROI in your press release strategy?
Did you know based on my quick web and social channel research your average Chester-based SME (small and medium enterprise) or independent small local business keeps their images and re-uses the timeless ones anything from 1 to 7 years.*
*Please note Co-vid has rather extended these figures and businesses who get a few personalised re-fresh images to change up their marketing and social posting strategies annually or even seasonally do see increased engagement as people stop the scroll for new content!
So for you to consider in summary:
Do I want more local traffic and free coverage?
What is going on in my business that’s worthy of a press release to bring the winning trifecta (papers / you / public all happy)?
How can I factually write about it to include all the key information in a newsworthy fashion?
Do I need a new photograph/s that is/are good quality, I have permission to use, and I’m happy to see used repeatedly for a number of years?
Which newspapers can I contact, and where is the submit news section on their website?
And most importantly get seen, because
What you show affects where you go
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch (07878437843 - whatsapp or phone) if you need some new images. Lizzy Biggs Photography has been helping businesses elevate their brand authority through visual images since 2017 via the commercial arm which cares for your business as you care for your clients by providing quality products or services to them.