The Press Release as a Sales Tool

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“Commerce links all mankind in one common brotherhood of mutual dependence and interests.” James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States, 1881.

The press release is basically a sales tool. It sells either a product or a service, a person or an event. As all good sales pitches, it attracts the attention of the buyer by appealing to the needs of the buyer. For example, you wouldn’t try to sell a fur coat to an animal activist or a pack of cigarettes to a health advocate. Yet many press releases do just that. The writers are so involved in their own product, they forget to consider if it is appropriate to the recipient. The first rule of any type of sales is “the customer first.” Appeal to the needs of the customer.

Since the purpose of this newsletter is to help you write successful press releases, we will share techniques that we and other communication experts have learned through experience. We have asked our interviewees similar questions in some past newsletters to show differing points of view. While there is no set formula to write a press release, there are basic guidelines that point the way to more successful press releases. In this edition of the PRW newsletter we’ll be revisiting a past interview, our expert is Mark Ryan, Partner and Literary Agent of New Brand Agency.

Mr. Ryan sends and receives hundreds of press releases and press kits. As a literary agent who represents authors, his job is to sell their work to major publishing houses, no easy task. The query letter, similar to a press release, must be a sales tool from the writer to the agent to interest him in the book. As well, Mr. Ryan’s pitch to editors and publishing houses must be a major selling tool as well.

Tips from an Expert for Writing Press Releases that Work:

Question: In your opinion, what is the one thing that really separates the good press releases from the mediocre ones?
Answer: The writer presents a large-scale view. He frames his ideas in a big picture and understands the needs of the person receiving the press release.

Question: How long do you feel a press release should be?
Answer: One page.

Question: The current wisdom seems to be that if it can’t be said in one page, it’s not a good press release. Do you concur with that?
Answer: Generally, yes. But if strong quotes and statistical backup are necessary to sell the idea, then it can be longer.

Question: As most editors and agents are extremely busy, how far into the press release do you actually read before you feel it’s something that may be of interest?
Answer: If the first line or two grabs me, it’s going to get read.

Question: If you like what you read, how do you prefer to get in touch with the contact person?
Answer: For me, the telephone because I’ll have a better opportunity to persuade the person in a two-way conversation.

Question: If there is one thing that should be avoided in press release writing, what would that be?
Answer: Not doing your research. Forgetting or ignoring the needs of the person to whom you are sending the information.

Question: If you had to sum it up, what do you think is overall the most important emphasis in press release writing?
Answer: It’s all about knowing your market. Before I send a press release, I ask myself what does that person need? For instance, if I’m trying to get a speaking engagement for one of my clients, I know the Conference leader needs to be assured of quality of material and delivery. He wants someone who will make his attendees feel good. So I give him background on the author and a title that covers what the Conference Director needs. I will state the most positive thing first about the author. If he/she has written 40 books, I’ll present that first.

Question: How do you overcome objections?
Answer: If I’m trying to sell a client’s book and I know that publisher has a dearth of medical mysteries this year, I’ll pitch the author who writes about say, courtroom drama or relationships. I’ll use that as a selling point by saying something like, “In this present market that is flooded with medical mysteries, I have a book about courtroom drama.”

Question: Can you give an example of how you used this in one or two of your most successful press releases?
Answer: I always keep a sense of timeliness. Everyone wants what’s hot. Right now on the literary scene, hot topics are memoirs, spiritual fiction, books for young readers such as the Shakespeare Mystery series and Finnegan Zwake. So when I represent authors who are working in those genres, I pitch it heavily. It usually brings me enormous results in responses. I’ve been able to place my clients’ work this way.