Preparing A Press Release
Presentation
A professional presentation will make your press release stand out. Prepare a short cover letter on your business stationery. The purpose of the cover letter is to introduce your press release and give the reporter reasons his/her readers would be interested in your story. Limit your cover letter to three or four brief paragraphs. If it’s too long, the reporter may just skim the information. Address it to the specific person you wish to reach at the newspaper—usually the business editor or consumer columnist. Package the cover letter, press release and photo in a nice presentation folder for mailing or hand delivery and save asa PDF file to submit via email. Attach photos to the email.
Press Release
Follow the standard guidelines for press releases. Print it on your store stationery using wide margins and double-spaced lines. Include full contact information at the top of the page. Print across the top “For Immediate Release,” unless you are sending something time specific. Create a four to ten word title...a catchy headline may help grab the reporter’s attention. The body of the release has to answer the Five W’s: Who, What, Why, When and Where. Strive to answer the Five W’s within the first two paragraphs. Include more general information in the rest of the release. Remember that a press release is a news story, not an advertisement. Tell, don’t sell! Finally, double-check your spelling and facts.
Photograph
Include a professional quality photograph with your press release. It will add to the appeal of the article. A professional head shot may be most appropriate for a press release about continuing education. Another option is a photo, taken at the meeting, with a NARTS Board member. If you opt to use a photo of yourself taken in your store, try to get your shop name into the photograph. Perhaps the lettering on your display window will work, if not create a large, professional interior sign for your entry and pose next to it. Gently mark or type and tape to the back of the photo your store name, phone number, date and caption. This information will come in handy if the photograph gets separated from the rest of your presentation folder. If submitting via email, use your name and/or store name as the file name for the photo.
Follow Up
Place a follow up call or email to the newspaper to make sure they received the information. Once your story has been published, send a thank-you note to the reporter. This courteous gesture may help them remember you next time they want to interview someone in the resale industry. Take advantage of the publicity you received by duplicating it for use within your store. Enlarge the article to poster size and display it in your entry. Hand out copies to customers and include them with consignor checks the following month. Frame copies and hang them in the fitting rooms. Add it to your Website—even if it was not published—what better place to showcase your newly acquired media placement than your Website! If you get a lot of publicity, set up a special area to display your placements. For a great story, highlight it on your homepage. If you haven’t already started a scrapbook for your store, this is the perfect opportunity!
Sample Press Release
Contact: (Your name)
Store Name:
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Website:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Your Name) of (Store Name) Attends Annual Resale Conference
Month 00, 0000—Your City—(Your Name), owner/manager of (store name) recently attended the NARTS 31st Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Carefully crafted for resale professionals, the four day conference is the industry’s most comprehensive educational event of the year. (Your name) attended specialized resale workshops, stimulating networking sessions, motivating general sessions and a resale trade show during this focused program.
(Your name) has been a member of NARTS: The Association of Resale Professionals for (number of years). “We have an ongoing commitment at (store name) to continue our resale education and stay at the top of our profession,” says (your last name). “We left the meeting in San Antonio with renewed energy, invaluable contacts and a multitude of fresh ideas to help us provide exceptional service and quality merchandising to our customers.”
The shop has been a part of (your town)’s retail scene since (date or year shop opened). The store strives to satisfy the varied needs of residents, offering everything from (insert a best-selling category) to (another best-seller).
At this point, you can add a few sentences about your shop, which may or may not be included in your story, depending on the interest of the reporter and the amount of space available in the paper. Note any additional business affiliations you have; such as being a member of your local business association and/or Chamber of Commerce.
For further information about resale or for guidelines on consigning/selling/donating at (store name), contact (name) at: (phone/email) or visit (store name)’s Website:
END