Copyright (c) 2003 by Angela Booth

You sent out a news release. Then a newspaper or a magazine (or both, oh happy day) published an article about you based on release. Whoopee! Break out Dom Perignon!

It's true, an article about your business does wonders for your business. Not only do you get an increase in business, but you can leverage article in many ways. You can create reprints of article to send to current clients and prospects, and you can use article in your advertising. The article gives you instant credibility.

So how do you get all this free advertising? You're well on way to that newspaper or magazine article if you realize that a news release is NOT AN AD. It's NEWS about your business. If your news release has a whiff of advertising about it, it will it hit journalists' round files faster than it took you to lick stamp and paste it on envelope.

Unfortunately many small business owners, and even many copywriters, are unclear about difference between advertising and a news release.

So what's difference between a news release and an ad?

A news release gives FACTS. Just plain, unvarnished, unembellished facts. It doesn't try to sell business. It doesn't say how wonderful business, service or product is, it gives verifiable facts.

For example, let's say that you're a copywriter. You've gone solo, and have just started a new copywriting services business. So you've decided to send out a news release announcing your new business.

The fact that you've started a copywriting services business is a fact. The name of your business and its address is a fact. The hours you're open for business: fact.

A biographical note about yourself gives facts.

A statement that you make, in quotes, as part of news release is also a fact. The release could include this paragraph:

'Felicity Jones said: "I'm looking forward to becoming a part of Ocean Park business community. I've been introducing myself to local business owners, who have expressed strong interest in my services." '

Remember, a news release contains: FACTS.

A news release, because it's NEWS, is also written in newspaper style, that is, in Inverted Pyramid style.

==> Inverted Pyramid style