Your marketing strategy might involve a mix of emails, social media, advertising, events, and other tactics, but one mention in the press can multiply all those efforts tenfold, sending a surge of new customers your way, and even take your small business to the next level.

Want proof? A single story in The New York Times^[1] transformed Beardbrand^[2] from a blog for beardsmen into a major player in the men’s grooming-product industry.

But how do you make that happen for your business? How do you attract the attention of your local news, let alone news sites like The New York Times? You can simply focus on your business and hope you catch a reporter’s eye, or you can speed the process along by writing a press release.

What is a press release?

A press release is a document that announces a newsworthy story about your brand that the media might want to cover and provides all of the pertinent information a reporter or editor would need.

Some outlets will share your news based solely on the press release. Other times, they’ll contact you to arrange an interview or use you as an expert source for another story, especially if you regularly send out press releases sharing newsworthy topics.

Simply saying “Look at my business!” isn’t newsworthy. Announcements that are, however, include:

• Launching a new business, product, or service
• Holding a large contest or competition
• Partnering with a charity, community organization, or celebrity^[3]
• Hosting an event
• Winning an award
• Sharing a customer success story
• Announcing a merger or acquisition
• Rebranding^[4] your business
• Promoting or hiring a new executive

A good way to gauge the newsworthiness of your story is to pay attention to coverage that other businesses receive.

Reporters look for stories that are timely, affect a large number of people, have an emotional element, or relate to other news stories. You could also tap into what people are talking about, either in person or on social media. If your business has a connection to a bigger story, you may improve your chances of getting covered.