So January is wrapping up.  How are you doing on your New Year’s resolution to pump up your marketing?

Part of a great marketing plan is to have a PR or media relations component..  Having a local TV station do a story on you or one of your patients, or the newspaper include a few lines in the business section about a new office or employee can make quite an impact.  Getting the media to take notice of something important occurring at your firm isn’t always easy.  But we have a tried and true way that you can interface with the ‘press,’ helping them fill their pages and broadcasts with newsworthy information and promoting what’s new and unique about your practice. That vehicle is the news release.

News releases are a cost effective public relations tool that can deliver a great return.  Great stories happen in your practice many times each year. Capitalizing on what’s new, unique, or interesting will help you get in the news.  Use a news release to announce:

• A new employee
• A move to a new office or office expansion
• A new technology
• A new certification in a fitting technology, like C-Leg certifications
• A seminar for amputees
• An employee’s participation in a national meeting as a presenter or to take a course
• A manufacturer’s road show event you are hosting
• An interesting patient story
  

Here are a few tips to should bear in mind when delivering your story to the media in a news release:

• Always, always proof read your release for spelling and grammar.  
• Include the most basic information possible. We call that the 5 Ws and H, who, what, where, when, why, and how.
• Avoid the hype or advertising language. Be as straight-forward as possible in your writing.
• Start with the most interesting aspect of your story to create interest, if possible.
• Email is a FREE and extremely well-received by most media. You can find email addresses and fax numbers for your local papers and stations online.
• Make a quick follow up call to ensure your release was received and offer to answer any additional questions.
  

Even if a news release only results in getting your name in the paper, referral sources (doctors, physical therapists, and others) are reading the business section of the paper and so are your patients. When an announcement about your firm appears in the newspaper, it elevates your business profile and your reputation as a credible firm in your field.