Press Releases Cost-Effective And Highly Effective

Ministries need to get big results on small marketing budgets and it often feels nearly impossible to gain much-needed exposure at affordable prices. Faith-based initiatives are not very high on the priority lists for many companies, so it takes a bit of creativity to get noticed. Today, I’ll quickly tell you why press releases are one of the best and most cost-effective marketing strategies available.
Let me begin by pointing out the fact that many people trust journalists and editors as unbiased sources of truth. Now please don’t misquote me. I didn’t say journalists ARE unbiased, or truthful for that matter. I’m just making the point that this is often many people’s perception of them. “How is that a benefit,” you ask? I’ll tell you.
Press releases give you instant credibility. When you read about a ministry leader in a well-known publication, even if the ministry is unknown to you, your perception of it instantly changes. Why does this happen? It’s because you trust the credibility of the source, and thus; by association, the ministry is cast in the same light.
I often consult with eager clients who ask, “Can you guarantee that my press release will be published?” If I had a nickel (a dollar would actually be better) for every time a client asked me this question, I would be well on my way to giving the biggest tithe of my life. So let me share the answer with you. Say it with me…”There is no magic bullet.” So back away from the downloadable e-book that guarantees that it will teach you the secret that has long been locked away in a secret vault, that will get your press release published every time. There absolutely is no such secret. Now that we’ve established that, there are methods you can employ that will increase the likelihood that your press release will be noticed.
Here are a few simple rules you should follow.
Rule #1-Make sure you know how to properly format your press release.
Take time to research the unique formatting preferences and specifications of each editor you are targeting. You don’t want your news to be tossed aside simply because you failed to do your homework.
Rule#2-Write like a Journalist.
Avoid at all cost, words like amazing, awesome, splendiferous and life-altering! You get my drift. If you sound like you’re selling your ministry, you can guarantee that your press release will be tossed in the trash can. That would be a tragic waste of all your hard work.
Rule #3-Make it Interesting.
A list of your weekly service schedule is not exactly newsworthy, and the fact that you changed the paint in the nursery doesn’t actually qualify as news either. Make sure you place your news in the context of a relevant and interesting topic. This greatly increases your chances of being published.
These are just the basics, but there’s enough here to get you started on the right track. Oh, and by the way…never, ever, ever use exclamation points in your press release!!!