FlowerChat heard members' requests for a resource to help consumers understand the benefits of ordering flowers directly from their local florist. The result is a new resource, offered exclusively by FlowerChat: a prewritten press release that you can customize with your shop's information and send to your local media outlets.
This press release is designed as a prewritten story that a newspaper or other media outlet can “drop in” to their publication, website or magazine without requiring editing or interviewing. The reason: A lot of newspapers today—particularly smaller ones—don’t have adequate staffing to research, interview and write all the stories they need. These media are desperate for content that requires little to no work on their part. This press release from FlowerChat provides those types of media outlets with an article that is ready to go. (For TV, this type of release serves as an opportunity to get your story in front of an outlet's reporter so he/she has insight into the subject so they understand the story and will want to visit your actual shop and shoot a segment.)
The press release is created in a Word document. (It is saved in the FlowerChat Downloads section as both a Word doc, a Word 97 doc and a PDF. If you have trouble opening the files or need the doc in a different format, just send a note to [email protected].) Download one of the docs to your computer, open it in Word and then add your shop's information in the areas as indicated. Feel free to adjust quotes, add new ones or change them altogether. You want the press release to reflect your shop's individual perspective, so this press release is simply designed as the template to get you started (though you can definitely use it as written, without adding anything other than your own shop's details). Then send this release to your local media outlets.
If possible, call each outlet and request the name of the person to whom press releases should be sent. Having a direct email address is preferable, although some media outlets prefer that you send press releases to a general email address, such as "[email protected]." Following each media outlet's guidelines helps ensure the success of having your press release reach the proper person. (Admittedly, this can be a time-consuming task. But once you compile your list of contacts, you should be able to use it in the future with only occasional updates.)
A few media outlets may request that you fax or mail in your press release. In those cases, the press release is already formatted to meet that request. An important note, however, if you are emailing your release (which is going to be most common): DO NOT SEND THE PRESS RELEASE AS AN ATTACHMENT. People in the media are just as wary as you are in opening attachments from individuals they don't know. Therefore, you should copy the text of your press release and paste it into the body of your email message. It will NOT get opened if you send it as an attached document, no matter what format you send it in.
If you have other questions about sending out this or any other press release, send a note to Gina Kellogg, FlowerChat Community/Social Media Manager, at gina@[U][URL="http://www.flowerchat.com/forums/member.php?u=2172"]flower[/URL][/U][URL="http://chat.com"]chat.com[/URL]. She can provide answers and guide you in the proper direction.
This press release is designed as a prewritten story that a newspaper or other media outlet can “drop in” to their publication, website or magazine without requiring editing or interviewing. The reason: A lot of newspapers today—particularly smaller ones—don’t have adequate staffing to research, interview and write all the stories they need. These media are desperate for content that requires little to no work on their part. This press release from FlowerChat provides those types of media outlets with an article that is ready to go. (For TV, this type of release serves as an opportunity to get your story in front of an outlet's reporter so he/she has insight into the subject so they understand the story and will want to visit your actual shop and shoot a segment.)
The press release is created in a Word document. (It is saved in the FlowerChat Downloads section as both a Word doc, a Word 97 doc and a PDF. If you have trouble opening the files or need the doc in a different format, just send a note to [email protected].) Download one of the docs to your computer, open it in Word and then add your shop's information in the areas as indicated. Feel free to adjust quotes, add new ones or change them altogether. You want the press release to reflect your shop's individual perspective, so this press release is simply designed as the template to get you started (though you can definitely use it as written, without adding anything other than your own shop's details). Then send this release to your local media outlets.
If possible, call each outlet and request the name of the person to whom press releases should be sent. Having a direct email address is preferable, although some media outlets prefer that you send press releases to a general email address, such as "[email protected]." Following each media outlet's guidelines helps ensure the success of having your press release reach the proper person. (Admittedly, this can be a time-consuming task. But once you compile your list of contacts, you should be able to use it in the future with only occasional updates.)
A few media outlets may request that you fax or mail in your press release. In those cases, the press release is already formatted to meet that request. An important note, however, if you are emailing your release (which is going to be most common): DO NOT SEND THE PRESS RELEASE AS AN ATTACHMENT. People in the media are just as wary as you are in opening attachments from individuals they don't know. Therefore, you should copy the text of your press release and paste it into the body of your email message. It will NOT get opened if you send it as an attached document, no matter what format you send it in.
If you have other questions about sending out this or any other press release, send a note to Gina Kellogg, FlowerChat Community/Social Media Manager, at gina@[U][URL="http://www.flowerchat.com/forums/member.php?u=2172"]flower[/URL][/U][URL="http://chat.com"]chat.com[/URL]. She can provide answers and guide you in the proper direction.
