All of the big companies send out a news release every time they announce a new partnership or reveal a new product, so why can’t your small business do the same? You may have to pay a small amount of money to get your news release posted through the major services like BusinessWire, but you can also get exposure by developing a mailing list and sending out that press release to the right people.

When preparing a press release, it’s best to leave it to a professional freelance writer who has experience writing news releases. They have to take on a certain form and structure, not to mention a certain tone so that they can be particularly effective in getting the media attention that you desire. If you choose to write it yourself, you should keep some of these pointers in mind.

First, the news must actually be newsworthy. There’s no sense in blasting out a press release to announce your soup of the day. Instead, only send out a news release for events that are important and interesting. Maybe you’re launching your website, opening shop for the first time, or announcing a whole new addition to your product line. If BlueFur started to offer branded VPN services, that would be notable of a press release. If it’s just a minor Fantastico update for WordPress, that’s not as worthy of a news release.

The second most important thing to remember is that you need to outline all of the major information within the first paragraph. When newspaper and magazine editors skim through the press releases of the day, they don’t have the time to read every one through in its entirety. They will skim the first paragraph to determine whether it’s worth writing about. Start with the most important information and fill in the details with the following paragraphs. Don’t forget to include pertinent contact information in case media outlets (or blogs) want to follow up with you.

Third, research the newspapers and other publications in your industry. Try to get your news releases to the right people at the right radio stations, TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and websites. There’s no sense in sending a news release about a video game company to a magazine that specializes in cheese appreciation.

Press releases can provide some of the most cost effective marketing for business, especially if you have something new and exciting to offer the world. You just have to know how to take advantage of them.