You can get free publicity for your home care service with an old school method that still works.
Yes, while big-city newspapers are in the decline, the smaller, suburban papers are still getting the advertising dollars that they need to survive. People still feel connected to their local community, according to Morningstar founder Joe Mansueto.
The way to do it is by submitting a press release to your local newspaper.
Large suburban papers like the Daily Herald in the Chicago suburbs rely on locally-submitted articles. The photo was submitted by a person not likely on the staff.
For example, the Daily Herald in the Chicago suburbs relies on locally-submitted news stories for their inside pages. They have a Neighborhood section that runs stories sent in by colleges, the Boy or Girl Scouts, local clubs, and various institutions. These organizations send in photos as well. Whereas in the past, local reporters wrote such stories, nowadays the papers save on their budget by relying on well-written press releases and good photos.
These local papers are no small fry. The Daily Herald boasts of a circulation of 95,000 on weekdays, and 105,000 on Sunday. So your article about your home care agency will be seen by tens of thousands of readers, both online and in print.
You can see that the bylines on these stories reveal their source. For example, “Submitted by XYX college.” Now, I’m sure that some press releases are tweaked or shortened by staff writers. So it’s important to keep in mind that when you submit a press release, there’s no guarantee that they will run it verbatim. Don’t get upset; this is the prerogative of the newspaper staff.
Writing a press release for your home care service
It takes some news writing savvy to be able to write a press release that is not a puff piece for your home care agency. Don’t put the name of your company in the first paragraph. Mention it after a few paragraphs, at least. In other words, your press release should read like an objective news story that cites you as an authority.
You also want to bring in statistics and other types of authorities to buttress your story theme. Who knows, if you are able to give a local angle to a national issue, your press release might land on the front page?
For story ideas, read our blog post, “PR works! Seven ideas for publicity for your senior care agency.”
Boost your home care publicity
After you get your article published, use it as a springboard for more publicity. First, send along a thank-you note to the editor or reporter. Then blow your horn about the publicity. Mention it, and link to it in your blog and Facebook page. You might even want to put a PDF version of your article on your website, or make printed handouts to give to people, or send them through the postal mail. (See your newspaper for any required permission first. Sometimes there is a fee for this.)
In this way you can get free publicity that lasts a long time.
Writing a press release in an objective and succinct manner is a highly-skilled craft. Why not let us at Savvy Senior Marketing take care of your home care company press release for you? We’ve had a lot of experience with this. Call us at the phone number at the top of the page, or contact us.
