Your First Press Release

The first press release on your new career in Real Estate should be timely. If you have joined, or will be joining, a brokerage – ask the broker to do the release for you. If you aren’t “tooting your own horn” in this initial news, it will be better received. Let your broker welcome you publicly and all you have to do is smile for your portrait shot! (You should always include a professional portrait shot with any introduction press release.)

If your broker doesn’t have the resources or the inclination to do it in a timely fashion, offer to write it up for their approval. It’s better to write it yourself FOR them than to let the opportunity pass you by, and if the release isn’t timely, the media will never publish it.

If you are writing your own announcement or subsequent press releases, keep the following in mind:

Fluff-free Zone

Your press release should be a NEWSWORTHY bit of information; not merely an excuse to say “look at me!” Evaluate your press release after the rough draft to ensure that it offers important real estate information, news that matters to your clients or your community.

Check Your Ego

A press release is not the place to wax poetic and make staggering claims about your services. It’s news and shouldn’t read like an advertisement. Avoid qualitative terms like “greatest” and “best” when describing yourself and your services. Instead, describe what is different about your services. Describe the innovation and/or approach you take to solving problems and how they benefit your clients, you industry, or your community.

Offer Something of Value

The value of a press release is its ability to stir up interest, which may result in a feature article or a more in-depth news piece. Your press release should offer information about your topic (encouraging an industry-based article), your knowledge on a topic (may result in you being used as an “expert” by the media source) and/or your services (could lead to a feature on your business or you as a business person in the community).

Follow Standard Formats and Submission Methods

If you want to be included, you need to follow the rules. Be sure to check the editorial rules and preferences of any newspaper, magazine, newsletter or website before you submit and “tweak” your submission to match their needs and preferences.

Keep it Simple and Focus!

When you write your press release yourself, you should make sure that it’s brief. Too-long press releases will never see print. Aim for a 500-word release, with the optimum length being 400-600 words. Keep it limited to a single page.

Focus your press release on one specific point and use a limited number of short paragraphs to support that point. (If you have more than one big point to make, you have more than one press release to write!)

Be Available/Encourage Questions

If you want your press release to grow up to be a full-sized article or feature, state that you are available for interviews on the press release itself. Do this on all press releases.

If you have clients, business associates or industry experts that will agree to be contacted, include their contact information as well. This will help you become a media resource, and will help you develop a beneficial, long-term relationship with local media.

Set it Free!

A beautifully crafted press release will not help you if no one sees it. In addition to online submission options, you should seek local/regional newspapers, industry magazines and newsletters for local real estate and business groups. Remember to inquire if a newspaper prefers electronic or snail-mail submissions. (You can usually get this information on their website.) If you have an option, go for online submissions which will allow you to add html links to your website and other resources contained in the release.

BestPrintBuy.com wishes you all the best as you launch your new real estate career! We are here to help with information, resources and (of course) print marketing products for your real estate business marketing needs.