By Heather Ripley
What do Croc-Tarts, the presence of lithium at more than 1,400 feet at the Tonopah Flats Lithium Project in Tonopah, Nevada, and Henry Kissinger’s death at the age of 100 have in common?
They were all press releases that informed, educated or delighted readers in 2023. And they not only announced real news, they also hooked readers by sparking a conversation about what each of these events meant to the reader right up front.
While your home service company may not have news that will go viral on social media, what you do have to announce is important, nonetheless. That’s why you need to ensure that your press releases are relevant, concise and engaging.
A well-written press release can give your home service business that extra something that sets you apart from your competition in several ways.
Consistently providing informative press releases introduces your company and expertise to local media outlets. Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric Vice President Cassie Pound is regularly called upon by the media in her Tulsa, Oklahoma, service area to provide homeowner tips and to give her opinion on issues related to the skilled trades industry.
Boosting Your Thought Leadership
Is a cold snap on your area’s horizon? Or, is bad air plaguing your city? These may seem like standard events, but as an expert plumber, you can advise homeowners how to save their pipes from the cold, or, as a professional HVAC owner, you can provide tips on improving indoor air quality (IAQ).
Local news outlets probably will be doing stories on these events, so, by getting your name out to them through a series of ongoing press releases, you can let them know you have advice to provide. Be the thought leader in your area that the media turns to when they need a quote about home safety and protection.
Building Your Reputation
By providing thought leadership to homeowners in your area, you can also build your reputation as a helpful service provider.
If your team is raising money or charitable donations for your favorite local charity, letting the public know of your efforts can also help your reputation. Being seen as someone who cares for the community is something more and more people consider when hiring a new service provider.
Expanding Your Audience
Your marketing team has worked hard to build your target audience and knows who your ideal customer is. However, there’s something to be said about refreshing your audience every so often, too.
When you issue a press release, you never know who is going to see that release, remember your name, and call upon you when they need service.
Improving Your SEO
And speaking of your marketing team, they will love one of the other side effects of issuing press releases on a consistent basis: it improves your search engine results.
When Google sorts its searches, it gives a higher ranking to those sites that are mentioned in other places. If your name shows up on your local news’ site or in a trade publication, Google will view it more favorably.
An effective press release strategy helps you establish relationships with the media and your local community. But, in order for it to be effective, you need releases that are consistent, tell a story and engage the public.
But if you’re better at writing business plans than at telling a story, you might need a public relations team to help you better tell your story. A PR partner that understands your business can help you write engaging and topical press releases while simultaneously using its contacts in the media to get your name out.
So, step away from your competition by considering a PR partner that can help you spark conversations.
Heather Ripley is founder and CEO of Ripley PR, an elite, global public relations agency specializing in the franchising, skilled trades and B2B tech industries. Ripley PR has been listed by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top Franchise PR Agency for seven consecutive years and was recently named as one of Newsweek’s America’s Best Public Relations Agencies for 2024. Heather Ripley was recently named as a 2024 PRNews Top Women honoree in the business entrepreneur category. She is also the author of “NEXT LEVEL NOW: PR Secrets to Drive Explosive Growth for your Home Service Business,” which is now available on all audiobook platforms. For additional information, visit www.ripleypr.com.
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