When people think only the giants need to have press release distributions, they need to think twice. No matter what industry the company belongs to, it’s for everyone. It’s even for SaaS providers.
The answer to the post title isn’t a random ‘yes.’ I’ve solid reasons why SaaS providers also need to distribute press releases.
What You’ll Get from this Post?
- Benefits you’ll get from press release distributions.
- The elements of newsworthy press releases.
- Planning press release campaigns for a SaaS company.
- How to write a press release for a SaaS company?
Benefits of Press Release Distributions for a SaaS Company
Increased Visibility
Visibility is the core purpose of press release distributions. It helps your target audience build brand awareness. Imagine you have a clothing brand. You want to increase your brand visibility. What would you do? You advertise the brand on billboards, market it on social media, create ads on the internet, and more. You have to do the same for your SaaS company.
The best way to promote your company is by writing blogs, sharing social media posts, and distributing press releases.
Whenever you have a new story to tell, such as you partnered with some business or launched a new service, you must share it with the audience. That creates brand visibility and awareness, helping you to generate more revenue.
Higher Profits
Generating profits is a company’s ultimate goal. Companies use various methods to uplift profits. Sometimes they invest a bit to get more in the future. That’s commonly known as return on investment (ROI).
For SaaS companies, distributing press releases is usually completed in two ways:
- Acquire press release distribution services, or
- Build relationships with journalists to distribute press releases.
The former is an expense. You hire a press release distribution company, submit your PR, and they’ll spread the word for you.
The latter involves effort and is a time-consuming method. You find renowned journalists in your niche, build a media list, read their submission guidelines, write the news release, and send it to all those on your list.
Both methods help increase a company’s revenue, with the first one having more noticeable and quick results.
Build Relationships
Sending out press releases to journalists strengthens your relationships with them. You will get a permanent resource to send your PRs for publishing with less hassle. It can also help you with community outreach, sponsorships, press features, and more.
The stronger your network gets, the better outreach you’ll receive.
Elements of Newsworthy Press Releases for a SaaS Company
What makes your SaaS press releases newsworthy? Newsworthy content isn’t something that rolls out every day. You mix a combination of unique ingredients to create a whole new product, generally known as a news release.
Here we have listed the top-most valuable elements companies require to roll out newsworthy content:
- Time: Press releases are company news. And like any other news, it also has to be shared on time. So sharing the word about Google’s establishment isn’t news. Sharing something that developed at Google just recently is news.
- Relevance: Relevance is another valuable element of newsworthy press releases. If it isn’t related to you, it has almost zero value. I’m not a sportsperson. If Google starts suggesting sports news, it has no use even if I don’t search it. For me, it’s no more than a bunch of texts and images. No relevant information.
- Controversy: A disagreement between the home minister and me has little to zero value. An opinion from the opposition can grab the media’s attention. Find a different angle and flip the world if you’ve something new to tell but isn’t exciting.
- Unusual: News is always exciting when it has something new to tell. “Birds flying” isn’t news; birds flying in a plane” is. Try to find the unusual side of the news and then tell it to the world.
- Interesting: If it isn’t controversial or unusual, make it interesting. Humans like reading something interesting. Make it sound interesting, so readers love it and share it with their peers.
- Valuable: Value is a must part of news releases. If investors don’t receive actual market stories with facts and figures, they can’t make better decisions. And when they fail to make good decisions, they will start losing their investment. Don’t let investors lose their money and share valuable information with your target market.
Planning Press Release Campaigns for a SaaS Company
Keeping a successful PR campaign for a SaaS company is crucial when sharing news and updating the whereabouts. Having a solid campaign is generally a four-step process, which is a blend of the benefits and elements of newsworthy press releases.
Cover Important Material
The core element of press release distribution is sending only the most important news. If your SaaS company has launched a new service or product, inform the audience via press releases. Anything that isn’t valuable can go in blogs or email newsletters.
Write for the Editors
Although news releases are for every interested individual, press releases are essential for media representatives. That’s why they first go on news platforms like magazines, news blogs, or trade publications.
Write primarily for editors, so they find it valuable and share it within their bigger network. To get to the best chunk of media representatives, you need to acquire the best press release distributions services. The one with the best services will help you boost your news to the masses and bring you the traffic you have been looking for.
Write Sales Release
PRs are primarily sales-driven content. They must include something that boosts potential customers’ interest in buying or acquiring your services.
SaaS companies are profit-making companies. Hence, when writing press releases, make sure you have included a sales pitch.
When smartphone makers release a new device, they add every good thing about it. They add an indirect sales pitch. Interested buyers can’t resist the content and usually try to get to the website as soon as they read the news.
Writing Press Releases for a SaaS Company
Now that you have the benefits, the primary elements, and a plan for sending out newsworthy press releases, it’s time to start writing. Combining everything, I give you an 8-step process to craft a news release that rocks.
Know the Types of Press Releases (PR)
Before you pen down news, understand various types of press releases. You can write stories about the new funding your company just received, a C-level employee joining the company, official events, etc. Understanding the types helps in planning and distributions.
Plan Before Your Write the PR
Now that you understand various PRs, it’s time to draft a plan before rolling out your first news.
Planning involves the type of PR, the purpose, what you want to achieve, how to write a PR that brings the traffic you want, and the best time to send the press release.
Target Your Audience
It’s imperative to know your audience before you write the PR. Your primary audience is media representatives. Write for them, and they might reshare the content on their bigger platforms.
Follow the Right PR Format
Unlike blogs and guest posts, press releases follow a different format. The most common format every media representative prefers includes:
- Adding the company’s logo at the top
- Adding a dateline, which includes publishing location and date
- Write eye-grabbing titles
- Share the essence of the PR in the first paragraph
- Share a detailed content in the body, with figures
- Mark quotes from prominent personalities in the company
- Add boilerplate that tells the reader about your company
- Add call to action (CTA) to ask your customers to take action
- Adding contact details helps journalists and readers get back to you
Write Noteworthy Content
Already discussed in the previous section. Press releases have to be noteworthy. Anything that isn’t valuable for readers isn’t news. Don’t waste time writing dull news. No one will read that, and you won’t get the benefit you were looking for.
Understand the Best Time to Send Press Releases
The best day to send press releases is Tuesday, followed by Thursday and Wednesday. The worst day to distribute press releases is Monday and Friday.
The best time to send PRs is before lunch. We suggest choosing a distribution time like 10:17 am, i.e., not at the exact hour.
Double Check the PR Content
Once you have completed the doc, recheck for errors. The primary things to check include:
- Is the news release newsworthy?
- Does it follow the accurate format (as highlighted above)?
- Is is grammatically correct?
- Have you added an informative first paragraph?
- Have you addressed the right call to action?
Avoid Making Mistakes
Making mistakes while writing a PR is pretty common. The most common reasons why nobody reads your PR include:
- Sharing a valueless news release.
- Highlighting unauthentic quotes.
- Distributing outdated news.
- Distributing press releases with no purpose.
- Sending the press releases at odd times.
Conclusion
The primary purpose of writing press releases for SaaS companies (or any other) is to get more leads. Understanding the benefits, prominent elements, a doable plan, and tips to write the best press release ensures you get the best.
Share your feedback about this post to help you write the best press release, and then distribute it to the right audience with less effort.