Many early childhood education and care centres initiate events, educational activities and environmental programs which are inspiring, imaginative and worthy of publicity.
The feel-good news stories which originate in child care settings are of great interest to local media outlets and contribute to a sense of pride in the local community.
If you have a great story you think is worth sharing then have a go at writing a press release. These short, sharp summaries outline the main points of the story in the first couple of paragraphs covering the five Ws and H of basic news reporting: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.
Jennifer Carsen from Daycareindemand.com offers eight suggestions for early childhood education and care providers thinking about writing and distributing a press release for the first time:
1. Write with "WIIFM" in mind.
Meaning, What's In It For Me? Contrast these two headlines:
HappyKids Opens in Anytown
HappyKids Opens with Cupcake Extravaganza Party!
The average parent of small children probably doesn't care too much about the opening of your new business (sorry, but it's true) unless he or she is actively looking for care. But a fun-sounding party you can take kids to? That's a whole different ballgame.
Similarly, the editors of local news websites and newspapers are looking for stories and events of interest to their readers. The more you can emphasize the benefit to them the more likely it is that your story will actually run.
2. Highlight the lead
All this means is that you should put the most important details first the: who, what when, where, why and how. The assumption being that your press release may be cut for length and you want it to make sense even if it does.
This happens less frequently in the online world, where column length isn't an issue like it is on the printed page, but it's still a good practice to follow.
3. Make it timely
Newspapers and other media outlets prefer to run stories which are current. So try to tie your press releases to a timely hook, whether it's a centre event or an initiative which ties in with a public event or holiday like Mother's Day. Try not to submit something that would be equally applicable next week or next year.
4. Include a quote or two Quotes from real people (even if it's just you) make your press release more lively and readable.
5. Provide your contact information
In the happy event that an editor decides to run your press release, he or she may want additional details – so you should make it easy for this person to know who to get in touch with. Most reporters will also want to take photos so make sure you have signed photo release forms from the parents of the kids n your service.
6. Add a general "About Us" paragraph at the end
The good news is that you only have to write it once – after that, you can reuse it, with minor tweaks as needed, in every future press release you write. This information should include basic company details, when your service was established, any unique aspects of your business and if relevant how many children you care for.
7. Submit your press release to local outlets
It's probably best to focus on smaller, local publications as they are the outlets most likely to need content, and for whom local news is most relevant and interesting to their readership. Look on the website or call if you're not sure who to direct your press release to – these days, you can do it online the vast majority of the time.
8. Submit your press release to an online distribution service
If you think your news may be of interest to a wider audience than your local community news outlets consider using an online press release distribution such as MediaNet.com.au. Once you set your account up it's a fairly straightforward process.
These services distribute your press release to various media outlets for you – some of which may pick up the story – and also provide high-quality backlinks to your site, which helps with your search engine rankings.
See below for a sample press release:
MEDIA RELEASE
30 March 2014
Cupcake Day Celebration at Great Kids Child Care Centre
Great Kids Child Care Centre in Anytown is excited to announce a special celebration for National Cupcake Day on 2 April 2014, from 3-8 pm at 123 Pleasant St.
"We'll have cupcake decorating, cupcake sampling, cupcake crafts, a door-prize raffle, and more!" says centre director Ms Jane Doe.
"We can't wait to see everyone there; it is completely free and will be fun for a wide variety of ages."
The tasting cupcakes will be provided courtesy of Mmmm Bakery in Nearbytown, with flavours including chocolate, strawberry, boysenberry, peppermint, and lemon.
About Great Kids Child Care Centre
Great Kids Child Care Centre is a high quality early childhood learning service in Anytown which caters for children aged 2-5. We guarantee your child will be ready for kindergarten, or your money back! For more information, visit our website at www.nameofwebsitehere.com.au
Media Contacts: Jane Doe 02 1234 5678 or email jdoe@emailaddress.com.au
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