Issue 7 - May 2004

How to ‘share’ your education in a press release
By Peter G. Fernandez, DC

Don’t let all your hard work and study to acquire diplomate status or earn continuing-education credits become a well-kept secret. Share it with your patients and potential patients.

When patients and potential patients know about your graduate studies and earned credentials, their confidence in you as a chiropractor will be elevated; they’ll choose you over the next DC; they’ll brag about you to their friends and family; and they’ll comply more diligently with your treatment recommendations. Patients want to go to an authority and your credentials make you one.

Whether it’s striving to provide the best possible care to your patients and future patients by spending time and money on specialized courses and seminars, or giving back to your community by donating needed services and encouraging charitable contributions, you will reach the greatest success when patients and potential patients know what you are doing.

One of the best ways to let those patients and potential patients know is through press releases. Why is this the best way? Because:

• Both patients and potential patients read the newspaper, watch television and listen to the radio;

• Items that make it into the newspaper carry with them credibility; and

• It’s free. When you write a press release:

• Use a press-release format. On plain paper, type “For Immediate Release” in all caps, in the upper left-hand corner, just under your letterhead. Place your contact information one to two lines down, with your headline two lines below your contact information. Boldface the headline to make your headline easy to read.

• Provide contact information. Type this caps, in the upper left-hand corner, just under your letterhead. The information should include your name, address, daytime and evening telephone number, Web site and e-mail address.

• Include a dateline. The dateline gives your city, state and date as an introduction to the first paragraph.

• Write a compelling headline and lead paragraph. Include the who, where, what, when and why of your information in the first paragraph. Write in a news format, avoiding storybook and first person. Most important — make the paragraph grab the editor’s attention by giving her a reason to read the rest of the news release.

• Develop the news release. In your next paragraph(s), expand on your lead by providing interesting information relative to your “who, what, when, why or where” as written in the first paragraph. Include a little more information on yourself.

• Make it easy to read. Write the one-page press release in an easy-to-read font (nothing fancy or too small), on one sheet and one side of 8.5x11 white paper, with a left, right, top and bottom margin of 1 inch. Keep the release to one page, double-spaced. Any longer and it will be ignored.

• Spell all names correctly. People are pleasantly complimented to have their name mentioned in a good news release, but highly disappointed if it is misspelled. Either way, they will remember who mentioned them.Make your press release a pleasant memory, not a disappointing one.

• Don’t use exclamation points. And keep words and sentences as short and interesting as possible.

• Close with an invitation to learn more. Place another set of contact information on the line below your closing paragraph.

• Use three # symbols at the end of your release. This is an industry standard that marks the end of the text. Center them on the page. Once you have the draft written, edit and proof read it, then address, format and send it — to the right people. Your recipient list should include your daily and weekly newspapers, local television stations, all MDs and attorneys in your town and all your patients who can be reached by e-mail or fax. Here are some additional tips:

• Address the release to a real person. Call your targeted media and get the name of the person who handles the type of press release you want to submit. If you are already advertising with the media source, let your ad representative know about your press release and ask him or her who should get it.

• Use the right delivery method. Ask the person who will receive the release how he would like to receive it — by mail, fax or e-mail. While you have him on the line, run the story by him. He may want to personally interview you for a local interest story.

• Be timely. Send your press release within days after you return. News isn't "news" if it is old.

• Follow up. Call your publication or television station contact a few days after sending the release to confirm that he has received it.

•Write a thank-you note. Immediately after your press release runs, write a personal thank you to your publication or T.V. contact.

Although paid advertising can be effective, it is also expensive and does not command the credibility that a press release does.

Make room for both in your marketing program.

Follow the above guidelines and learn how to write and submit highly effective press releases that publications and television stations look forward to receiving.

Dr. Peter G. Fernandez has been a practice consultant for 23 years. He can be reached at Fernandez Consulting (www.drfernandez.com), 800-882-4476 or by e-mail, drpete@drfernandez.com.