It’s Q4 and the holiday shopping season is upon us! While consumers may need to get through trick or treating before getting serious about shopping, for retailers the time to start planning for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the entire month of December is now.
Once you have your holiday sales strategy in place, a press release is a great way to help get the word out. And we’ve made it simple for you to quickly whip up something with a Press Release Template specifically for announcing a sale or promotion. Use this any time of the year when you have an upcoming special.
Is Your Sale Newsworthy?
In short, YES! Many retailers don’t think press releases fit into their marketing strategy because their sales or promotions don’t seem newsworthy enough. This is where it’s important to keep your target audience in mind: shoppers. You’re not writing this particular press release for journalists or your board; you’re hoping potential shoppers read it. And the types of media sites and publications that are going to pick it up also cater to consumers, not business execs and investors.
So yes, announcing your sale or promotion via a press release is absolutely appropriate!
Also keep in mind that a press release makes your announcement feel more important. If a consumer reads your news as a press releases versus seeing it on social media, they may think it’s a big deal. A can’t miss sale. Especially if you use the release to announce exclusive offers (in store, online, members only, etc.).
Don’t Stop With A Press Release
A news release should be a part of a comprehensive marketing strategy. We always recommend promoting your press release on social media and your own website, but you should also use additional channels to promote the sale, including:
- Your website
- Popup offers on your website
- Retargeting and display ads
- Social media
- Email marketing
- Direct mail and newspaper circulars
- In-store signage and fliers
Find This Template And More On OnlinePRMedia.com
We’ve created a dozen Press Release Templates to make writing press releases a snap. Simply log into your Online PR Media account – or create a new account for free – and click the Resources link from your dashboard.
This is also a great place to start if you want to drum up some news but are stumped on a topic. Whether you’ve recently released a new product, hired a new manager, or added a user-friendly feature to your website, you can find a press release template for your news on Online PR Media.
Now let’s dig into the template for announcing a sale or promotion.
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Template
Enter your 3 primary keywords below. You may choose to add longtail keywords as well. Use this area to keep track of your keywords as you use them. Use at least one in the title and at 1-2 in the summary. Use each keyword at least once in the body.
Keyword #1
Keyword #2
Keyword #3
Title – 100 Characters or Less (use 1 keyword, as close to the beginning as possible)
Summary – 175 characters or less (use 1-2 additional keywords)
Paragraph 1 – Announce the sale or promotion in the very first sentence. Clearly state what the offer is (i.e. discount on purchase, free shipping, price match, limited time offer, gift with purchase, etc.) This is your chance to grab your reader’s attention, so make the offer sound as exciting and valuable as possible. Use an anchor text link to link your company name to your website’s homepage
Paragraph 2 – Tell readers exactly how to take advantage of the promotion or sale. What dates can they take advantage of the sale? Is it online, in-store, or both? Provide links, codes or instructions, if necessary. Use a bulleted list if step-by-step instructions are necessary.
Paragraph 3 – Describe your products or services being promoted. Clarify whether you’re having a storewide sale or if only certain items are on sale. If certain items are being promoted, explain how they benefit your target audience (i.e. you’re offering the lowest price of the season on the latest 4K televisions and every purchase comes with a price match guarantee through December 24th).
Paragraph 4 – Include a quote that explains why you’re offering this promotion and the value being provided to customers. (Example: “Holiday window shopping is time-consuming and when you wait too long, inventory may be gone. We’re so confident that this is the lowest price you’ll find on a 4K TV that we’re offering a price match guarantee through December 24th. Find it cheaper and we’ll pay you the difference!”)
Use the following format for the quote:
“ ,” said [Name of person being quoted], [Title of person being quoted] of [company name] (http://website URL). Make the person’s name an anchor text link linking to their LinkedIn profile, if applicable.
Paragraph 5 – Tell what your company does, what products and services you offer, and any relevant background.
Paragraph 6 – Conclude with a quote that talks about how much you appreciate customers. Emphasize that if there is a favorable response to the promotion, your company will have more sales in the future.
“ ,” said [Last name of person being quoted].
About [Name of Your Company]: [Company name] (http://www. website URL)…. This is your About Us section. This should be your best written “elevator pitch.”
Media Contact:
Name
Address
Phone number
Website
Anchor Text & Links:
Company name – http://www.link.com
Keyword phrase – http://www.link.com
Keyword phrase – http://www.link.com
Name of person quoted – http://www.link.com
Facebook:
link
Twitter:
Link
Video to embed:
Link
Pull Quote:
Select a powerful part of one of your quotes and copy/paste it here. When published it will be “pulled out” into a box and highlighted.
Your Turn!
Have you used a press release to announce an upcoming sale or promotion? How effective was it?
