Press and media releases are the most obvious ways to spread news about your business. Whether for an event, company launch, or a milestone, they are the oldest methods of communicating with target media outlets besides word of mouth. However, a piece of paper can be lost, thrown out, or just forgotten. Press and media releases must be well-written and detailed in order to be recognized. Creativity is the best way to stand out from the pile and get a foot in the door.

When building an image for your company, you want to be memorable. As well as being the best at what you do and staying true to your brand, you want an image to stand out in people's minds when they hear your company name. Anybody can send out a press release, but not everyone can get press from the release. Many times it is wise to pair a release with something tangible that correlates to the purpose of the release. Actions speak louder than words and promotional products are just the way to get people listening.

When sending out a press release it never hurts to spice up the presentation of the package. By spice I mean making it stand out from the crowd just as your business does. Whatever makes the business or brand unique should be inspiration for the promotional product included with the press release. Author Debbi Karpowicz was successful at implementing the theory of creativity. She used the theme of her book as the theme of the packaging of her press materials. With a name like I Love Men in Tasseled Loafers, originality was already in the equation. Debra used an actual loafer tassel to tie her rolled up press release. Here is where something tangible came into play. Her media targets are going to instantly associate her with the leather tassel of a loafer. Not only does she love men with tasseled loafers, but she also created a memorable moment by accenting her press release with an actual loafer tassel. A tassel isn't necessarily a promotional product, but it is a prime example of how little things can go a long way. Debra also included a seductive photo of her holding a loafer. Therefore, the packaging was unique and all of the contents created memories of her book.

Promotional products are intended to create memories. When building a brand it is important to be remembered for something. Therefore, when sending out releases think outside the fax machine, inbox, or mailbox. Originality is the deciding factor for many media outlets. Hundreds are received a day, but only a few actually get the results they are looking for.