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Press Releases
Press Releases
What is a Press Release? A press release is a pseudo-new story, written in third person, which seeks to demonstrate to an editor the newsworthiness of a person, event, service or product.
How is a Press Release Used? Press Release can be sent alone, by email, fax or regular mail. They can also be part of a press kit.
Press Release Tips
Basics of Press Releases
Make sure the information is newsworthy.
- Start with a brief description of the news, THEN who announced it. In that order.
- Ask yourself, “How are people going to relate to this and will they be able to connect?”
- The first 10 words of your release must be effective – they are the most important.
- Avoid overuse of adjectives and fancy language.
- Present the facts.
- Provide as much contact information as you can: Who to contact, address, phone number, fax number, email address and web site address if you have one.
- Only publish a release when you have enough important information to warrant one.
Guide to Successful Press Releases
The Headline. In 10 words or less – you must grab the editor’s attention. Your headline should summarize the press release in an exciting way. You could think of it as your highway billboard.
The Opening Paragraph. Your first paragraph is critical. The first paragraph must contain your “grabber”, the thing that gets the audience to read more. This “grabber” must be factual not devious or self promotional. This paragraph must also explain the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. It must summarize the press release. The following paragraphs fill in the details.
The Body. The approach to use in the body is called the inverted pyramid. This simply means you put the most important information first. The reasoning behind this is that the editor may want to use your Press Release but not have enough space for all of it. He can then cut from the bottom up without losing the important information.
The Closing Paragraph. Repeat the critical contact information.
Writing the Press Release
Once you sit down to write your press release, ask yourself these questions:
What is my Story?
Is my Story News?
What do I want the recipients to take away from the press release?
In order to write a good press release you must be sure exactly what the subject of your story is. Be sure to cover all the basics and stick to the facts. You must also remember the purpose of your story is news – this is not an advertisement.
Generally Accepted Advice About Press Releases
- Don’t use “hype” phrases like state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind, breakthrough, etc.
- Never us “I” or “we”. Write in third person.
- Shorter is better. Don’t write two pages when one page will due.
- Timing. It may be possible to incorporate the Press Release with other news events.
- Quotes. Journalists often use quotes from newsmakers to add authority to their reports. If you have a good quote, use it.
Electronic Distribution Tips
- Don’t send attachments as some recipients do not open files for fear they may contain viruses
- Remove bold, italics, underlining and unnecessary formatting, as when it is delivered it will be received as gibberish
- Be sure your release is hitting its target audience.
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