Tips for writing an exceptional Press Release

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 A press release, news release, media release, press statement or video release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something ostensibly newsworthy. Typically, they are mailed, faxed, or e-mailed to assignment editors and journalists at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, online media, television stations or television networks.

The first modern press releases were created by Ivy Lee. Lee's agency was working with the Pennsylvania Railroad at the time of the 1906 Atlantic City train wreck. Ivy Lee and the company collaborated to issue the first press release directly to journalists, before other versions of the story, or suppositions, could be spread among them and reported. He used a press release, in addition to inviting journalists and photographers to the scene as a means of fostering open communication with the media.

Public relations pioneer and the father of PR Edward Bernays later refined the creation and use of press releases. Technically, anything deliberately sent to a reporter or media source is considered a press release: it is information released by the act of being sent to the media. However, public relations professionals often follow a standard format that they believe is efficient and increases their odds of getting the publicity they desire.

The format is supposed to help journalists separate press releases from other PR communication methods, such as pitch letters or media advisories. There is a general format for writing all press releases. To format a release correctly and most effectively, you will need to include the following:

Date Instructions: contains the release date and usually the originating city of the press release with the release instructions e.g. ‘For Immediate Release’ or embargo e.g. ‘For Release Before (time & date), or ‘For Release After (time & date). Through embargo, news organizations are requested not to report the story until a specified time. Unless the journalist has voluntarily agreed to honour the embargo in advance, usually via a legally binding non-disclosure agreement, the journalist is under no obligation to it. However, even in the absence of any obligation, news organizations generally do not break the embargo for sources that they wish to cultivate. If they do, then the agency or client that sent the release may blacklist them.

Contact information: Make it easy for the media to contact you about your story by including as much information as possible. It is important to include a phone number, fax number, email address, a link to company’s website and company address. Failing to leave this information suggests that your press release is amateurish. Media contacts may ask: “Why don’t they want to be contacted? What do they have to hide?”

Headline: to grab the attention of journalists and briefly summarize the news. Your headline must ‘hook’ the reader into wanting to read your full release. You may have a fantastic press release. However, failing to write a strong headline will jeopardize your entire release. It will be overlooked and passed by in favour of a release with a more interesting or exciting or controversial headline. So make your headline an attention grabber.

Sell the benefits of your product or service within your headline. As the headlines draw a reader into the story, simply because they want to know how to solve a particular problem or they want to know the answer to the question.

Sub head line: This is a short sentence (a line or two) that follows your headline. Here is where you continue to draw the media into your story by summarizing the information in your press release with a strong statement to keep the reader interested. But don’t give them everything. You still want them to read the entire release.

Introduction: First paragraph in a press release, that generally gives basic answers to the questions of who, what, when, where and why.

Body: This is the main area of your press release. Keep it simple, to the point and brief, 175 – 300 words. Use bullets when appropriate and clear, crisp paragraphs for easy reading. Your press release is meant to entice the media to contact you for further information, so encourage the reader to contact you and visit your web site. Give explanation, statistics, background, or other details relevant to the news.

Boilerplate/ About Us: Generally a short "about" section, providing independent background on the issuing company, organization, or individual.

End of Press Release: After the boilerplate or body and before the media contact information, indicating to media that the release has ended simply type ### on a blank line at the end of the release. Any information after ### will not be published.

Media contact information: Name, phone number, email address, mailing address, or other contact information for the PR or other media relations contact person.

Points to ponder:

Your press release should have a strong, catchy headline and summary. Next, ensure that the first paragraph answers some of the important questions, such as Who, What, When, Where and Why. Use one or two statistics here. Remember that these first elements must grab the reader and make them interested in learning more, or you will lose potential media support and that second level exposure.

The point of a release is to entice the reader or journalist to contact you for further information. You do not need to reveal your company’s entire history. A well written press release does not need to be a story. In fact, shorter press releases (usually between 175 – 300 words) tend to receive more exposure, if written well because many newspapers, magazines, and trade publication journalists may be looking for a short informative piece of information to fill a spot within their newspaper, magazine, or trade journal.

The content within your press release should be accurate, easy to read, to the point and interesting to your target audience. And a carefully written and informative press release will be sure to capture the eyes of journalists. An exceptional press release will be picked up by journalists for publication and on radio or television. You will have a better chance of gaining media attention if you write your press release while keeping the target media in mind. These are the individuals that will publish your release elsewhere, if they like it. Keeping your press release unique, to the point, professional, easy to read and grammatically correct will enhance your chances of someone from the media picking up your story.

An effective press release is one that anyone can understand. Your goal is to communicate your news using everyday language, so avoid overusing technical jargon. Not everyone understands your industry terminology as well as you does. Excess jargon will confuse your reader and may be enough for a journalist to pass over your release for one that is easier to understand. Leave the technical details for the phone call or follow up email. Once a journalist contacts you, you might then give an interview or go into more depth on your particular topic. Chances are the journalist will be more familiar with your industry, since he has taken the time to contact you.

If you are using facts and statistics to enhance your story, make sure that you provide source attributions. The reason for this is simple. It adds credibility. If you publish figures or information without a viable source reference, people might assume “it must be too good to be true”, even though your information may be accurate. Without proper source attributions, your information may appear to be stretching the truth, and this could lead to your press release being overlooked.

These are just a few ideas to keep in mind. As long as you have a story to tell that is interesting to the general public and to editors and journalists, a press release may also be viewed as a way of brand marketing. People will begin to recognize your company name in the news. And once you impress an editor or journalist, they will look for your releases.

 

Thank you for reading.