A press, or news, release is a statement issued to the media to announce a range of news items, including events, awards, or new products or services, in order to generate feature news stories. In light of their aim, press releases need to be two things: accurate and interesting.
Journalists receive truckloads of press releases every day and therefore have standards as to what they expect to be included in each release.
The best way to tackle the fearsome press release is by answering the most basic questions every journalist asks when covering a story:
Who – What – Where – When – Why
Once you’ve got all of that information nailed down, you’re ready to begin drafting your press release.
The Headline
The headline is your chance to grab the attention of the journalist – remember, with press releases, you only get one shot. Encapsulate the content of your press release in one sharp, concise, and catchy sentence. Bold and center your headline on the page.
The Body
Begin with the date and city in which the news item originated; this can be done in point form.
Now, pull together your “who – what – where – when – why” into short, concise sentences that explains in brief detail what your press release is about.
Use the third paragraph to give your press release a personal touch here – expose the ‘human interest’ side of your news item. Why will people care? Who will be affected? Explain in further detail why your item is newsworthy. Make it engaging and make it catchy. If it’s appealing, a journalist will bite.
Finally, don’t forget to include your contact information. The contact info you include should be specific to each press release, and should include the following:
Company name
Media department’s name and contact person (if applicable)
Business address
Telephone & fax numbers with proper country/city codes and extension numbers
Mobile phone number
Email addresses
Website address
Time of availability for contact
Final Tips
Use the Times New Roman font in size 12 to keep your press release clean and simple. Flashy fonts and layouts aren’t going to win you any points – they just mean more work for editors.
Keep it to one page. Once you’ve got a feel for writing press releases your goal should be to have your press releases published as-is. Papers today have shrinking page counts and are often short-staffed; if you can provide copy that’s publishable with little-to-no editing, you’re more likely to see your press release in print.
While creating a press release may need some practice, remember that you are not alone. Having another pair of eyes reviewing your press release is a very good idea. A professional editor, such as the editors at FirstEditing.com will review your press release for editing and formatting to ensure your press release is perfected and ready for media submission.
Come back tomorrow when we explain “How to send your press release”
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Tags: editing, editors, First, firstediting.com, formatting, How to, How to write a press release, journalists, media, news, news release, Press, Press Release, Professional Editing, professional editor
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