Follow this formula and you can’t go wrong
A well-written press release is your key to free publicity. But before your draft even gets published, it has to be worth reading. It has to provide information worthy of distribution to the media. Press releases should be written with care to provide information in a precise, informative, and appealing manner that can capture the attention of editors and readers.
The key here is to write something accurate, truthful, useful, and interesting. Once you get used to writing press releases, you’ll find that they are similar to writing news features. Keep yourself updated on the different expectations and standards of the editors and journalists, and your press release can go a long, long way.
How do you begin?
For starters, press releases should include your company name, address, website address, and contact numbers.
Indicate the name of the person that can be contacted regarding the press release, including their contact details.
Press releases that need to be urgently released must be marked by IMMEDIATE RELEASE in all caps, at the left margin prior to the title.
The title or the headline of your press release is important so take trouble to make it interesting. Remember that the title is the first thing that the editors are going to see – make sure that it is interesting and can really capture their attention. Make it snappy and short.
The writing process
The interesting part of your press release should not be limited to the title only. You should be able to retain the interest of the editor by creating an appealing, accurate, and informative body in your press release.
To begin, indicate the city and the date where the press release is coming from. For your first paragraph, mention the details on what the press release is about in a brief manner. Your second paragraph should do the explaining on the details. Include the why, who, where, when, how, and the what. Create something on your press release that can give it a more personal feel in the second paragraph, too. This can be in the form of “human interest” or how the product or service of your company can benefit mankind. That way, you can really capture the interest of the journalist and ensure that your press release is really meaningful.
For your third and final paragraph, summarize the release and provide additional information about your company.
Your format
Formatting a press release is easy because you can simply use standard fonts. Ideally, the press release should only be the equivalent of 1 or 2 pages. Take note of the standards of journalists when it comes to parameters defining the end of your press release. When you finish your press release, type in the symbols ### underneath your last line. This indicates that your press release has ended.
Finally …
To ensure that your business can enjoy free publicity, don’t forget to submit your articles to press release websites, like the PressReleaseRoom.com.
Once you get the hang of writing press releases, everything will be easier. Practice makes perfect. If you are a new writer, don’t be afraid to just jot down everything, and then edit and trim until the whole article is succinct.
