How to construct a decent Press Release

You may not even need to spend a penny on your advertising if you have something exciting enough to say. A well written press release submitted with perfect timing may capture the imagination and eye of editors and journalists across the board.

The key to writing a good press release is to have some news, make it concise yet informative and have enough details on it to get someone to contact you back if they are interested.

You should NOT sell on a press release, all you are really doing is announcing something new and exciting about your business that sets you apart from everyone else (your USP) and is relevant to current affairs at the current time.

Writing a press release is not something to be done in a few minutes, if you are going to attempt writing your own, then really study the art of copywriting and how to set out a media release, follow the formula so you can have the same impact that a professional copywriter might have. Do not start the Press Release with your company name and always have a catchy headline.So what is the formula to writing a good press release?

Relevant and Newsworthy Angle

• Make sure you story grabs someone’s attention
• Is it relevant to topical current affairs issues?
• Will your release be entertaining or will it be an information piece?
• If you are organising something – is what you are doing unique?
• Are you involving any distinguished/well known people in what you are doing?
• Does your story revolve around a particular industry that is getting press currently?
• What is your story? Are you a notable figure – have you got a personal angle to add to make the release seem more “newsworthy”?

Format your Press Release and provide a well written Press Release

• Ensure you have an attention grabbing headline
• Include a 3 or 4 line summary or a sub heading with extra juicy details in it.
• At the top of the release under the summary write: - City topic is happening in, State topic is happening in – Today’s Date
• Body of the Press Release – do not over complicate this will lots of long words, the best press releases are the simplest ones that appeal to the masses, not people with degrees in English.
• Include the contact details of the person who will deal with any media inquiries as a result of the Press Release
• Make sure you have thought of the answers to all the obvious questions such as who, what, how, when, why, where and have included the info within the body of the copy.
• Make sure you add in any interesting details about yourself that may help sway the journalists and editors decision to publish the release.

Length of Press Release

Be aware that if you choose to use a professional distribution channel to distribute your press release you will be charged in increments.

• For example if you send out by news wire you will be charged in blocks of words – 400 word blocks
• If you send out by email – you will be charged by each recipient
• If you send out by fax you will be charged per page
• Images will generally be extra to send as well.

So the more you write the more it costs, a good press release should be no longer than one A4 page, any more and journalists just do not read them. Think of a journalist as a really time poor person who needs everything laid out clearly, simply and concisely, that way you have more of a chance of getting published.

Press Release Distribution

How do you intend to expose your press release?

• You can post it on various free distribution sites.
• You can use a professional press release distribution service to ensure it gets where it needs to go
• You can post it out to bloggers who write about your chosen area of expertise
• You can manually send it to editors and journalists of publications you want to be exposed in

We offer a Press Release Writing and Distribution Service - contact us using the form for a free quotation for both the copy and the distribution.