WORD MAGIC: (full story)
Press Releases 101 (PART II) ...
Last month, we discussed topics newsworthy
enough to use in a press release. This month, we
will discuss the basic outline of a press
release and how to make it effective by keeping
it brief, direct, and interesting.
Indicate When the Press
Release Should Become Public
This is the only place in a press release you
should use all capitals and this information
should be against the left margin of the page.
The majority of the time, you will select “FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR RELEASE AFTER (Give
Release Date)
Contact Data
This should indicate the person best able to
field questions and be interviewed on the
information contained in the Press Release and
most likely to make your company or cause look
good. This information should be left flush on
your page.
-
Individual Contact’s Name
-
Name of the Company
-
Physical Address (if desired)
-
Website URL
-
E-Mail Address
-
Telephone Number
-
Statement of willingness to be interviewed
and contacted
If
you are submitting your press release on company
letterhead, you should only need include the
contact name, your e-mail address, the telephone
number, and the statement of willingness to be
interviewed.
The Headline
This is also called “the title” or “the header”
and should capture attention and draw the eye.
If your headline is boring, your release will
never survive for a first reading.
Be
creative. Don’t use all caps. Do capitalize the
first letter of all main words. Keep it brief,
but make a strong statement.
Put Yourself on the Map
The city of origin and date should be the lead
portion of your press release and should be in
the following format:
Atlanta, May 1 –
or
Dunnville, KY, May 1 –
If
your city is well known, you may skip the state.
If you live in a less well-known location, be
sure to include the state to help “place” your
news geographically, especially when
distributing the release online, or in other
regional, national or international forums and
publications.
Clincher or Introduction
Paragraph
This short paragraph should be a hard-hitting
statement that quickly covers the basic
information and the major news points required
for any good press release:
Who
What
Where
When
Why
How
Always include your business name and website in
this first paragraph. Often people will read
only the “clincher” and then will browse other
sections. Your press release should be written
in an inverse pyramid format where the most
important and essential information is included
at the top and the less important information is
included further down, with the least important
information being included at the end.
Editors cut press releases from the bottom to
make them fit on the page. If it’s at the end of
your release, consider it disposable.
Quote Me!
Be
sure to include a quote on the topic. This will
break up the dryness of a report-style press
release and will provide the personal touch for
your readers. It can also serve the piece in the
same way a testimonial would and it adds
humanity to the message.
Why merely provide information, when you can
tell why the information is important? Use the
quote to tell your readers what’s in it for
them. Why is this newsworthy? Will it improve
the way things are currently done? Will it make
something easier? More affordable?
You cannot editorialize in the body of the press
release, but the quote can be a bit less formal.
Who Cares?
Many new press release writers include the basic
information required for a press release but
forget to include the “so what?” or the “who
cares?” portion. Relate your information to hot
news topics for your industry or items of
interest to your target market
Is
it a local story? Does it affect local citizens,
businesses or economies? Is it unusual or the
first of it’s kind? If you have a fact on the
topic that makes it noteworthy, then say so!
Conclusion
The final paragraph should restate and/or expand
on the main points of the press release.
About Us
This section should be titled “About (Your
Company Name)” and should be a short corporate
background statement. This section is used by
the media for additional information on your
company. It may include basic information about
what your company does, any claims to fame, a
bit about your company history, your location
and contact information for the individual in
charge of answering general information
questions. This contact is not usually the same
as the individual listed at the top of the press
release, but it can be.
That covers the basics of
writing your own press release. In a later
article we will discuss distribution and the
REAL reason you want to get your press releases
out into the world. But first...
Make Me Over, Please!
After the Press Release 101
article appeared in the previous edition, Terry
Smith of RE/MAX Fine Properties in Arizona
e-mailed me to request a rework of his existing
information into an effective press release.
With his permission, in PART
III next month I will give you a real life
example of a “before and after” press release
MAKEOVER!
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