Press Release Writing Tips

* Make it newsworthy. Are you solving a problem or filling your readers' needs? Pinpoint what that need or problem is and write the release from that perspective.

* A headline that gets to the point. Craft a headline which conveys immediately why this news is important. Avoid promotional sounding words. What you say here determines whether the reader will read the rest of the release.

* A strong leading paragraph. Answer who, what, where, when, why, and how. Use this paragraph as an abstract or summary for the release.

* Detailed explanation from the reader's perspective. Give details of the news so the editor understands why it's important to his/her readers. Any background information, quotes of note, comparisons to similar products or services, etc., which illustrate the importance of this news should be included here. If you're announcing a new product, mention shipping date, price, and other points of interest.

* Short corporate summary. Include especially any information about products or services which help establish your expertise. Also mention your location, years in business, etc. Keep it short; don't include the annual report.

* Include complete contact information. Contact name, company name, full address, phone number, email address, and Web site URL. The contact name should be someone who's available and capable of answering questions.

* Keep it short. Maximum length should be one to two pages and no more than 500 words.

Tips for Sending a Press Release

* Target your audience. Only contact editors who write about your industry or topic.

* Find out the best way to contact your audience. Is it by snail mail, email, or fax? Not everyone wants press releases by email.

* Don't send email releases with attachments. Send the release within the body of the message.

* Don't follow up. You will annoy most editors by making a second contact.

* Know the editor's deadlines. Don't expect a magazine editor to cover your event scheduled for next week.

* Update your Web site with the "news" before sending your release. If it's a new product, update that section of your site. If it's not important enough to be added to your own site, why should anyone write about it?

* Do not call editors, publications, etc., on their 800 numbers. This includes calling to get the name and address of the appropriate editor as well as worthless follow up calls ("did you get my release?"). Don't expect others to pick up the tab for your marketing costs.

back to marketing tips...