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How To Write A Press Release
By Joshua Jenkins
how to write a press release
By definition a press release is a statement pre-prepared for distribution to the media. To write a press release is to provide journalists with relevant and useful information on any particular topic or issue. Learning how to write a press release is much like writing any thing else, the story is vital. If it is about an event which effects your industry or a change which may effect your customer base, the need for direction and story remains. It is important to remember that although a press release can affect your customer base the main focus should be to deliver a news-worthy story about the company to the reader. Learning how to write a press release is an important tool of business and should be taken very seriously.
Whether it is for a company or an individual, delivering a clear, intelligent press release is the best way of communicating a message between you and the media or public. The main thing to remember is that when you write your press release there should have a purpose, this means that when writing it you should be constantly thinking about the point. Information covered in your press release should include: a first paragraph of who's, what's, when's and where's, contact information, mention of key clients as well as authorised endorsements from neutral sources such as university professors etc, and a short paragraph at the end of the press release containing any relevant background info about the company. The background information may include a synopsis of activities of the company, how long they have been in business and any area of expertise. How to decide what information is relevant is up to you, remember to be specific and keep things in context, how much or how little is a tricky balance to achieve.
An important aspect to think about when learning how to write a press release is the format. Keep the headline of the press release short and snappy, this means keeping it under ten words (less more likely), there should also be a date and a list of contact information. Keep the vast bulk of the press release within context, anyone reading it should get the point very quickly. The effective balancing of statistics with words is vital to the overall effect of the press release. There is a need for numbers and graphs but this needs to be weighed against the usefulness of words. These things are vital in understanding how to write write an effective press release.
Another important factor is timing. Writing your press release is one thing but deciding when to release it is another altogether. If you want to write a press release with relevance to holidays or special events it should be sent around three weeks prior to the event. This allows ample time for the media to utilise the information. How to send it is also important, the most common method would be via email, but the postman is still a good way. How you do it is up to you.
The writing of a successful press release depends firstly on the skills of the writer. How to go about writing a press release is up to you, but if you don't have the ability to string relevant information together with easy to read syntax, structure and language then you need to give this task to someone else. After this the most important thing is the information, that means you need the following: newsworthy info, appropriate address (who it is to), description of news followed by who wrote it (not the other way round), an effective beginning (your first ten words are the most important), avoid using fancy language, deal with facts and provide ample contact information. If these things are achieved then it should be a good press release.
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