Writing the perfect press release is really simple. Think about the who, what, where, why and when.
If you can clearly and simply articulate all of the above (ideally in the first paragraph but definitely within the first two) then you’re on to a winner.
For example ‘Brand X, leading manufacturer of [insert discipline] has this week launched a new range of X due to growing consumer demand in the region post pandemic. The new range launch will bring X new jobs to [insert area].’
You essentially need to summarise your story concisely to capture the attention of the journalist you’re trying to woo.
How to structure a press release
This simple structure can help you to shape your release.
1. 1st paragraph – who, what, where, why, when
2. 2nd paragraph – expand on information in first paragraph, with a few extra details
3. 3rd paragraph – supporting information (if required)
4. 4th paragraph – quote – from business owner/spokesperson
5. 5th paragraph – summary (plus any generic information e.g. website links)
You should end with you contact details in case anyone has any enquiries about your story and best proactive is to also include a ‘Notes to Editors’ section with some factual information about your company/brand.
Something that’s absolutely critical when it comes to writing press releases is to cut out the fluff and the sales spiel. Journalists want factual copy. If you can say something in five words, say it in five instead of ten. Don’t beat about the bush and do not shoehorn sales messaging into a press release because it will get stripped straight out.
Remember the rule of editing too – generally press releases will be edited from the bottom up so make sure your critical information is at the top.
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