Do You Want to Create Press Releases That the Media Love?

by Wendy McClelland © 2004

Press Releases are one of the very best ways to publicize your business with hardly spending any money (possibly just postage or fax costs) unless your hire someone to write it for you.

A press release is basically written as if YOU are a REPORTER writing about YOU. Write from the perspective of a reporter interviewing you.

You want to explain the who, what, where, when and why of an event that affects you. Including quotes are important ways to make the article more realistic as well.

PRESS RELEASE DO’s and DON’T’s

DO

·         Use a press release to announce a new business opening, a business expansion, new owners, new location, participation in a special out of town trade show, winning an award, sponsoring a charity event, owner or employee achieving excellence in work or outside interest (eg. sports) or anything else makes your company (or an individual within the company) stand out

·         Send them frequently – once a month is great (you’ll begin to be known as an expert in your field, and the media will begin to call YOU when a story comes up that is relevant to your field and they want a comment)

·         Include quotes from you or others to add interest and credibility, within the press release

·         Have someone proof read them for you – make sure the grammar is good and there are no typing mistakes

·         Keep them to one page if at all possible

·         Keep  them double spaced on white paper with black ink

·         Provide contact information so that a reporter can contact you if they have more questions

·         Be sure to identify when the press release can be printed (if you wish it to be held by the media source for a week tell them!)

·         Find out how media sources wish to receive press releases (email, fax or postal service) and if there is a specific person they should be addressed to – then be sure to send it the way it is requested, and to the person it should go to

DON’T

·         Use a press release to sell your product, announce a sale or advertise

·         Use fancy color paper or ink

·         Hand write or print with a poor quality printer that is fuzzy or unclear

·         Forget to give your contact information

·         Make your press release longer than one to two pages at most

·         Try to write a press release if your writing skills are poor – hire someone to write it for you

·         Call the media after you’ve sent the press release to ask when it will run (they are too busy – and they will consider you a pest)

Who to send the Press Release to:  If the event you are writing about affects just your local area send it to the local media, but if it is something bigger (eg. your business has been nominated for a national award) send the press release to the media in the closest large major city, as well as your local media. You may also send it to radio stations, television stations and specialty magazines (eg. business, lifestyle, etc – depending on what your press release is about).

Press Release Format

8 ˝ x 11 white paper, double spaced if possible, two pages at most

TOP LEFT CORNER you want to let the news media WHEN they can print the Press Release.

- You can put “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” and this means they can print it anytime after they receive it.

- You could put a specific date if you want to hold the press release for a specific date if you don’t want to announce your event until a certain day. In that case you would put “FOR RELEASE ON JUNE 10, 2005”

TOP RIGHT CORNER put the date you are sending out the Press Release.

Create a Title That Will “Grab” Readers

FIRST PARAGRAPH start with City, Date.  The first paragraph introduces the person and situation to us and helps us see a “picture” of the situation they are facing. Give three to four details about the situation, possibly even a quote.

SECOND PARAGRAPH provides more depth and details, and usually a quote. This paragraph helps build a word picture and allows the reader to be drawn into the story you are creating.

THIRD PARAGRAPH similar to paragraph two – more details and quotes. Pretend you don’t know anything about the business. Think of ways to ask questions that will answer those questions.

FOURTH &/OR FIFTH PARAGRAPH This paragraph (or two) should pull the story together. Refer back to what was started in paragraph one so you can “tie up loose ends” and create a conclusion.

 - end - 

The format above, the word "end" shows the (almost) last thing you need to type at the bottom of your press release.

BOTTOM LEFT put contact information:

Be sure to take a look at this sample Press Release.

Be sure to take a look at this Press Release as it was printed by local media.

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*** If you would like to reprint this article in your own newsletter, on a website or for distribution you may, BUT you MUST include this bio:

Bio: Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to "think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations. She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website – www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com

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