If you are marketer, it is important that you know how to write a press release. Knowing some effective tips for writing press release will give you an EDGE as a marketer with this skillset. Writing press release is not an easy task and if you are well-versed with writing those inbound writing pieces for the web, you might this as a challenging task.
It doesn’t matter whether you are writing a company event or descripting about your new product line or a new award that you recently received – a press release would help you telling the story to your audience the way you want.
In this blog, I tried to cover 11 effective tips for writing press release to get you the media coverage that you are looking for from your audience. You can find some press release templates and examples here that you can apply your specific scenarios.
11 effective tips for writing press release
- Start strong: The title and initial lines of your story should briefly but directly convey what you are intending to say. Include the 5 W’s – who, what, where, when and why right at the beginning of your news story. The remaining part of the story should include just the supporting facts and examples.
- Make it easy for the media: Some journalists and media agencies would grab your press release story as-is and carry it straight in their publications may be with a little or no alterations. However, even though it’s not used word-by-word, some journalists may use your story as a fodder for other stories or to build their own story ideas. The more details and information you include in your press release, the less work that media need to do on your story.
- Think from a reader’s perspective: It is very important that your press release should be able to keep the reader’s interest. Try to put yourself in your reader’s shoes and think what would you, as a reader, want to read in the press release!
- Make it relevant: Relevance is the key. Try to portray real examples and scenarios that support the message you want to convey to your customers/audience. Stress on to why your information is important for the readers and how it can benefit them. If your story isn’t newsworthy, then don’t expect anyone to read it. Would you like to read something that is not the worth?
- Support your story with real facts: Facts make your point stronger and tell the journalist you’ve done much of the research for those facts. If you have taken the facts from other sources – ensure you accredit those sources. It’s important that you avoid fluff and any add-ons. And never make anything up. If the content of your story appears as too good to be true, tone it down or there is a chance that it hurts your credibility.
- Include your company information: Without company information a press release doesn’t look complete. You should conclude your press release with a short description of your company. It should include – the location of your company, the products and/or services it offers and a brief history. If your press release contains story for more than one company don’t forget to provide information for all the companies at the end of the story. Also include contact information, both email and phone number, for each company’s spokesperson.
- Be concise: Try to avoid using superfluous adjectives, unnecessary clichés or extravagant language. Tell your story to-the-point and as directly as possible.
- Get permission: It is always advisable to get prior written permission from officials or associates of other companies/organizations if you want to include information or quotes as the companies are defensive of their names and images.
- Avoid any exclamation points: It’s better to avoid using exclamation points as it might hurt your credibility by creating an unnecessary hype. However, if you must use an exclamation point, try restricting yourself to only ONE and NOT several!!!
- Avoid industry jargon: The simpler your press release is understandable for the journalists and laymen, the more likely it is to be picked up. A limited use of industry terminologies is ok to optimize your press release for the search engines.
- Time your release: Time to send your press release is very crucial to get you maximum exposure. Try to send the most important stories earlier in the week as by the time it’s Friday afternoon most of the stories get buried.
READ MORE: HOW TO WRITE EXCELLENT LISTICLES
Press releases are an important aspect of any business to gain reach and acquire new customers. With these 11 effective tips for writing press release we wanted to equip you with the right information and knowledge that you can use.
We would like to hear from you any other tips that you think would fit in the list. Do share with us and we would love to feature that as an add-on to this list with accreditation to you or your website.
