How to write press releases that work

Well-written press releases can get your company name out in front of people. But simply sending out press releases that are presented as what amounts to a list of facts rather than a carefully thought out news piece won’t serve you well.

Here are some basic tips on putting together press releases that will appeal to journalists.

Think about your audience
Before you begin compiling your release, you need to think about the type of media titles you’ll be approaching and what kind of story is most likely to appeal to them. For example, national consumer media titles like the daily news paper will need a clear news agenda to be attached to your release; local papers will only print stories that concern their coverage area in some way.

Find your angle
What’s the message that you want to convey in your release? Are you looking to recruit more people or simply raise the positive profile of you company? Your press release needs to project your key message. Think about trying to tie your story in with the current news agenda in some way, and don’t forget that case study releases – where you demonstrate a real life example of what your company has achieved – can be particularly effective.

Stay within the triangle
News organisations like the ‘inverted triangle’ style of writing, which means the lead paragraph has to convey the most important part of the news, with the rest of the story providing finer details. Write your press releases in this way and it makes it easier for journalists to transfer this to the page – something that makes their lives a great deal easier and means you’re more likely to get coverage.

Keep short and snappy
In your lead paragraph, you should answer the who, what, why, when, where and how of your story, so keep the sentences short, simple and to the point. Remember that you’re writing a news release, not a sales page, so try and keep an impartial and objective tone throughout the release – feel free to go crazy with adjectives within any quotes, though!

Get a quote
Quotes from a spokesperson both within and outside of your company can add weight to your release, and also give you more of a forum to gush about your company’s achievements (see above).

Don’t forget the call to action
Always include a call to action at the end of your release, like directing the reader to your company website. The paper might not print it, but you won’t get if you don’t ask.

For assistance with any press release subjects and writing make sure to use the services of PR Agencies to make sure your business gets its message across.

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