Writing press releases - the how and the why
Your average press release writer has known for a long time that column inches in the nice, impartial press are like dynamite for business. Writing press releases is also an incredibly cheap form of publicity.
Look at it this way: a colour ad in the business section of a national newspaper might cost you £20,000. A press release writer will do you a press release that will cost £150 or £200 - at the very outside, you’ll be paying £500 (and certainly not with this press release writer).
It’s a no-brainer. Even more so when you consider credibility. Ads are written by the advertiser, with overblown hype a conspicuous element. Your press release writer, however, should write your press releases in the style of the target publication. Something they’ll want to publish.
You see, readers trust independent authorities like columnists and reviewers. In turn, columnists and reviewers love good press release writers. Why? Because a good press release writer will do their job for them. While they simply sit back with a gin-and-tonic and watch the cricket.
So what’s a press release writer trying to achieve with his press releases?
How to write a press release
Writing press releases is easy. Why? Because writing press releases follows a well-understood format. Writing press releases begins with a professional look - which means a company masthead, address, date, ‘PRESS RELEASE’, that kind of thing, across the top.
Moving down, your press release needs a headline. This is vital. (And make it bold, big and centred.) Writing press releases without headlines is like painting the Royal Portrait and leaving off the Queen’s head. Keep it to one line if you can, focus on the actual news, and try to find a topical angle. In other words, writing good press releases means writing newsworthy press releases.
The next element of writing press releases is the opening paragraph. Equally critical. Ever heard of the five Ws of writing press releases? Who? What? Where? Why? When? A nice little ‘how?’ doesn’t hurt, either. A half-decent press release writer will use them as a checklist.
You see, a good press release writer knows that editors edit press releases from the foot upwards. Sometimes, he might be left only with your opening para. So your press releases had better answer all of his questions right up-front.
Your press release writer should then tackle the main body of the text. Flesh out the story. Add quotes. Give all the detail. But put nothing into your press releases that’s irrelevant. Try not to go over one side of A4. If you do, indicate with a cont./ in the bottom corner that your press release is continued overleaf.
A good press release writer will signal the end of his press releases with a simple ‘ENDS’. After this, your press release writer might add a NOTES TO EDITORS section. Usually numbered, this gives contact information, further background to the story and useful reference links, such as websites.
I’m pretty handy at writing press releases myself.
t: Nigel,
+44 (0)1772 435827
m: 07745 092037
e: nigel@mightier-than.com