The two types of press release

A conventional ‘hard copy’ press release is a brief document generally one to two double-spaced type written pages.

E-mail press releases are usually shorter in length than their print counterparts. The majority of electronic news releases sent are 500 words of text organized into five, short two to three sentence paragraphs.

Principles to follow when composing a press release

1. Keep the press release short.

It is easy to say too much in a press release. The longer you ramble on the less likely you will be able to hold the attention of the person reading it. Get to the point. Usually a single A4 page is sufficient. Use only enough words to tell your story. Avoid using unnecessary adjectives, flowery language, or redundant expressions. If you can tell your story with fewer words, do it. Wordiness distracts from your story. Keep it concise. Make each word count.

2. Write a catchy, short, heading at the top of the press release

Start strong. Your headline and first paragraph should tell the story. The rest of your press release should provide the detail. You have a matter of seconds to grab your readers’ attention. Do not blow it with a weak opening.

3. Put the NEW news first in your press release.

The opening paragraph must feature the NEW news. When writing your press release get to what is new and exciting FIRST.

4. Make it easy for the media.

. Your press release format needs to be so clear that the media can use it verbatim. In some cases, for example, such as on a community radio station it may be read word-for-word on-air; or a local newspaper may place it directly in the paper; and so on. Your press release needs, therefore, to include all essential information in a format that is clear and easy to understand. On occasion, media outlets, especially online media, will pick up your press release and run it in their publications with little or no modification. More commonly, journalists will use your press release as a springboard for a larger feature story. In either case, try to develop a story as you would like to have it told. Even if your news is not reprinted verbatim, it may provide an acceptable amount of exposure.

5. Include a quotable quote in your press release.

Include a quotable quote, even if you are quoting yourself! Place it inside quotation marks, make it interesting and specify who said it. Some newspapers and magazines will lift the quote directly from your press release and put it in their own article. Quotes can make the press release more interesting.

6. Have no jargon in your press release.Stick to the facts. Tell the truth. Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations.

7. Create an interesting press release.

Pick an angle. Try to make your press release timely. Tie your news to current events or social issues if possible. Make sure that your story has a good news hook.

8. Include the practical details in your press release.

If you have an event, make sure you give all the relevant and important practical details together in one place in your press release. If you do not include all the practical details the value of your press release will be diminished for you.

9. Include your contact details in the press release.

It is important that the media can find the relevant contact details easily in your press release. These would usually be placed at the bottom or the top of the press release in large print. Make sure that you include phone numbers and that there will be people who are available to answer the phones if they are called. Don’t let them go to voice mails. The media wants an answer when they call and don’t want to wait for you to call them back, if at all possible.

10.Use active, not passive, voice.

Verbs in the active voice bring your press release to life. Rather than writing “entered into a partnership” use “partnered” instead. Do not be afraid to use strong verbs as well. For example, “The committee exhibited severe hostility over the incident.” reads better if changed to “The committee was enraged over the incident.” Writing in this manner, helps guarantee that your press release will be read.

11. Follow-up on your press release.

A press release is only the first step in securing a media interview or free media publicity. Many people make the mistake of sending in their press release and then sitting back and waiting for something to happen. Often nothing happens. There is still a lot for you to do. Your next step is to make contact with the people you sent your press release to, to see if they got it, to gauge their interest or to draw their attention to it.

Press release layout

• Headline – used to grab the attention of journalists and briefly summarize the news.
• Dateline – contains the release date and usually the originating city of the press release.
• Introduction – first paragraph in a press release, that generally gives basic answers to the questions of who, what, when, where and why.
• Body – further explanation, statistics, background, or other details relevant to the news.
• Boilerplate – generally a short “about” section, providing independent background on the issuing company, organization, or individual.
• Close – traditionally the symbol “-30-” appears after the boilerplate or body and before the media contact information, indicating to media that the release is ending. A more modern equivalent has been the “###” symbol. In other countries, other means of indicating the end of the release may be used, such as the text “ends”.
• Media Contact Information – name, phone number, email address, mailing address, or other contact information for the PR or other media relations contact person.

Always remember to:

1. Double space.
2. Use black ink.
3. Use white paper.
4. Proofread for grammar and spelling.
5. Keep the press release to under one page.

Resource Tool: Press Release Builder

 

What is a Press Release?

• Informs reporters about your event, report, or issue.
• More detailed than the “advisory” – should tell all the information a reporter needs to write their piece.
• Envision, then write the press release as the news story YOU would want to see written.
• Sent out the morning of or the day before the event.

Elements

• Headline. This will make or break a news release – include the most important information in the headline, and make it punchy. The headline can be up to four lines if necessary, including a sub-head, if used, but keep it short (and remember to use a large font).
• Important information should jump off the page – most reporters will only spend 30 seconds looking at a release.
• Spend 75 percent of your time writing the headline and the first paragraph.
• Use the inverted pyramid style of news writing. Make your most important points early in the release and work your way down.
• Keep sentences and paragraphs short. No more than three sentences per paragraph. Include a colorful quote from a spokesperson in the second or third paragraph.
• Include a short summary of your organization in the last paragraph.
• Mention “Photo Opportunity”, if there is one. Be sure to send a copy of the release to the photo desk.

Structure / Form

• In the top left corner, type “For Immediate Release”.
• Below “For Immediate Release”, type the date.
• Contact Information: In the top right corner, type names and phone numbers of two contacts. Make sure these contacts can be easily reached by phone. Including the contact’s home phone number, if appropriate.
• Type “###” at the end of your release. This is how journalists mark the end of a news copy.
• Type “MORE” at the end of page 1 if your release is two pages, and put a contact phone number and short headline in the upper-right hand corner of subsequent pages.
• Print your release on your organization’s letterhead.

How to Distribute It**

• A release should be sent out the morning of, or the day before your event. In some cases, you may want to send an “embargoed” copy to select reporters ahead of time, meaning that the information is confidential until the date you specify.
• Generally, send a release to only one reporter per outlet.
• If your release announces an event, send it to the “daybooks”. A daybook lists news events scheduled to take place in the region on that day. Someone from each major outlet reviews the daybooks each morning.
• ALWAYS make follow up calls after you send the release. If your release is announcing an event, make the calls the morning before your event is scheduled.
• Have a copy of the release ready to be faxed when you make the calls.

Example

ALIPAC ENDORSES MIKE CAUSEY
Americans for Legal Immigration PAC has endorsed Mike Causey in the crowded race for the Republican House nomination in the Sixth District of NC. ?The Primary Election for his office will be held on Tuesday, May 6th.
ALIPAC is committed to supporting Americans and legal immigrants by supporting enforcement of America’s existing border and immigration laws instead of supporting any path to citizenship for illegal immigrants which would undermine US laws and borders.. Causey received the ALIPAC endorsement based on his responses to the 2014 ALIPAC candidate survey. ALIPAC encourages Americans who oppose illegal immigration and amnesty for illegals to support Causey and the other 100 candidates it has endorsed for federal office in 2014.
Causey reacted to the endorsement,” I am honored to be endorsed by ALIPAC. They do good work fighting illegal immigration. Although I favor legal immigration, we must secure our borders on all sides and stop the constant flow of illegal immigrants into the United States. My wife is an immigrant–a legal immigrant who became a US citizen and did everything right according to the letter of the law. Allowing illegal immigration while we look the other way is an insult and slap in the face to the millions of legal immigrants in America. This country was built by legal immigrants. As your Congressman, I will work tirelessly to secure our borders and stop illegal immigration.”

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1127685