How to write a killer press release
A well-crafted press release adheres to certain style and formatting guidelines, because journalists have expectations and time constraints just like anyone else. Depending on whom you listen to, they are also famously impatient.
When you’re writing a press release, you of course want to ensure that said journalists can scan the information easily, processing the pertinent facts therein. However, it’s vital to snare their attention, to keep them reading till the end and provoke a reaction. Follow these tips and you’ll do just that.
• Format properly
Journalists are looking for an excuse to hit the trash icon. Don’t give them one. Format your press release in the industry-accepted fashion using one of the many templates available online. Fit your press release on a single sheet of paper. Then focus on writing killer copy.
• Seize attention with an eye-catching headline
The title of your press release should be a mini press release in its own right. In other words, when it lands in an inbox, the subject line should communicate its essence without having to be opened.
In the document itself, position your headline in the center, beneath your contact information, and avoid unnecessary verbal clutter.
Take inspiration from this sleek headline from a recent Apple release: “Apple unveils Apple TV+, the new home for the world’s most creative storytellers.”
Oh, and you might consider writing a descriptive subheading, positioned beneath the main headline. Keep it within 20 words and expand upon the key message of your subject line. If it’s sufficiently engaging, your reader will decide then and there to read to the end.
• Don’t ‘bury’ the story
Press releases are supposed to be succinct. Yet you’d be surprised by the number of companies who naively assume that their mini masterpiece will be read to the end, and as such postpone their big reveal like a Game of Thrones cliff hanger. Make sure your news angle is contained in the first few lines, otherwise your meticulously-crafted release is destined for the bin.
• Find an angle
The words News Written on a wooden cute on a Newspaper GETTY
Bearing in mind that many recipients won’t really, truly care about what you are saying, it’s worthwhile trying to find an interesting angle.
Does your news tie into something currently trending? Can you solve a problem that has recently been in the headlines? Perhaps you’re launching a new carbon fiber road bike on Cycle to Work Day.
Convey what your product or service has to offer the reader and you’ll maximize your chances of engagement.
• Make it personal
Are you blasting inboxes with the intention of maximizing coverage? Then you’re probably sending out a generic covering email and alienating journalists who might otherwise shine a spotlight on your content. Take some time to personalize correspondence, indicating that you selected that person because you thought they might harbor an interest in what you have to say. It might not always be the case but it will enhance your chances of success.
• Use a quote
Even if you’re well-known to the journalist in question – and let’s face it, as a small business you probably aren’t – it’s smart to deploy a quote in your press release, to mark yourself as distinct from the spammy press releases that so often hit journalists’ mailboxes. These clunky releases read as though they’ve been written by bots, so incorporating a quote in your release will show a ‘human face’. Quote a salesperson, quote a customer who left a glowing review, quote the CEO: just quote someone, and make sure the words are nice.
Conclusion
Press releases don’t require major investment. What they require is a bit of effort and consistency. If you’ve got news to share, start sharing it. Just make sure you heed the aforementioned tips before pressing send!
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