Your company has some huge news to announce—but how can you communicate it to the public in the most effective way? Most businesses, large and small, issue a press release to the media when they have something to say.
A press release is an effective way of announcing something your company has done, such as the development of a new product or an exciting new opportunity. However, press release writing isn’t as simple as it sounds.
Many media outlets receive thousands of press releases each year, so how can you make sure yours stands out? It helps if you know the formula for writing the perfect press release.
To learn more, keep reading to find key guidelines for writing a press release that people will actually want to read!
A Timely Hook
If you’re writing press releases, don’t send them out unless you have a timely hook! The whole point is to notify the media about something exciting that your business has just done or is about to do.
If you send a press release that isn’t timely or relevant, it’s likely to get ignored by the people you send it out—plus, they might be annoyed and feel like you’re wasting their time.
Instead, be smart when it comes to sending your press release and plan it around a big event that’s sure to warrant media attention. This could be the launch of a new product, a big conference, or a company merger.
Perfect Editing
If writing the best press releases is your aim, then you need to pay attention to your grammar. Every press release that gets sent out should be well-written, grammatically correct, and edited well.
Would you take a press release seriously if it contained errors or spelling mistakes? Probably not—it would come across as unprofessional.
Luckily, there are plenty of editing tips that you can use to improve your work. Look for sentences that you can shorten into two, skip the passive voice, and cut out filler words that aren’t needed.
Or, if editing isn’t for you, look for a press release writing service that can turn your newsworthy event into a beautifully-written press release.
A Call to Action
After someone has read your press release, what do you want them to do next? Remember that a good press release should always contain a call to action.
Simply, this is your way to tell readers what you want them to do after they read the release—you can learn more from this press release example.
The whole point of sending a press release is to get attention for your company, so make it clear as to what you want readers to do. You might want media coverage for an event, articles in local papers, or registrations for an event.
Be Concise
A perfect press release shouldn’t be too long—you want to keep it concise, focusing on only the most important information.
The media and publications you send it to are sure to be busy, and they receive multiple press releases each day. If yours is too long, they might not even bother reading it.
If your press release is longer than one page, consider chopping it down. If you do have plenty more information you want to share, a good option is to include it as a separate PDF or via a web link, so readers can click on it to learn more if they’re interested.
Include All the Relevant Information
Don’t forget anything important when writing your release! You’ll want to include the who, when, where, why, and how.
This ensures everyone who reads it knows exactly when the event is happening, why it’s important, and everything else involving the timing and logistics. If it’s unclear from your press release as to when an event is starting and ending, for example, then it’s going to confuse people and reduce the chances of them attending.
Don’t Forget Your Contact Details
At the end of each press release, be sure to include the contact details for yourself or someone within the company—ideally, someone involved with marketing or PR.
This will be the point of contact to the public, so they know who to contact with any questions, to schedule an interview, or to request additional information. You’ll want to list their full name, job title, email, and phone number.
Including a contact person also saves other staff members within the company from receiving calls related to the press release. It should be clear internally and externally as to who is responsible for the press release and its follow up.
Target the Right People
Once you’re ready to send out your press release, be strategic! You only want it to go to people who are going to be interested in what you have to say.
Sending it to the media or key public figures who don’t work within your industry isn’t going to do you any favors, and will probably result in your press release being ignored. Create a focused, clear email list for your press release, but don’t pad it with people who probably won’t care.
Use These Press Release Writing Tips to Improve Your Marketing
If you’re ready to improve your press release writing, the tips above are sure to help. Use these ideas to improve the way your company writes press releases, which can help your company improve its marketing and promotions.
Get started today and you’re sure to generate plenty of buzz for your next event or product launch!
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