Does the thought of writing a press release make you cringe? Fear no more!

After you have read this article, your press releases will flow from your
fingertips well, maybe not, but you will have learned the basics of writing a
standard press release.
Let us begin by reviewing what a press release is.
By definition a press release is simply a statement prepared for distribution to
the media. The purpose of a press release is to give journalists information
that is useful, accurate and interesting. Get it? Useful, accurate and
interesting, it is that easy.
Press releases are in all actuality 'cookie cutter'. Once you get the hang of
writing them, all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Press releases conform to
an established format. Journalist receive so many press releases a day, they
have set standards and expectations that you must conform to just to have
your release read, let alone published. If your press release is printed 'as is',
without changing even one word, then you know you have conformed to the
journalistic standards of that particular medium. "Write on", you're doing a
great job!
Press releases should be printed on company letterhead. If this is not
feasible, adding the company logo is essential. The companies name, web
address, location address and phone number should be printed clearly at the
top of the page. PRESS RELEASE should be spelled out in all CAPS and
centered in bold. The press release contact persons name should be
underneath the wording and all contact numbers printed clearly underneath. If
the press release is for IMMEDIATE RELEASE, say so, on the left margin
directly above the title in all caps.
The next essential component of the press release is the Headline or Title. It
should be centered, and in bold. The heading of the press release should
capture the journalist. The title of the press release should be short and
snappy, and hopefully grabbing the attention of the journalist and impressing
them enough to read on.
You are now ready for the useful, accurate and interesting BODY of the press
release. The body of the press release begins with the date and city for which
the press release is originated.
The body of the press release is very basic; who, what, where, when and
why. The first paragraph of the press release should contain in brief detail
what the press release is about. The second paragraph explains, in detail:
who cares; why you should care; where one can find it; when it will happen.
Also, included in the second 'informative' paragraph is generally a quote that
gives the release a personal touch. Touchy-feelies go a long way with
journalists. Press releases and news stories are boring to journalists without a
'human interest'. The third and generally final paragraph is a summation of the

release and further information on your company with the company contact
information clearly spelled out.
The content of the press release, beginning with the date and city of origin,
should be typed in a clear, basic font (Times New Roman, Arial, etc.) and
double-spaced. If your press release exceeds one page, the second page
should indicate ' Page Two' in the upper right hand corner. Journalistic
standards have set basic parameters to define the end of a press release:
###. Three # symbols, centered directly underneath the last line of the release
indicate the end of a press release.
The next time you are tasked with writing a press release for your company,
have no fear, the basic rules are clear: useful, accurate and interesting
information portrayed within the set journalistic guidelines. Click on this link to
view an example of a press release that was published 'as is' by two local
media outlets that you may use as a reference to the materials outlined here.
Good luck! Write on!
Press Release Checklist

Company Letterhead, Name, Address, Phone Number, Web Address

PRESS RELEASE in all caps
Contact Person's Name
Immediate Release or Release Date(all caps)
HEADLINE or TITLE in BOLD/CAPS
BODY-Date/City-who,what,when,where and why.
Catchy Text
Sum it up...
Basic Font, Double Spaced, Page Numbers, and ###
Action Plan/Calendar

What is a press release?

A press release is pseudo-news story, written in third person, that seeks

to demonstrate to an editor or reporter the newsworthiness of a
particular person, event, service or product.
How is a press release used?
Press releases are often sent alone, by e-mail, fax or snail mail. They
can also be part of a full press kit, or may be accompanied by a pitch
letter.
What is the proper press release format?
Here's a sample press release template you can use to format your
press release correctly:

Note: The three #'s mark the end of the press release.
What should I put in my press release?
The story: What do kids think about a "thin is in" society?

As you sift through your message boards looking for quotes, you see a trend appearing. The
of messages criticizing Hollywood actresses and pop singers for being too thin. Many girls a
that seeing these women make them feel bad about their own bodies. A number of the boys
out that they don't find ultra-thin women appealing.
Now you've got your angle -- your hook that will grab a reporter's attention:
Teenagers think that a "thin is in" society pretty much stinks.
Now let's get writing.
Press Release Headline
Before you write a word, remember this:

The reporter isn't interested in helping you make money or driving visitors to your site. He's l
story that will be interesting to his readers and pleasing to his editor. He could care less abo
selection, super customer service and commitment to quality. He wants to know only the info
help him craft a good story about teens and their weight.

Take your ego out of it. Take your natural inclination to sell, sell, sell out of it. Look at your sto
cold, objective eye.
OK, let's get to our press release headline.

State your most exciting news, finding or announcement in as few words as possible. Emula
headlines you see in the newspaper every day.

Bad Press Release Headline:

NEW WEBSITE THAT OFFERS HERBAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS LETS TEENS SPE
ABOUT WEIGHT ISSUES
Good Press Release Headline:
TEENS: ULTRA-THIN MOVIE, POP STARS SET BAD EXAMPLE

Don't worry, you'll get to plug your website soon enough. In the meantime, you've just thrown
hook at the reporter.
The Press Release Subhead

Subheads are remarkably useful tools, yet usually overlooked by press release writers. Basi
press release subhead gives you the opportunity to flesh out your angle and further hook the

without stepping on the drama of the press release headline.

Here's a headline/subhead combo I might use for this press release:
TEENS: ULTRA-THIN MOVIE, POP STARS SET BAD EXAMPLE
Website Forumgoers Weigh In: Teens Don't Find Ultra-Thin Celebs Attractive;
Girls Say Negative Self-Images Reinforced by Hollywood's Super-Skinny
The Press Release Lead

It's Journalism 101 -- the lead paragraph includes the who, what, when, where and how of th
the reporter were only to read the lead of a good press release, he'd have everything he nee
started.
There's no room for BS, hype or sell. Just the facts.

Bad Press Release Lead

Recently on theplace4vitamins.com, an online store dedicated to selling the best herbal prod
teenagers had the chance to say what they thought about weight loss and whether a society
pressures young people to be thin is a good thing or a bad thing.

Good Press Release Lead

America's teenagers are angry at Hollywood for glamorizing ultra-thin bodies, and many girls
feel too self-conscious about their bodies as a result of watching TV, movies and music vide
findings are gleaned from more than six months of ongoing discussion and debate at the we
theplace4vitamins.com. According to theplace4vitamins.com President John Smith, anger an
resentment toward the Hollywood ultra-thin runs deep, particularly among teenage girls.
The Rest of the Press Release

The balance of the press release serves to back up whatever claims were made in the lead
headline. In this case, you'd pull some quotes from the message boards (an aside here: if yo
were to pull quotes in this fashion, you should only use the poster's name or identifying infor
his or her permission. Otherwise, simply say "a 14 year old boy said..." or "a 16 year old Mid
added..." Also, if this technique appeals to you, be certain that a disclaimer appears on your
boards notifying posters that all posts become your property and copyright). Use enough sup
material to make your case, and to demonstrate that, whatever angle you're promoting, it wa
something you slapped together carelessly.
Next, a quote will help put in some perspective:

"I was surprised by the level of anger expressed in these messages," Smith said. "Teenager
more clued into this issue than most people would imagine."
Or, you might ask an expert for a quote:

"This demonstrates once again the need to teach young girls and boys about how to develop
self-image," said Jane Doe, author of "I Like My Body Just As It Is". "theplace4vitamins.com

true service by bringing these attitudes to the public's attention."

Finally, spend a sentence or two describing your company and what you do:

theplace4vitamins.com was founded in 1997 to provide consumers with a wide choice of vita
supplements and herbal products. The site offers a range of articles, research materials and
forums for the health conscious consumer.

This paragraph is known as the "boilerplate" -- an old newspaper term meaning a block of st
that's used over and over again (e.g. the explanation of symbols on the stock price page). In
it's text that you might use at the bottom of all your releases.
Place your boilerplate right above the # # #'s.
One more trick: below the ###'s, add a line that says something like:

If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with John Smith, p
Pat Brown at 555/555-2222 or e-mail Pat at pr@theplace4vitamins.com
Some Key Things to Remember

Stay away from hype-bloated phrases like "breakthrough", "unique", "state-of-the-art"

Always write it from a journalist's perspective. Never use "I" or "we" unless it's in a qu

Read lots of good newspaper writing, such as the New York Times or the Washington
a feel for the style.

Shorter is better. If you can say it in two pages, great. If you can say it in one page, be

Writing a press release is, not too different from writing any other document.
We are going to discuss the content of your press release and how it should
be formatted. Certain rules must be followed to ensure that you are including
all the necessary information.
In addition, it must be laid out in a manner that will not negatively affect the
reader's interpretation.
Press Release Topic?
What is my story?
In order to write a press release, you must determine the subject of your story.
It can be about an event that affects your industry, or it can be about a change
in your company that will affect your customer base. Whatever you choose to

be your story, you must remember to cover the basics. Your press release
must always tell who, what, where, when, and why.
Is my story news?
A mistake that is often made in the development of a press release is the
misunderstanding that a press release is an advertisement. It must be
understood that, even though a press release can assist your company in
acquiring customers, it should not be your focus. The primary purpose of your
press release is to deliver a newsworthy story about your company to the
reader.

Writing a Press Release

Once you have answered the important questions, it is time to begin writing.
Like any other paper, you should always start off with your thesis. Your thesis
is the purpose for why you are writing the press release. Make sure that you
express this thought in a manner that is of interest to your prospective reader.
Readers are very picky; if they do not see relevance in your press release
immediatly, they will discard it.
The layout for your press release:
First, open with a strong headline to grab the reader's attention. The headline
along with your opening paragraph should tell a fascinating story. This is
essential to keeping the reader's interest as they read through the detail
section of the release that follows.
Second, stick to the facts. Make it interesting, but avoid added extras. Also,
when giving the details of your press release, be sure to illustrate the story to
your reader. Use real life examples that they will be able to relate to or
visualize.
Next, select an appropriate angle for your press release. By this I mean, try to
make it relevant. Keep in mind what's going on with social issues and current
events and sculpt your press release accordingly. This will make your story
even more attractive and worthwhile to potential readers.
Finally, be concise and grammatically correct. Avoid adding extra fluff words
that distract from the true meaning of your press release. Don't include clichs
and jargon that may not be understood by the general reader. Make sure that
you have permission to use any quotes or inside information. This will prevent
there being any conflicts that may result in your press release being pulled.
Be sure to check you release for punctuation and grammatical errors. Take a
look at some other press releases to make sure that you have followed the
proper format.

Let's do it! How to Write your Press Release

Lay-out
Press releases should generally be one or two pages in length, doublespaced and typed with 1.5 to 2 inch margins. Use company stationary that
includes your logo and slogan, but avoid bright or dark colored paper. Center
the words 'News Release' before you begin writing. Under this header, type
'Release after:' and the date when you want your information be made public.
Include an exciting title that reflects the purpose of the release.
At the top of the second page, type 'page 2' and follow with your logo and
slogan so that the format is similar to the first page. (Leave out the 'Release
after' and the date that you typed on the first page. Everything else should be
the same as your first page.) When your release is completed, type '-30-' or '#
# #' (a way of saying 'the end') on the bottom center of the page.
Information to include
Newsworthy information is best presented in the form of an inverted pyramid.
This means that the first part of your release should be the key information.
Answer the primary questions first, making sure to include any vital 'who,
what, where, when, why and how' elements. Their order is based on which
elements are of greater importance to your particular news release.
Elevator Pitch: Entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley seeking investors talk about the
elevator pitch. They imagine being in an elevator with a venture capitalist or
angel investor. They have only 5 or 10 floors to explain their business concept
and attract the interest of the temporarily captive audience. You can think
about the first (and maybe second) paragraphs along the same lines (except
you don't have the luxury of a captive editor).
Go straight to the point in the beginning because you hopefully will have time
to explain later---that is---you will have time to explain on subsequent
paragraphsbut only if you pique the interest of the reader in the first
paragraph. Begin your release by making the 'news' clear. The main focus of
your first section is, "This what it's all about."
Information that supports or clarifies details in your release comes later, in the
second part. Secondary information includes background information or any
other details that you need to explain. Because less emphasis is put on this
section of the release, get straight to the point and keep it simple. Keep the
inverted pyramid format in mind, putting less important information lower in
the release.
The last section should include information that closes your release in a
smooth but strong way. Don't leave people hanging, but, on the other hand,
don't drone on and on. What does your company offer? How might people

already be familiar with your company's name? This is the time to establish a
connection for people between your website and company name.
What else to include in your press release:
1. Enticing headlines which summarize the material that follows.
2. Follow a problem/solution format in your writing. (Also try comparing
and contrasting ideas.)
3. You may want to include photos. Make sure that they are your own or
that you have express permission. Make sure that they directly relate to
what you are promoting. No stock images! You may also put photos for
downloading from your site's press section. Include both black & white
and color and a variety of resolution sizes. Magazine and newspapers
have varying requirements.
Note: Cover letters aren't necessary unless you want press coverage of a
company event.
Where to send your Press Release:

Appropriate Writers @ magazines

Appropriate Writers @ newspapers
Trade Journals in your company's industry
Print magazines specific to new website announcements
Online agencies (optional) - they will distribute your release for a cost

Note: If you select an online agency, make sure they are reputable. There are
companies that either fail to distribute your release effectively or, even worse,
fail to distribute it at all.
Don't assume everyone wants an email. Though it might seem to be the
easiest way to send your release, take the time to develop separate contact
lists of reporters who prefer email, fax or snail mail (the kind that involves a
real stamp and envelope.)
Tips for your Press Release

Don't send out mass e-mailings

Don't hassle contacts asking them if they received your release
Editors won't publish anything sloppy or hard to read.
Make your news sound like news, not a sales pitch.
Do research. Send releases only to editors who are likely to be
interested.
Don't be careless. Factual/ spelling/ grammatical errors make your site
and company less credible.
Only one news release per envelope
Mail release by first class if possible
Typing your address directly on the envelope is an impressive bonus
(versus the use of labels