This simple-to-follow guide explains some of the methods used in preparing a press release that will catch the eye of journalists, as well as some of the pitfalls to avoid.
Why do some stories provide good publicity?
News stories or articles about businesses are more widely read and believed than advertisements in newspapers and magazines. Like similar kinds of stories broadcast on radio and television, they are prepared by journalists who are independent of the people or organisations about which they are reporting.
This gives news stories more credibility than advertisements, whose ‘paid for’ content can be, by its nature, biased. The publicity that news stories generate can be more valuable and can contribute more to the image and reputation of your business than thousands of pounds spent on advertising.
What types of stories get coverage in the news?
Journalists are always on the lookout for ‘newsworthy’ articles that will be interesting, informative or entertaining to their readers, listeners or even viewers. It is therefore essential that any press release you prepare:
- Grabs the attention immediately with an eye-catching headline.
- Provides information about something new, different, unusual or revealing.
- Has a human-interest angle that will capture readers’ imaginations.
The most widely used type of news story is that with 'human interest.' People like to read about what other people are doing. Ideally you should put together a news release that communicates information with this type of human appeal. These could include:
- Your business or staff winning an award or raising a large amount of money for a local charity.
- Details of your innovative new product or a groundbreaking service that will have tangible benefits for its users (you can also make a special offer of the product/service to the readers).
- Your business gaining a big new order or creating jobs in the local area.
- Your business launching a competition or special event involving local people or sponsoring a community project.
Preparing your press release
One option for a press release is to utilise the services of a public relations consultant, but this can be expensive. To help enable you to tackle the process on your own, your news release should contain the answers to the following basic questions that journalists ask of any kind of news story.
- What is the story about?
- Who is involved?
- Where has it happened?
- When did it happen?
- Why did it happen?
These five W’s should be addressed succinctly in the first paragraph of your press release, which if possible should be no more than 50 words long.
In order to prepare a well-written press release, there are some simple rules that should be followed:
- First and foremost, give each press release a catchy, attention-grabbing headline. Then summarise the key points of your story in a short snappy first paragraph. You need to attract the attention of busy journalists who have hundreds of press releases everyday, so don’t waste it.
- A press release should be no more than two pages long. Keep it concise and to the point and ensure that the content is as objective as possible. Avoid ‘sales speak’ and outright advertisements of your business. Where possible get quotes from those people involved in the story as this will make the story realistic.
- Write your press release with the assumption that the reader knows nothing about the subject. Make sure the information you include is clear and useful. Do not use abbreviations or technical jargon.
- Always make sure that the words ‘Press Release’ are placed in bold type at the top of the page followed on the next line by the date on which the release has been issued. This can sometimes include an embargo (the earliest date to which the release may be published).
- Print your press release on A4 paper, but only on one side, and use double-line spacing and wide margins. If more than one page, you will need to type ‘More follows’ at the bottom of the page. Ensure that all pages are numbered and the word ‘Ends’ is placed at the end of the release.
- Any additional information about the story or your business you can include in a ‘Notes for Editors’ section after the main body of the release.
- Always include a contact name and contact details, so that journalists can get in touch with him to check details or find out any additional information.
- Make sure the spelling and grammar are correct. Take the time to print and proofread the release, even getting someone else to do it for you.
Should you include photographs?
Where possible you should include a good quality photograph with your release. Journalists very often need photographs to support the stories they run.
How to submit your press release
- Check your target publications’ websites (or give them a call) to find out if they have any particular requirements for the method for press release submission.
- If you send it by email, include it in the body of the message in plain text, as well as an attachment. Some attachments can be rejected by an organisation's mail filters due to the possibilities of harbouring viruses.
- Keep the subject line of your email short and compelling. Remember it needs to grab the attention of whomever is reading it.
- Don’t leave it too late to send your press release, particularly if it is publicising an event or photo call.
- Try to make your press release timely, give it an angle or a theme that ties it to current events in the news, or to a specific time of year such as Easter or Christmas.
Where to send your press release
An important part of publicising your story is knowing to whom to send your press release. Media publications or broadcast outlets normally have different journalists responsible for different interest areas. Some may focus on a particular geographic area while others specialise by subject area, such as education, health, lifestyle or business.
Regularly updated media directories such as Willings Press Guide or MediaHub are good points of reference as they can provide you with details of useful contacts, including specific names, direct telephone numbers and email addresses.
Publishing your press release to the Internet
Publishing your press release on the web is a very useful way of publicising your website and your business generally. It can help encourage new website traffic and give an incentive to previous visitors or customers to return and see what new products and services you're offering.
There are a number of useful resources for getting your press release published online:
Further information:
Tony Fowler - After having a varied career to date with qualifications ranging from Electrical Engineering to Marketing. Throughout my life I have ...
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