Putting together a press release
Putting together a press release
How you write a press release can make the difference between it seeing the light of day or not. Get the angle right, make it short and factual – and your chances will increase greatly.
For the PR professional, writing a media release is second nature but, quite rightly, for others it may not be so easy. They key advantage of using a PR such as ours, is that we can identify opportunities and have a database of influential media in all sectors.
If you decide to go it alone, here are a few key points to remember.
• Write your first paragraph. This is the most important part of the entire release. You have just five seconds in which to grab the news editor’s attention. As a general guide, you should be aiming for fewer than 25 words in that opening paragraph.
• Make sure you address the five w’s in your release. What, who, why, when, where?
• Use quotes in the present tense. They add immediacy and credibility. A quote from the CEO about the importance of an event or product holds much more weight than a passive sentence. Sub-editors will not change quotes but they may change your copy.
• Not too long. 300 words approximately. It should fit on one page.
• Always use a person’s full name, not initials –eg John Durning, not J. Durning. And get the spelling right!
• Send the release in plenty of time.
• Include a photo opportunity where possible.
• Include contact details with phone numbers, including mobile. Journalists often work outside normal hours, so ensure your key spokesperson is available on one or more of these numbers at all times.
Put thought into your press release but don’t agonise. It doesn’t have to be a Pulitzer Prize piece. Or give us a call.
- John Durning, Durning Public Relations, PR & Media Adviser, Christchurch, New Zealand; ph 64-3- 365 2579; email john@durning.co.nz
Putting together a press release - To learn more about this author, visit John Durning's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to John's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
 |
||
|
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 25 Facebook & Twitter Tips Strategic Alliance Easy Product Ideas Managing Growth Winning Sales Letter |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Marketing Blogs of 2010 | |
 |
Fortune Hunters
CBC Entrepreneur TV | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
