Headlines, Headlines, Headlines

Make sure to keep your press release tight and concise - no rambling - and remember, think in terms of headlines. There is a reason that USA Today, People magazine and MTV are successful. They give us quick, easy-to-digest stories and programs. Ours is a society that likes the fast-food approach to information. Package it nicely, make it interesting, make it short, don't take a lot of our time and we'll read it, watch it, or listen to it. Be smart, and use that same approach when pitching story ideas to the media.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that because you're only writing a one-page release, you can knock it out in half an hour. A good press release can take quite a bit of time to write. As with all writing, the hardest and most important part is the editing. Your first attempt may be three or four pages long. Don't worry about it. Write your first draft without any concern for space, punctuation, or style. Concentrate on the facts and information. Once you have the basic story down, start editing it, cutting it down. Can you say something in a sentence instead of a paragraph? Do you really need to give all that information? It's not easy. Write in headlines - you are not giving them the story - you are giving them the idea. Don't try to rush it. Take your time. Put it aside for a couple of days, then reevaluate it. Can it be improved? I've spent days on certain one-page releases. Remember, think in terms of headlines. You're looking to grab the reader's attention.

And, speaking of headlines, always make sure to start your release with a headline that is centered. I always bold my headline and make it a larger point size than the rest of the copy. What makes for a good headline? Anything that will make them read on. You only have about seven or eight words to work with, so it can take some time to come up with the right one. Sometimes it's fun to be clever or use alliteration, but be careful, you don't want to be too cute. Be imaginative, not precious. Make it interesting.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2008

Headlines, Headlines, Headlines - To learn more about this author, visit Anthony Mora's Website.

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