10 Steps for Drafting an Effective Press Release
10 Steps for Drafting an Effective Press Release
1) Choose a newsworthy topic.
The emphasis for newsworthy is on the word “new.” The release must discuss a recent development or frame the topic as a new one.
2) Use the local angle as a news hook.
You can increase the coverage of your release by focusing, in the headline and the body of the release, on your organization’s physical location. For example, “Church Sends Group to Rebuild House in New Orleans” may not garner as much regional publicity as “Greenwich Church Sends Group to Rebuild House in New Orleans.”
3) Keep the writing factual and concise.
A press release should state the facts in a direct, succinct manner.
4) Use the inverted pyramid style.
The most important, newsworthy facts belong at the beginning of the release with supporting information below. The “inverted pyramid” also refers to the decreasing newsworthy value in each subsequent paragraph.
5) Re-state the headline in the first paragraph.
The first paragraph of the press release should re-state the headline almost word for word. It should only be two-to-three sentences long.
6) Describe and quantify the newsworthy element in the second paragraph.
The second paragraph should describe why the first paragraph is newsworthy and provide any supporting numerical data.
7) Provide a quotation with a favorable opinion in the third paragraph.
The third paragraph should contain a quote from your CEO, and this is the only place in the entire release to include an opinion about the topic. Also, you should not introduce new facts in the quotation. These facts belong in the body of the release.
8) At the end of the release include a “boilerplate” describing your company.
The boilerplate should be the same in every release you distribute and should be given a subhead, “About [My Company].” It should be about two paragraphs long and include your company’s main activities and prominent clients as well as its qualifications. For smaller companies, the boilerplate should also provide a short bio of the CEO.
9) Keep the length short.
No press release should EVER be more than two pages.
10) Check carefully for spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors.
Editors may receive up to 300 press releases per day. Errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation make your release look unprofessional and may result in its immediate rejection.
10 Steps for Drafting an Effective Press Release - To learn more about this author, visit William Gissen's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Creating an effective press release represents one of the most fundamental elements of any public relations program, and there are several basic rules to help you write one.
1) Choose a newsworthy topic.
The emphasis for newsworthy is on the word “new.” The release must discuss a recent development or frame the topic as a new one.
2) Use the local angle as a news hook.
You can increase the coverage of your release by focusing, in the headline and the body of the release, on your organization’s physical location. For example, “Church Sends Group to Rebuild House in New Orleans” may not garner as much regional publicity as “Greenwich Church Sends Group to Rebuild House in New Orleans.”
3) Keep the writing factual and concise.
A press release should state the facts in a direct, succinct manner.
4) Use the inverted pyramid style.
The most important, newsworthy facts belong at the beginning of the release with supporting information below. The “inverted pyramid” also refers to the decreasing newsworthy value in each subsequent paragraph.
5) Re-state the headline in the first paragraph.
The first paragraph of the press release should re-state the headline almost word for word. It should only be two-to-three sentences long.
6) Describe and quantify the newsworthy element in the second paragraph.
The second paragraph should describe why the first paragraph is newsworthy and provide any supporting numerical data.
7) Provide a quotation with a favorable opinion in the third paragraph.
The third paragraph should contain a quote from your CEO, and this is the only place in the entire release to include an opinion about the topic. Also, you should not introduce new facts in the quotation. These facts belong in the body of the release.
8) At the end of the release include a “boilerplate” describing your company.
The boilerplate should be the same in every release you distribute and should be given a subhead, “About [My Company].” It should be about two paragraphs long and include your company’s main activities and prominent clients as well as its qualifications. For smaller companies, the boilerplate should also provide a short bio of the CEO.
9) Keep the length short.
No press release should EVER be more than two pages.
10) Check carefully for spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors.
Editors may receive up to 300 press releases per day. Errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation make your release look unprofessional and may result in its immediate rejection.
10 Steps for Drafting an Effective Press Release - To learn more about this author, visit William Gissen's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
| |||
| No article feedback found. | |||
| Leave Your Feedback | |||
|
|||
|
| |||
| Whether you are writing it for yourself or for someone else, a press release is not written like an ordinary article. The format is different and the tone can't sound like a hyped up sales pitch. It should read more... |
|||
|
| |||
| If you are trying to get publicity without spending big bucks, then using press releases is a great idea. They are powerful tools that will inform people about your business. People look to the media for good inform... |
|||
|
| |||
| A press release is a great method for informing the public about your business, whether you are just opening, expanding, or have other important news. An effective press release will catch the attention of readers a... |
|||
|
| |||
PR is great, it’s not free, it’s earned, but when it is, it packs some very nice ROI.
One strategy that small business owners should employ is to take their PR message online and directly to the prospect by consi... |
|||
|
| |||
| In today's sophisticated business environment, one of the most valuable and effective marketing tools is the press release. Correctly written and targeted, it can gain exposure and credibility for your company beyo... |
|||
| |||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
![]() | |
![]() William Gissen (Visit William's Website) Willy Gissen founded Cut-It-Out Communications (www.cioed iting.com), a full-service public relations agency, in 2003. Previously, he served as Vice President for a PR firm with international clients and on a gubernatorial communications staff. A Harvard graduate, he has published many articles on PR (see www.cioediting.com/cont ent).
| |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
|
|
|
![]() |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
![]() |
| 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. |
|
|
![]() | ||
|
| ||
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
![]() |
|
|
![]() | ||
|
Top 50 SEO Posts - 2007
Top SEO Posts of the Year | ||
|
Top 50 Debt Blogs
Learn To Get Out Of Debt | ||
![]() | ||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||



PR is great, it’s not free, it’s earned, but when it is, it packs some very nice ROI.
One strategy that small business owners should employ is to take their PR message online and directly to the prospect by consi...












