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How to write a basic press release

Written by: Deborah Hastie

Article Overview: Not everyone has the budget or experience to be able to take on Public Relations but sometimes there are some stories that are simply too good not to shout about. Here are a few hints and tips so you can produce your own Press Release template and try selling it into the media

How to write a basic press release

It's always a good idea to have a basic press release template on file that you can simply write over with each new topic.

Have your company logo in the top right hand corner.
Use a simple font such as verdana
Underneath write in approx 18p PRESS INFORMATION IN BOLD and justify it to the right.
Under that in 11p type the month and year

You now need a headline - a simple line, written in 14p bold/caps that summaries the story. This is sometimes the hardest but so if you struggle just put anything down and then go to the body of the text. You can return to it later.

Write in 11point and set at 1.5 spacing.

If it is your first release don't try to be too clever or technical but simply think about including: Who, what, when, where, why.
If those questions are answerred you are on the right track.
Journalists also like to have a quote from a spokesperson so write that in, in your own words . e.g "The new contract is a huge boost for us and we are delighted to be able to recruit in what are difficult times for many people"

Keep a press release to 1-2 pages.

Spell check and if possible get someone else to check it too - you can get word blindness by re-reading the same thing over and over.

At the end it may be worth putting a short "Note to Editors" which is 2 or 3 bullets about you or your company. How big you are, where you are based, how long you have been in business.
Complete the release with your contact details/email/mobile so reporter's can easily find you.

When you are happy with the basic press release think about where you would like it to appear; pick a couple of publications to trial it with. Easiest way to get their details is to go to their website and get the email and tel number in the "contact us" section.

I prefer to cut and paste the release into the body of the email as well as attach as a word document. If you have any low res images that are relevant attach those too.

When sending a press release on email the subject box is crucial, it has to be relevant or it will be junked. Try and chose key words that will catch the reporter's attention - exclusive, invitation, investment, etc.

If you have a tel number put a follow up call in within a few hours to ensure they have received and see if they need any more information.

After that it is in the lap of the editors!

PR's come into their own with the sell in process and their contacts book as they should have access to the right people at the right publication. Even a poor press release will be covered if the story is a good one - it will disappear into the ether if it is sent to the wrong reporter at the wrong time.

If anyone would like a press release template made up I am happy to do this for free to Evan Carmichael subscribers. Simply send me your logo and I will send back a template ready for you to fill in.

Good luck

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  How To Write A News-Worthy Press Release
  Learn How to Write a Press Release Correctly

Article Tags: bullets, caps, company logo, contact details, difficult times, editors, email, journalists, new contract, press release template, res images, spell check, spokesperson, tel number, word blindness, word document



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Re: New site promotion - how to begin? - Since you are targeting English speaking area, you will need to do a press release. Write press release and submit them to free press release sites or paid sites.
Re: Does a New Company need a "Big" PR firm? - [quote="OmnivoreInk":dmj1i0sv]I've started work with a brand new company that is going to do loss mitigation. My boss intends to hire a "big" PR firm - ie one that costs a lot of money - because he wants press releases sent out to the New York Times, the LA Times - all the major papers around the country - and he think they'll be more likely to print them if they come from a "big" firm as opposed to a one-person PR firm. I think it doesn't matter where the press release comes from as long as its well written. What are the opinions here?[/quote:dmj1i0sv] I think the most important factor is whether your press release will reach the most number of your target audience or not. It won't matter if the press release is well written if no one has the opportunity to read it. I also believe that credibility comes with having your press release in an established source like The New York Times, LA Times, etc... For instance, if you enjoyed playing tennis, who would you trust more? The advice from a recreational tennis player who has his own column in [i:dmj1i0sv]Tennis Magazine[/i:dmj1i0sv] [u:dmj1i0sv]or[/u:dmj1i0sv] the recreational tennis player who has his own blog? I don't know about you, but I'd listen to the guy on [i:dmj1i0sv]Tennis Magazine[/i:dmj1i0sv] over the blog owner at least 9 out of 10 times.
Re: Does a New Company need a "Big" PR firm? - I agree with Kevin [quote:3b8fyubd]I think the most important factor is whether your press release will reach the most number of your target audience or not.[/quote:3b8fyubd] You dont a big company that will charge mega bucks as Im sure they will even add a %age to the cost of the press release. Im sure if you approach New York Times, the LA Times with every thing presented professionally I think it will still stand the same chance. I would start advertising online, then locally thats when the NYT can see what there missing out on! And to test the water first!
Re: Request for Feedback on my website for technology Startups - Hello aneshia, Thank you for the feedback. I would be happy to accept articles. I am still working on increasing traffic but the other thing is that I could also write an article or press release for ITATI and submit it to other networks if you are interested. Thank you again and I hope to work with you further. Kalen
Re: The Best Method for Online Marketing - 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. 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.


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