September 1, 2010

Press releases are a tricky thing to get right. One simple mistake -- like a poor headline or a mere typo -- can make you lose readers, and once they're gone, they're not coming back. Good press releases, however, can catch the attention of reporters, resulting in news stories and more. 

Here are five tips on how to make sure your press release gets noticed (in a good way):

Don’t Bury the Lead

A press release, much like your traditional newspaper story, should highlight all of the most important news right off the bat. Don’t try to get too creative or come up with a witty lead paragraph, because chances are if a reporter can’t tell what your press release is about, they will stop reading it. In other words, pick the few details that you think people absolutely, hands down need to know about whatever it is you’re shilling, and stick those at the very top. You can fill in the background and supporting details lower in the release in the order of most important to least important, just like your standard “inverted pyramid”-style news article.

Make Sure Your Headline is Strong

The headline should read like an even shorter, more summed-up version of the first few sentences. It should convey the same points in fewer words. You can also pack a few additional details into a subhead. It may seem redundant since the same information will just be rehashed in the lead of the release, but again, the goal is not to be witty or artsy here. The goal is to get a reporter to spend 60 seconds reading what you have to say. 

That said, it’s probably best to match the headline of the release with the subject line of the email in which you are sending out the release (but you may have to shave off yet another word or three to make it inbox friendly). The truth is, many press releases just get deleted right off the bat, so a good headline can mean the difference between getting some eyeballs on your news and having it sent straight to the email trash bin.

Don’t Leave Room for Confusion

A press release is supposed to be the gateway to a story, not the story itself, and good reporters generally won’t regurgitate press releases as news. But sometimes, depending on what the news is, a press release might just say it all, and a reporter can craft an item out of it by simply taking off the spin and relaying the details in a more newsy way. In either case, it’s important that none of those details are murky or seem to not line up or leave room for confusion or misinterpretation. As a reporter, I can’t stand getting press releases with information that is jumbled or unclear, even if I plan to make calls and ask follow-up questions.

Dot Your “I’s” and Cross Your “T’s”

It’s bad when a reporter makes a factual, spelling or grammatical error in a news story. But mistakes happen, especially when you’re on deadline. The deadline for writing a press release, however, is most likely far more generous than the amount of time reporters have to file their copy. Press releases can usually be proofread several times before they are sent out -- there is no excuse for careless errors. Not the biggest deal, but it will make you look silly, considering the people you’re sending the release to are professional writers. Always have a second or third set of eyes look it over before you pull the trigger.

Personalize It

Join the conversation ( 4 )

• Alex Smith 5 months ago

  

  When learning how to write a press release (also known as a news release), there are several press release writing tips you should keep in mind to improve your chances of media coverage for your news

• Shelley Temkin 1 year 5 months and 10 days ago

  

  Great information. We recently put out a release that, in my opinion, was not successful. I believe the headline was too long and I know was not picked up by sites serving my target market - government agency procurement professionals interested in sustainability. We plan for another one soon and we will incorporate what was learned here for a better outcome. The release was personalized and sent to several different outlets. One significant industry blog responded but we have yet to see anything published regarding our innovative services.

• Ken Anderson 1 year 5 months and 11 days ago

  

  As a radio former reporter and assignment editor, few things drive me around the bend more than the label PRESS Release. labelling them as NEWS releases makes them appropriate for all media.
  
  Use meanful sub-headings to highlight key benefits and features. This will help get you past the computerized keyword filters that some media use to weed out stories that they don't think will appeal to their audience/readers.
  
  Oh, and don't forget to provide a contact information - someone who is actually available!
  
  If you send your release via e-mail, put it in the body of the message. Don't send it as an attachment.
  
  If you are delivering a printed copy of your news release, make sure that it's as timely as possible. Also consider printing it on legal paper so that it sticks out in the assignment editor's In box.

• Jon Holmquist 1 year 5 months and 11 days ago

  

  Joe, thank you for this informative reminder of what we need to do to get the word out. I have copied this article and will review it each time a release is posted. I have other articles but they are not so succinct and accurate as this one. Thank you,
  Jon at Edgemaster Mobile Sharpening, www.edgemasterfranchising.com.