Writing effective news releases is a very important part of being a PR practitioner. In order to do so you must follow a few strict guidelines, here they are…
It is first important to understand what a press release is.
1. A press release is an informational piece written in 3rd person in order to display the events of a particular situation.
2. Be sure to write a press release in the correct form. Follow APA guidelines to be certain the piece is in correct form. An example of the correct form is shown below:
3. Remember to write a Headline. Be objective like a journalist. Don’t try to sell anything.
4. After you have included a Headline, include a Sub-head. A little longer than a Headline is the subhead which details the ingredients of the story in a little more detail.
5. Write the press release lead next. This is the meat of the story and is written a lot like a reporter would write a news article. Upside-down pyramid formula is the most effective and easiest to master.
6. One of the most important aspects of a press release is to add a quote. It makes the story much more valid and easier to relate to.
7. Provide contact information. All of the contact information is important: Personal, fax, email, website address, etc.
8. Avoid unnecessary language that could cloud the clarity of the release.
9. Be sure to add a contact sheet with your press release.
10. Last it is important to remember a dateline so the timeliness of your press release is correct.
Information about press releases can be found under the links below:
10 Tips for Writing a Press Release
