Quick Tips for Writing a Press Release

Hope that your 2010 is off to a great start! For those of you thinking about your PR efforts this year, you may be considering press releases for your business.

Press releases can keep the public informed about innovative ways of doing business, new products/services (and their benefits), and financial updates; especially if the information is picked up by the media via television, radio, print and online for mass distribution. Thanks to various social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.), coverage has even greater reach with re-posts, quick e-mail distribution of articles/content, etc.

If your press release is well-written, it may be picked up as is or with minimal revisions for print and online circulation. Here are some quick tips to consider when writing a press release:

1. Proofread, please. Spell check and use proper grammar (no unnecessary symbols or emoticons).
2. Honesty is the best policy. Present the facts and refrain from making the information larger than life. Omit flowery language and any fluff.
3. Get a quote. Incorporating a quote into the release will give it some personality. Consider a statement from a senior leader or someone involved with the content presented in the release. Trim the quote as necessary – it’s a quote, not a story.
4. Get your hook in the first paragraph. Reporters and writers receive tons of releases, get to the point in the first paragraph and let the rest of the release support that information.

Note: Before you consider a press release, be sure to ask yourself if the information is really newsworthy. What’s important about what is going to be written? How is it beneficial? Why does it matter? If you can’t answer any of these questions, you should probably skip the release until something more newsworthy comes along.