The most effective way of announcing news is through a press release. Journalists will often ask ifyou have one to email over when you contact them. A well-crafted press release provides journalists with all the information they need to write a story for a newspaper, radio or TV bulletin or website.
Whilst writing a press release isn’t rocket science, there are rules to follow to ensure it is eye-catching, informative and provides the key information required by journalists.
Tips
- Who, what, when, where, why and how – say who you are, what you are doing, when it is happening and where it is happening (to ensure it is relevant to the media being targeted)
- Use an eye-catching headline – it should sum up what the story is about and be short and punchy
- Include a quote – they really help to bring a story alive
- Keep it short – journalists won’t have the time to read lots of content and it can be off-putting. A side and a half of A4 should be more than enough
- Spell out acronyms – journalists are unlikely to go to the trouble of looking them up and your press release could end up in the bin
- Avoid jargon – it is off-putting and only people in your sector are likely to understand it
- Use the spellchecker – misspelled words will not inspire confidence in your product or service
- Include links to relevant websites
- Put all additional information in the notes to editors
- Include your contact details (preferably with an out of hours number as journalists rarely work 9-5pm)