How to write a Press Release

Describe your new product or new service to your potential customer., the demand for new products or services is great. Position your press release, somehow, to be different. Also make sure you think about the following:

holiday and event tie-in articles

politically and socially important editorial tie-in articles

internet innovations and developments or unique products

unusual events or unique personal accomplishments

humour and wisdom, or fun and tragedy

interpersonal relationships on difficult issues.

2) Think Like a Journalist

A story must be told about your product or service and how it far exceeds any other product or services on the market. You must think like a journalist.

What benefits would your customers receive from your product or service? Is it relevant and timely?

Ideally, make the main benefit of your press release the headline. Or try and answer at least three of the classic five Ws -- who, what, when, where and why -- for your publicity angle in the headline.

If you do not come up with a compelling headline then the customer will simply not read any further. So that is the sole purpose of writing a press release headline: to get the attention of the customer. Use words like YOU, NEW or HOW TO to achieve this.

Write short, punchy paragraphs and remember to answer these questions: "Who? Why? What? Where? When? & How?"

Learn more about writing a press release that works...

The rules of PR are changing. Learn how,

And, how well do you write? Let's face it, your press release should be written as well as possible (as should the copy on your website for that matter). So if I were to recommend just one writing tip, it would have to be Make Your Content PREsell: an outstanding read, and now free!

3) Format The Press Release Properly

Here is an example press release layout. Use the following as a guide.

Title or Headline

For immediate release

Simple Contact

Sub-heading

Leading Paragraph

Main Paragraph

Final Paragraph

Full contact details

Notes:

Offer a benefit, for example.

What? Why is it needed? How will it help? Include quotes, too, if possible.

Who is it aimed at? Who cares? Provide facts.

Summarise the press release, or provide a call to action

Obviously, the words you use in your press release are of vital importance:

The headline is the most important part of your press release and the opening sentence should continue on from the headline

If possible, try and tell your story in the headline and leading paragraph

Try and change passive words to active

Use the words YOU, make it personal to the customer.

Edit your copy ruthlessly, over and over again.

4) Keep Your Press Release Short!

With so much to consider when writing a press release it's not surprising that most people make this common press release mistake: they write too much copy. It doesn't matter how well you have written your press release, if it's too long then it won't get read. So keep your press release short. Remove words that do not need to be there. Again, edit ruthlessly.

Not convinced? Ask yourself these questions, then:

How many of these press releases do you think editors get to read every day?

How many long, badly-worded releases will they read before, eventually, they become instantly put off just by the length of a press release?

And how much more likely do you think it is that an editor will read your SHORT, quick-to-read, press release?

Understand? Keep your press release short, simple as that!

5) Promote Your Press Release Online

The best way to promote your press release online is to use an online press release service. One highly regarded service is PrWeb.com . As it states on their website:

"[PRWeb is the] recognized leader in online news and press release distribution service for small and medium-sized businesses and corporate communications. PRWeb pioneered Free Press Release Distribution and continues to set the standard for online news distribution."

So you can either promote your press release for free, or they offer various paid-for services that guarantee a variety of levels of online exposure.

There is no point in writing a press release if you are not going to promote it, so this step is also vital.

- http://www.prweb.com