Writing A Press Release

News releases (also called press releases) are an important partof a public relations campaign. They are also an important part ofmarketing your business. They are the primary means of"selling" your story to the media. All press releases arestructured the same way. Make sure you answer "yes" tothese key questions when writing your next press release:

Is it easy to read?

Editors look at hundreds of press releases every day, and ifyour news release is difficult to read, they will throw it out. Itshould be on plain white paper and printed in black ink. The mainbody of the release should be double-spaced and have at least a oneinch margin all around the edges. Your letterhead should appear atthe top of the first page to establish your identity.

Have you double-checked your spelling and grammar?

A good press release has no typographical or grammatical errors.If your's contains such errors you'll lose credibility; itwill have the same effect as a badly written business letter orresume. The release should be typed on an electric typewriter,computer or word processor. Print out (or type out) a fresh copyfor each person to whom you will send it; Do not send outpoor-quality photocopies with dark staple marks or blotches.

Did you include the six news elements?

Because all news article include six basic elements--who, what,when, where, why, and how--your press release should also followthe same guidelines. Put the most important facts in the leadparagraph, with the facts decreasing in importance as you go downthe page. Why? Suppose you send a press release to an editor whohas five inches of space open in the newspaper and your releaseruns eight inches long. Ideally, the editor would trim your pressrelease from the bottom. Therefore, to make sure the most importantinformation gets run, put the less important information at thebottom.

Did you include a contact source?

In the top, right-hand corner of the first page, directlybeneath your company name, there should be a line that states,"For further information, contact . . ." A name andtelephone number should follow. The editor must have somebody inyour business to call to answer questions or to be interviewedabout your news item. If you can only be reached during certainhours, specify them.

Have you included a dateline?

The best press releases have a dateline with the city in whichthe business is based and the date the release is written. Everypress release needs a dateline so that the editor can tell when itwas mailed. Nobody wants to cover an old story that has lost itstimeliness.

Reprinted from Entrepreneur Magazine's Guide To Marketing& Sales, Business Start-up Guide # 1809.