Here are seven steps to writing an effective press release, step-by-step:
- Find newsworthy angles
- Create compelling press headlines
- Summarise the story with subtitles
- Introduce important information
- Provide information and supporting context
- Guide readers to the next steps
- Finish with a boilerplate
- Find newsworthy angles
Even a well-written and personalized press release will fail if the story isn't interesting to the journalist's target audience.
- Create compelling press headlines
Write clear and compelling headlines with key benefits of press releases. Tell the press your news value.
Headlines should be catchy and, at the same time, understandable. Professional writers spend as much time writing headlines as they do writing articles. For inspiration, check out your favorite blogs and online news sources and pay attention to the headlines that make you click on an article.
Read More: Roll-out Professionally Written Press Releases
- Summarise the story with subtitles
Summarise the entire content of your press release in one sentence, supporting your headline and conveying a taste of what's to come.
- Introduce important information
In the first sentence, mention the city and state of the company, followed by the date. Then, the first paragraph should answer the questions "who," "what," "when," "where," and "why" in a way that is interesting to the reporter.
- Provide information and supporting context
Followed by testimonials, statistics, research details, and case study excerpts. By explaining why your readers will be interested in your first paragraph, you immediately tell reporters why they should share your announcement.
Then use the backup to bring your copy to life with insightful details and quotes from your company spokesperson. Just telling the truth and boasting will not work.
One of the most common formatting mistakes companies make when writing press releases is making them too long. The purpose of a press release is to give you an overview and some relevant details about what you're announcing, explains Michelle Garrett, PR consultant at Garrett PR. "
- Guide readers to the next steps
Summarise the article and include a call to action and details on where to find more information on the topic.
- Finish with a boilerplate
Complete your release with a powerful yet concise boilerplate. Clearly explain what your company does and why its stakeholders are industry experts. Also, don't forget to include your contact information. Disclosure will go nowhere if the reporter cannot easily contact the interested party or their representatives.
Provides background information and an overview of the company. Enter contact information. (At the end of a press release, it is common to use the ### symbol or three "--30--" to mark the end.)
Also, proofread the press release for spelling and grammatical errors. You can also use the services of PRwire360 to get your article proofread and published across 100+ channels. High-impact press releases are our specialty. We specialize in creating high-impact brand impressions by reaching the right audience at just the perfect moment with an awesome message that caters to your business goals and objectives! Whether you're looking for short-term, mid, or long-term PR services from us - we've got a flexible pricing model suitable no matter what size the company handles it all, so book a demo with us today because time is money!!
