Hi, communication and marketing experts! 🚀 Ready to enter the exciting world of press release drafting? Whether you’re a communications novice or a communications veteran, here are some essential tips for creating a press release that stands out and gets results. Let’s go!
1. Start with a headline
with impact
Imagine you have a story that deserves to be told, but you don’t know where to start. An effective headline is usually accompanied by figures, magnitudes or percentages. You can also rely on anecdotal information.
That is the importance of an eye-catching and quantifiable headline. It should be brief, persuasive and provide concrete and relevant information to attract attention from the outset.
2. Answers the basic questions of journalism: What, who, how, when, where and why?
Once you have captured the journalist’s attention, it is time to delve into the details. Remember to answer the fundamental questions of journalism: Who is involved? What is happening? When and where will it happen? Why should it matter? And how will it take place? This adds depth to your story and keeps readers engaged.
Don’t have them all? If you have to prioritise, the ‘why’ is probably the least important thing in press releases.
3. Always. Provide. A.. Statement.
Information is provided by companies and organisations. And we are always looking for a human being to substantiate them.
Add context to your story with interesting details and relevant statements (in quotation marks). This will bring your press release to life and make it more relevant to your audience. And don’t forget that after the inverted commas you must include the name and surname of the person quoted, as well as his or her position in the company or organisation he or she represents. And if it is an individual expert, you should include his or her professional title, of course.
4. Add images for more media coverage.
Images and videos can make your press release more attractive and reproducible. Think that the aim of journalists is to find the truth… and that their information is read and consumed by their readers, listeners or viewers. So, whenever possible, add an image to illustrate the story, a video statement or even a voiceover pill for radio stations to use in their news pieces.
6. Revise and refine your press release
Two sets of eyes see more than one. (Or so it should be!)
So before you publish your press release, be sure to check it carefully for grammatical, spelling and formatting errors. It doesn’t hurt to give it to a colleague to read before submitting it for approval. Neither does it hurt to read it out loud, because many times, out loud, you find mistakes in the sonority of the communiqué, and even abuses in the use of sectorial acronyms, which only make sense for experts and not for journalism.
7. Nothing is released without the written OK of the client or your superior.
Once the press release is ready, send it to the client or your superiors for final approval. Do not distribute any communication without the written OK of all parties involved.
8. Don't forget the corporate paragraph and your contact details.
Always include a brief description of your company at the end of the press release to provide perspective and context. This is often referred to as the ‘corporate paragraph’ and should be kept consistent in all your communications.
Finally, do not forget to include your contact details, as the purpose of these releases is to allow journalists to contact you later for further information if they wish to do so.
Here is an example:
Contact Information
For media enquiries or more information, please contact:
[Tu Nombre y Apellido]
Email: [Tu Dirección de Correo Electrónico]
Phone: [Tu Número de Teléfono]
With these tips, you’ll be on your way to writing professional, effective and impactful press releases. Good luck!
