Press Release Writing – Tips To Impress

Knowing how to write a really good press release is a handy journalistic skill to have under your belt. Press releases are usually created for the purpose of being distributed out to various media sources in a bid to gain exposure for a new product, company or event. A press release is a great way of getting the word out about your business, but when it comes to actually writing one there are a few things that you need to bear in mind.
As with all pieces of writing, accuracy and attention to detail are really important when crafting a press release. The idea is to give as much detail about your product, company, website or event as possible without coming across as a blatant sales pitch. You also need to make sure that the spelling, grammar and layout of the release is accurate and professional. You will simply be wasting your time if you submit a release that is littered with spelling and grammatical errors as people will dismiss you as unprofessional.
If you want to create an effective press release that represents your company or product in a professional light, follow these simple tips:
• Be selective. Whilst it is important to include essential details such as dates, times, location, company name etc in your press release, you need to make sure that you are not including any irrelevant information. Make sure everything included in the release is newsworthy and not too much of a sales pitch.
• Reel the reader in. You need to make sure that the reader is hooked from the beginning so include the interesting information at the start. Let the reader know right from the start why they are reading the release and why they should carry on reading.
• Be descriptive. Avoid waffling too much or being too vague, but a short summary of the news and who is releasing it at the start of the release.
• Relate to the reader. Put yourself in the position of the reader and think about why you would want to read something like this and if you could relate to it. If you can’t relate to it then the chances are others won’t either.
• Pick your words carefully. The right choice of words can make all the difference between a good piece of writing and a failure. Avoid over-use of adjectives and technical lingo as this could create a barrier between you and the reader. Words and phrasing that is specific to your industry is a big turn-off for many readers.
• Stick to the facts. Don’t fabricate figures or statistics in your press release as it will only look unprofessional if you are found out.
• Include lots of contact details. Give as much information as possible, include phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses.
• Stick to one page. Any longer than this and you run the risk of boring the reader. Keep it short and to the point, but make sure you include all the relevant detail.
• Stick to a conventional format. This will make your release look professional, organized and easy to read.