|
|
How To Create A Direct And Captivating Press Release
Forget business letters, formal complaints, and staff email etiquette. If there is one time where we have to thrust a sense of professionalism in to our writing, it is when we utilize a document referred to as a press release.
Gone are the days of being able to call up a media representative, identify the person as a long lost colleague, chat about your personal life for 15 minutes, and then briefly mention that you have an exciting announcement to make publicly in the coming days. Indeed, no one has time for that anymore.
So just how do you ensure that your press-release-to-be is drafted and formatted in the correct way?
In case you were wondering, this is the exact reason why we use press releases. They are constructed, edited, proofed, sent out to multiple organizations, read by reporters, and then actioned as soon as they are deemed publicly newsworthy. Hence - to ensure that a release makes it through all stages of this 6 step progression, you need to get it absolutely right from step 1.
Here are some simple tips:
Title: Ensure that the title is catchy and straight to the point. Try to spice things up a bit! If you're launching a new cell phone product for example, you could use one of the following:
o X Corporation launches new cell phone accessory.
o Is that a new X Corporation product I hear calling?
The two titles above mean exactly the same thing, but obviously the second is more inviting and attention grabbing. Try to make your press release stand out from the other 2000 dreary releases received every day.
Body: If you don't use paragraphing, media representatives will treat your press release just like a bad novel. It will either go straight in the trash, or will be placed in the "out" box for some other unfortunate colleague to endure. Look at this article for example - having multiple paragraphs is so much easier to read.
Don't be afraid to break ideas or facts up into separate chunks. It really is far more efficient.
Formatting: Be sure to respect the rules of writing. IF YOU WRITE LIKE THIS, people will think you are shouting or screaming at them. There is nothing worse than the unnecessary use of capital letters. Additionally, make sure you use the right punctuation and grammar in your announcements. If you, write like, this. people will - not be able, to read you're writing Very well. Sentences such as that one mark the height of an uneducated writer, so if you know you can't construct a proper sentence, consider the possibility of outsourcing.
Style: Press releases are not articles, interviews, lists, reviews, or any other stereotypical format of writing. Press releases are press releases - and hence they require their own individual flow. As a general rule, keep the script informative. Don't waste time by inserting irrelevant or unnecessary detail. Short, sharp and crisp are the best ways of going about it.
If it so happens that the best way of portraying a particular point is through the use of quotes or direct speech, so be it. But do remember - too many quotes tends to bog down and hold back an article from flowing well.
Content: As I stated above, your press release does not have to contain a world of detail. Keep it simple and straight to the point by including key points, contact details, and possibly even a link or two to find more information when necessary. The last thing a media representative wants to confront is a list of technical specifications, component details, and product disclaimers inserted throughout your 25 page monster of a press release. Seriously, if the secretary doesn't understand it - don't include it.
So there you have it. By following the "unwritten" rulebook which I have layed out above, you will be well on the way to issuing your first successful press release. None of it is rocket science - just logical information put in to perspective.
|
 |
Please Rate: |
|
Rating: |
 Processing ... |
(Average: Not rated) |
| Views: | 25 | |
|
| More Articles from Marketing and Advertising | | |
| Top Articles in Marketing and Advertising | | |
|
