Advertising and Marketing

How to write a press release that generates free publicity is a great skill to have.

This analysis, of the seven deadly sins of how to write a press release and how to avoid them, contains press release sample writing and a how to write a press release sample.

Learn how to write a good press release with more impact in less time.

This is a question critical to gaining ongoing media coverage in a consistent way for any organisation and individual.

And sometimes the quality of news releases actually sent out to the media is pretty poor.

Take this example put out by Tasmanian Liberal shadow treasurer Brett Whiteley in a press release issued on May 24, 2005 and highlighted in The Australian newspaper (June 2nd, 2005 page 20).

“All State Liberal Policy pledges are official State Liberal policy, as are Policy Position Statements. All Policy Position Statements and Policy Pledges are fully costed. The only difference between our Policy Position Statements and Policy Pledges is that further detail associated with our Policy Pledges will be released at a later date. This detail will be released at the time of our choosing.”

Phew! What did he say?

We see bad examples of media releases all the time. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here is my take on how to write a press release: the seven deadly sins and how to avoid them:

1. No News Value

Your media release must have a strong news value and not be trying to sell something or be blatant advertising. The media will see through this.

Ask: what is new about what we’re doing?

2. A Poorly Written Headline

A headline must grab the attention of the editor or reporter.

Read more about writing headlines in this article

3. A Poorly Written Lead Paragraph

A lead paragraph must continue to hold the attention of the editor or reporter.

Read more about writing lead paragraphs in this article

4. No Quotable Quotes

Quotable quotes add credibility and human interest to a media release. They are the flesh that goes on the facts or bare bones of the story. They must be memorable and well crafted.

Take this recent quote from 1992 Olympian, Irish Boxer Kevin McBride in the lead up to his fight with Mike Tyson on June 11th 2005: “I’m not a pretender, I’m a contender”.

Nice work Kevin – simple, memorable and direct. The media love it because of its structure and rhyming nature.

5. Lack of Clarity In Writing Style

Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking as my Tasmanian Polly Speak example above demonstrates.

6. No Call To Action

Your media release must end with a call to action. What is it you want people to do after reading or hearing your message?

7. No Comprehensive Contact Details

A news release should always contain current contacts details for the media to follow-up.

Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.

You can subscribe by visiting http://www.8mmedia.com. Thomas can be contacted directly at +6189388 6888 and is available to speak to your conference, seminar or event. Visit Tom’s blog at http://www.8mmedia.blogspot.com.

Tags: How To Write A Press Release, how to write a press release sample, press release sample writing

Among those write them and those who read them, there’s a great clamor today to eradicate press releases. The sentiments run deep, but this is the wrong solution.

The real question is: Why are press releases so bad? The answer: Despite their name, bad “press” releases are not written for the “press.” What? How can this be? And what can be done about?

First, let’s clear up a misconception: Press releases do not represent the sum total of public relations any more than a four-seam fastball represents the totality of baseball. Press releases are merely one tool in PR. However, like fastballs that miss the strike zone, they are grossly misused so often that it’s easy to see why many want to euthanize them rather than deal with the underlying conditions that make them horrible.

Here are three reasons why press releases are so bad:

1. Too many are not written for journalists.
The writing process for even a simple product press release often involves a committee. And the release reads like it. Worse, the committee writes for itself and not for journalists. With unintentional and self-defeating good works, members keep adding words, acronyms, concepts and catch phrases to satisfy their internal political considerations. It’s nearly impossible for such a group to write in a way that improves the understanding of journalists, who have only seconds to devote to their release before determining if it is worthy of coverage.

2. Too many of those who determine the content aren’t communicators. The professional qualifications of those who edit press releases are often impressive: lawyers, human resource professionals, accountants, engineers. But most of these professionals have no experience parsing English to entice journalists. Instead, they lengthen phrases and sentences, obfuscate meaning, seriously reducing media pick-up of good stories.

3. Press releases are often not press releases, but political manifestos. A committee writing a press release unintentionally complicates it. But many organizations intentionally issue manifestos that appear to be press releases but are no such thing. These organizations can be quite happy about it, even if journalists consider their work poor excuses for press releases. These manifestos, blogged, burped and “texted” across the ever-expanding ether of electronic communications are not news at all. They are opinion. They may be worthy opinion (or not), depending upon factors that have nothing to do with the judgment process journalists use to sort, sift and identify “news.” Unfortunately, however, the organizations issuing these manifestos hope journalists lump them into the same category as “real” press releases. This never happens, and only poisons the well for those with legitimate news.

So what can be done about the horrible state of press releases, which, despite all the talk, are a bedrock tool of public relations? Here are three solutions:

1. Remember who we’re writing for. Sometimes, a release written by committee is unavoidable. But a good process with a strong team captain can make sure that the press release is something that its intended audience (journalists) will actually read, and that its content is something journalists will use (news).

2. Involve communicators in the communicating. The views of professionals involved in the news behind a press release are essential. But lawyers, accountants and engineers shouldn’t drive the writing and editing of press releases any more than patients should guide the knife during their surgeries.

3. Learn to separate news and opinion for better results. Just because you have an opinion doesn’t mean it’s news. News belongs in press releases; opinions can appear in many, many places, from blogs to opinion articles and statements and interviews. But stamping the words “press release” on a document that has little resemblance to what most journalists consider “news” only worsens the situation for the organization issuing this kind of document — and the rest of us who have real news to share.

Are these the only problems with press releases? Are these the only solutions? Hardly. But I offer them as a start in what should be a vigorous debate among PR professionals and those they work with about the proper use of press releases.

Press releases aren’t going away any more than the four-seam fastball is going to disappear from the repertoire of hard-throwing major league pitchers. That’s all the more reason why we should focus on the underlying problems of bad press releases, so that we can make sure that more of them hit the strike zone the first time they’re pitched.

Paul Furiga is president of WordWrite Communications LLC, a Pittsburgh-based public relations agency that helps companies create, develop and share their great, untold stories with everyone who needs to hear them. A former editor of the Pittsburgh Business Times, he has also covered Congress, the White House, edited magazines and written for publications ranging from Congressional Quarterly to Frequent Flyer magazine. For more information, visit http://www.wordwritepr.com.

Tags: The surprising reason why so many are so bad: They're not written for journalists!

Without a doubt, knowledge is your most valuable marketing tool.
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Like any industry, business or field of study, Internet
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This knowledge has become a valuable marketing tool for those
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Nor should this knowledge be seen as anything magical.
Knowledge in any field can produce wealth; think of all
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For that matter, think of any modern profession and you will
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You must acquire the skills and knowledge to market
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But the question still remains, where does one acquire this
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Many of better known ones even have mentoring programs to
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