Essential Press Release Writing Tips

By Casey Demchak

Press releases are still the backbone of any B2B public relations campaign. What makes them so attractive is they’re relatively inexpensive to write and distribute. However, the catch is that editors are under no obligation to publish them. They can pick and choose among the thousands of press releases sent to them each year, so you need to impress them.

Whether you write press releases yourself, or oversee the writing of freelancers, it’s essential as a B2B marketer that your press releases are newsworthy and well written. Here’s how you do it.

Avoid using colorful layouts. What’s really important in a press release is your writing and the newsworthiness of what you’re writing about. Fancy letterhead or colorful layouts will give you no advantage with editors.

Include contact information. Make sure the correct contact names and phone numbers are listed above the headline on your release so editors can call for more information if they need it. If the press release is about a new product launch, the market manager for that product is most likely the proper contact person.

Date your press release. Write the correct release date below the headline, or an underlined subhead that reads FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Most releases include both. When using a date, make sure it’s one day later than the day you actually distribute the press release to media sources. The soonest your release will appear in print is one day after you send it, so dating it one day later will make it seem more timely when it’s published.

Write a strong lead. Don’t tease and don’t be cute. Be direct. Your headline will decide whether or not editors want to read your story. Writing strong leads is essential to engaging and hooking your readers’ interest. The key to writing strong leads is keeping things simple and straightforward. First, your headline should be a tight, concise summary of what your release is about. Example:

The Jimstone Corporation Boost Profits 17% In Third Quarter

Second, your lead paragraph should immediately provide the who, what, where, when and why of your story. To test your headline and lead, ask yourself this question: "If the editor cuts my entire release down to just the headline and lead paragraph, will readers still get the important information they need?" If the answer is yes, you’ve done your job. Here is an example headline and lead paragraph:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


LOS ANGELES, California, February 18, 2007 ¾ The Conway Company announced today it has acquired all U.S. distribution rights for Snuggly Bear Toys, which are manufactured in Orlando, Florida, by Bear Toys Enterprises. The Conway Company will begin distributing Snuggly Bear Toys in September, 2007. The acquisition is part of The Conway Company’s plan to expand its line of children’s toys.

Support your lead. The body of your story should include additional information that backs up news items introduced in your lead paragraph. This would include statistics, facts and other information needed to substantiate claims made in your lead.

Start with the most important information and work your way down to the least important information. Remember, when editors trim press releases to fit a page, they typically cut information from the bottom up.

Make sure the release answers questions it’s likely to raise. If you’re not able to completely and accurately write about the who, what, where, when and why of your news item, you may be writing your news release prematurely. If you discover your release creates more questions than it answers, you may want to hold off until you have all the facts.

Avoid writing with a sales slant. Press releases are about news, not advertising. The tone of your copy should always have a news slant. Avoid using hype and superlatives. Press releases written with a sales slant often die a quick death in an editor’s trash can. This is because editors and the publications they work for have no interest in being used as a free advertising vehicle for your product.

Use quotes to make strong product claims. If you want to make strong benefit claims about your product, ascribe them to an outside third party or include them in a quote that is attributed to an executive within your company. This gives your product claims a voice apart from the publication they’re being printed in. Editors do not like releases that will make it sound as if their publication is endorsing your product or making marketing claims about it.

Stick to an appropriate length. One to two pages in length for a press release is ideal. Any longer than two pages and you probably should consider writing a feature story, not a press release. Never make your press release longer than you need to. If you only need two paragraphs to do the job, don’t write three.

When your press release requires two pages, write the word More at the bottom of the first page, and a brief version of the release’s headline in the upper left corner of the second page.

Include or repeat important contact information. When needed, write the name and phone number of someone to contact for more information about the news in your press release. This is usually done in the last paragraph of your press release, and the contact person often is the same person listed as the contact above your headline.

End the press release. Indicate the end of your release by writing -End-, ###, or -30- after the last line of your story. Here is an example of a typical ending to a press release:

For more information about new homes in R.L. Johnson’s Irish Creek community, contact Sales Executives Thomas Newman or Chet Harris at (303) XXX-7399. A Fortune 500 company, R.L. Johnson is an award-winning builder of quality homes throughout the United States.

Add any necessary disclaimer. Check with your legal department. They may require a disclaimer at the end of your press release that pertains to the release making "forward looking statements." This is typically done in press releases for public companies that focus on financial results.

If you follow the tips I’ve described in this article, I think you’ll find more media outlets will be printing your press releases in the future.

Casey Demchak is an independent copywriter and consultant who specializes in writing compelling B2B sales copy for the medical industry. He is also the author of the book, Essential Sales Writing Secrets. He can be reached at casey@caseydemchak.com; or at (303) 697-4793.

Casey Demchak
Copywriter & Consultant
10437 W. Hampden Ave. #202
Lakewood, CO 80227
(303) 697-4793

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