|
A press release is pseudo-news
story, written in third person, that seeks to demonstrate to an
editor or reporter the newsworthiness of a particular person,
event, service or product.
How is a press release used?
Press releases are often sent alone,
by e-mail, fax or snail mail. They can also be part of a full
press kit, or may be accompanied by a pitch letter.
What is the proper press release format?
Here's a sample press release
template you can use to format your press release correctly:
Note: The three #'s mark the end of the press
release.
What should I put in my press release?
Here is an example theme: you
run an vitamin web site specializing in weight-loss products.
Through the process described in the report, you've nailed down a
nice, newsworthy topic – teenagers and how they deal with
issues of weight. But that's a broad topic, not a story.
The story: What do kids
think about a "thin is in" society?
As you sift through your message
boards looking for quotes, you see a trend appearing. There are
lots of messages criticizing Hollywood actresses and pop singers
for being too thin. Many girls are saying that seeing these women
make them feel bad about their own bodies. A number of the boys
are pointing out that they don't find ultra-thin women appealing.
Now you've got your angle --
your hook that will grab a reporter's attention:
Teenagers think that a "thin is
in" society pretty much stinks.
Now let's get writing.
Press Release Headline
Before you write a word,
remember this:
The reporter isn't interested in
helping you make money or driving visitors to your site. He's
looking for a story that will be interesting to his readers and
pleasing to his editor. He could care less about your great
selection, super customer service and commitment to quality. He
wants to know only the info that will help him craft a good story
about teens and their weight.
Take your ego out of it. Take
your natural inclination to sell, sell, sell out of it. Look at
your story with a cold, objective eye.
OK, let's get to our press
release headline.
State your most exciting news,
finding or announcement in as few words as possible. Emulate the
headlines you see in the newspaper every day.
Bad Press Release Headline:
NEW WEBSITE THAT OFFERS
HERBAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS LETS TEENS SPEAK OUT ABOUT WEIGHT
ISSUES
Good Press Release Headline:
TEENS: ULTRA-THIN MOVIE, POP
STARS SET BAD EXAMPLE
Don't worry, you'll get to plug
your website soon enough. In the meantime, you've just thrown a
meaty hook at the reporter.
The Press Release Subhead
Subheads are remarkably useful
tools, yet usually overlooked by press release writers. Basically,
the press release subhead gives you the opportunity to flesh out
your angle and further hook the reporter, without stepping on the
drama of the press release headline.
Here's a headline/subhead combo
I might use for this press release:
TEENS: ULTRA-THIN MOVIE,
POP STARS SET BAD EXAMPLE
Website Forumgoers Weigh In:
Teens Don't Find Ultra-Thin Celebs Attractive;
Girls Say Negative Self-Images Reinforced by Hollywood's
Super-Skinny
The Press Release Lead
It's Journalism 101 -- the lead
paragraph includes the who, what, when, where and how of the
story. If the reporter were only to read the lead of a good press
release, he'd have everything he needed to get started.
There's no room for BS, hype or
sell. Just the facts.
Bad Press Release Lead
Recently on theplace4vitamins.com, an
online store dedicated to selling the best herbal products,
teenagers had the chance to say what they thought about weight
loss and whether a society that pressures young people to be thin
is a good thing or a bad thing.
Good Press Release Lead
America's teenagers are angry at Hollywood for glamorizing
ultra-thin bodies, and many girls say they feel too self-conscious
about their bodies as a result of watching TV, movies and music
videos. The findings are gleaned from more than six months of
ongoing discussion and debate at the website
theplace4vitamins.com. According to theplace4vitamins.com
President John Smith, anger and resentment toward the Hollywood
ultra-thin runs deep, particularly among teenage girls.
The Rest of the Press Release
The balance of the press release
serves to back up whatever claims were made in the lead and
headline. In this case, you'd pull some quotes from the message
boards (an aside here: if you really were to pull quotes in this
fashion, you should only use the poster's name or identifying
information with his or her permission. Otherwise, simply say "a
14 year old boy said..." or "a 16 year old Midwestern girl
added..." Also, if this technique appeals to you, be certain that
a disclaimer appears on your message boards notifying posters that
all posts become your property and copyright). Use enough
supporting material to make your case, and to demonstrate that,
whatever angle you're promoting, it wasn't something you slapped
together carelessly.
Next, a quote will help put in
some perspective:
"I
was surprised by the level of anger expressed in these messages,"
Smith said. "Teenagers are far more clued into this issue than
most people would imagine."
Or, you might ask an expert for
a quote:
"This demonstrates once again the need to teach young girls and
boys about how to develop a positive self-image," said Jane Doe,
author of "I Like My Body Just As It Is". "theplace4vitamins.com
has done a true service by bringing these attitudes to the
public's attention."
Finally, spend a sentence or two
describing your company and what you do:
theplace4vitamins.com was founded in 1997 to provide consumers
with a wide choice of vitamins, supplements and herbal products.
The site offers a range of articles, research materials and
message forums for the health conscious consumer.
This paragraph is known as the
"boilerplate" -- an old newspaper term meaning a block of standard
text that's used over and over again (e.g. the explanation of
symbols on the stock price page). In this case, it's text that you
might use at the bottom of all your releases.
Place your boilerplate right
above the # # #'s.
One more trick: below the ###'s,
add a line that says something like:
If
you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an
interview with John Smith, please call Pat Brown at 555/555-2222
or e-mail Pat at pr@theplace4vitamins.com
Some Key Things to Remember
-
Stay away from hype-bloated phrases like
"breakthrough", "unique", "state-of-the-art", etc.
-
Always write it from a journalist's perspective.
Never use "I" or "we" unless it's in a quote.
-
Read lots of good newspaper writing, such as the
New York Times or the Washington Post to get a feel for the
style.
-
Shorter is better. If you can say it in two
pages, great. If you can say it in one page, better.
© Stoller and
Bard Communications
http://www.publicityinsider.com
|
