Press Releases 101 How (and why) to Write a Press Release
By John Cook Vice President of Marketing, ChamberMaster
The purpose of a press release is to get attention, make news, and generate publicity. It’s cost effective marketing (free) and they can be used to create brand awareness. The Basics of Crafting a Press Release:
Make it newsworthy; it’s not an ad, it’s a news article
Use an attention-grabbing headline
Be time sensitive – no one wants old news
Stick to one topic
Write it in a professional tone, or even better, write it like you’re a reporter
Proofread it and then have someone else proofread it
Key Components of a Press Release:
Letterhead (identify that it’s from your organization)
Date
“For Immediate Release” under the date
Headline: Limit it to 15 words
Subtitle (optional): Keep it short
Lead paragraph: Your organization’s location (city, state) in bold type and the 5 Ws (who, what, when, why, where) of the story
2nd Paragraph: Supportive information and at least one quote
Other paragraphs: Additional, relevant, non-essential information
Call to Action: An exact, complete, non-embedded URL (not “Click Here to visit website”) in one of the paragraphs
Conclusion: A brief description of your organization
Media Contact Information: Your name, email, phone, and website
A Press Release Should Not:
Run longer than 1 page
Have a lot of formatting (indentation, bullet points, bolding, etc.)
Include exclamation points (unless it’s a direct quote)
Exaggerate
Use the words: I, we, our, me
Distribution of a Press Release:
Develop a media contact list of people you will send the release to
Email the release to an actual person, or at least to a specific news department
Use a detailed subject line in your email (not simply “Press Release”)
Post the release on your Chamber’s website
Share the release on your Chamber’s social media channels
Incorporating all of this into your press release should result in a well-organized, relevant article that is newsworthy. Looking for more Marketing and Public Relations ideas? Download the ChamberMaster Social Media Survival Infographic. It includes 30 quick and clever social media ideas for Chambers. (http://info.memberzone.com/acton/form/12395/0080:d-0002/0/-/-/-/-/index.htm)