How to Write Your Own Press Release

Rebecca Jamieson is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in Brisbane, Australia. She enjoys vintage shopping, eating sushi and hanging out in cafes. You can follow her on Twitter here, find her on LinkedIn here or check out her blog here.

Writing your own press release can be a tricky business. What to say? Where to start? How to stand out from all the other releases and get your company some media exposure? Luckily for you, there are some very simple guidelines you can follow to make sure your press release works for you.

Keep it brief

The simplest press releases are often the most effective. Don’t include pages and pages of information – keep it to three simple paragraphs explaining what’s newsworthy about your product (a new range, a promotional event, a seasonal discount, etc), and a bit of background information on your company.

What’s the story?

Journalists aren’t interested in advertising your company; they’re interested in getting a good story. Before you write your press release, ask yourself ‘what’s the story?’ then craft your release around that.

Be creative

Don’t be afraid to be creative when writing your press release. A well-crafted title and opening line will make sure that your release grabs the attention of whoever is reading it. Saying that, don’t worry if you’re not confident about your writing skills. Any good journalist should write the article themselves instead of taking excerpts from your press release.

Embrace the quirky

What’s quirky or unique about your company/event/product? Play on this area to make sure your press release stands out from the crowd.

Include a quote

Journalists love quotes, and the addition of a well-chosen quote can make all the difference between an average article and a brilliant one. Choose an angle that complements your story (perhaps an explanation of why your event will be fantastic, or details of the inspiration behind your new designs) and keep it to a few sentences.

Include a couple of images with your email

Keep these as separate files from your press release but do include them in the same email. This gives the journalist an idea of the images available for your product – they’ll ask for more if they need them.

Leave your details

If the journalist wants to know more they’ll need to contact you. Make sure that your name, telephone number and email address are clearly visible at the end of the page.

Know your audience

If your press release is announcing the launch of your new jewellery business then chances are your local newspaper won’t be interested. Fashion websites, blogs and magazines will probably be more suited to your company. Do your research so you don’t waste your time sending your release out to inappropriate publications.

Do you send out press releases?
Why or why not?

• taraswiger's blog