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How to Write a Killer Press Release |
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One of the best ways to generate interest for an event such as a product launch, or to let the world know what your business is doing is to write a press release that will communicate information about it. The advantage of a press release is that it is your side of the story, and tells people about things the way that you want them presented. A good press release will not only give the basics about the facts of what you are doing, but will also serve as a sales pitch to potential customers and create a buzz for them about getting involved, or buying a product that you have released.
A press release is typically sent out to a number of news sources, and then disseminated by them to their readers. It may either be published by a news source in full, or alternatively be edited by them to add some back ground or other information pertinent to the story, or be used as a part of a larger story that their readers are interested in.
Writing a killer press release is an art form, and there are agencies around the world that charge large sums of money in order to get your message across on your behalf, but if you would rather do the job yourself, or do not have the budget to employ a professional writer, it is still possible to get the right message across to potential readers if you have the time to apply yourself properly to getting the job done properly.
The first thing to consider when writing a press release is to be honest with yourself about whether you think that you can achieve what you are setting out to. A badly written press release can do more harm than good to your enterprise, leaving readers with the wrong idea about what you are trying to say, or even turn them off the idea of using you ever again.
If you believe that you can get the right blend of tone and content, and have the ability to write your own killer press release, then you should start off by reading plenty of others to get an idea of the tone that you will need to use.
Typically, a press release is used by news agencies as the basis for their stories, and you should consider this when planning how to write. As a rule, a press release should be written in a third person tense, and stick mainly to the facts of what it is reporting.
Think about what you are trying to achieve through writing the release. If you are launching a new product, make sure that you talk about it at the start of the article. You should make an effort to paint a picture of the features of the item that you are writing about at the start of the piece, moving onto potential applications later on.
Avoid giving information that is not important to the subject you are writing about within the article itself. There is nothing worse than a press release that lacks focus. You can always give corporate information about your business at the end as a resource, but the body of the copy that you are writing should be absolutely focused on the issue at hand.
The ideal length of a press release is typically a lot shorter than you would think. As long as it includes all the information and facts, as well as a resource for additional information, it is long enough.
Keep your press release short and to the point. Do not go overboard with additional details, and do not avoid putting facts in. Although your final intention from a press release may be to encourage customers to buy a new product, you should always remember that the article is likely to undergo editing, and anything that seems to obviously to be a sales piece will almost certainly be ignored by any news editors, unless it is a very quiet news day.
Avoid using too many adjectives and adverbs in your writing, as they can detract from the message, and ensure that you do not use words that are not easily understood unless you are releasing the article to an audience who you can guarantee will understand what you are writing about.
Finally, ensure that you make it obvious that what you are writing about is newsworthy. Include launch dates and details about how where a product will be available from. If there are any special promotions, make any terms and conditions available in the press release, as such information is vital to the success of any promotion. For example, if you make it clear that customers are only eligible for a specific discount for a limited period; make sure that you include exact dates in the press release. |
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