I've packaged the entire three-part series ("The WRITE Way to Get Your News Release Noticed") into a PDF article. You may request it from me and I'll gladly send it to you free of charge. And it contains additional/expanded information not included in the blog posts.
There are some who say writing is a talent, and others call it an art. While not everyone can write like Alcott, Steinbeck, Faulkner, Tolkein or Angelou, the basic principles of writing can be learned. However, whether a natural talent, an applied art form or a learned skill, it’s essential that writing be done well or your efforts will be undermined, even ridiculed, by those you’re trying to impress, influence and inform. It’s difficult for a great story to overcome a bad news release.
Tell the truth. This should go without saying—but never (never, NEVER!) lie in your news release. The purpose is to report news, not make it up. On this same note, don’t exaggerate either. (That’s just creative lying!)
Skip the Sales Pitch. It’s almost a given that a news release that tries to sell or advertise will be tossed. Avoid cheap, over-used advertising words, such as “one of a kind,” “greatest,” “breakthrough,” “state-of-the-art,” or “best in the world.”
Look Carefully at “Quotes.” Traditionally, a news release has included an innocuous quote, usually from the organization’s leader (CEO, President, etc.). Sometimes, there are several quotes, either from the same person or other people within the organization.
Quotes in a news release are a problem--too many, too long, cliché and usually needless. I’ve had numerous opportunities to sit on panels with journalists and they universally say that quotes are not important to them. (They are important to the CEO, which is why we get pressure to include them) Personally, if I have to include a quote, I make sure it adds information that’s not already in the release.
Size Matters. Ideally, a news release should be 1 – 2 pages (never more than two!) and about 400 – 700 words. If you can't get your message across in that space, you should consider more than one release. Or give the basic information and then link to your web site for full details.
Don’t make
Always run the spell checker before you send out your press release, but don’t use it as your only proofing method. Consider the following paragraph:
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A spell checker would not find all the errors in that paragraph, so it’s a good idea to have someone else read the news release for errors and omissions. Another option is to read the release aloud —word by word—very slowly.
Provide complete contact information. The listed contact should be someone who’s available and capable of answering questions from reporters. Always include contact name, company name, full address, phone number, e-mail address and website URL.
Timing is everything. Before you send out a release, it’s good to know the deadlines of the outlets you are targeting. Daily reporters (TV and newspapers) usually have deadlines for breaking news, but they may also be working on features up to a month in advance. Magazines typically close their editorial content about two months in advance of the issue date. Radio,
television and electronic journalists run short, timely stories based on breaking news.
Bring it to a close. The standard way to end a news release is with the symbols “# # #” centered after the last paragraph. You might also want to include a “boilerplate”—a brief company summary to help establish your expertise, such as products or services, location and years in business. (Again, visit my web site and check out the boilerplates on some of the releases I’ve done.)
Target to the correct person. Don’t send your new hire announcement to the religion editor. (Unless of course, you’ve just hired a new Pastor, Priest, Shaman or Rabbi.) The newspapers fashion reporter is not interested in your company’s 25-year anniversary and the sports anchor on your local TV station doesn’t want to hear about the latest sales figures. And don’t send a news release about being awarded a new contract to the entertainment reporter. (They won't find it...entertaining!)
Hit SEND. These days, no one mails news releases (Sorry, USPS) and very few media outlets want to receive a fax; send your release by e-mail. Cut and paste the release from your document and put it into the body of the e-mail. Don’t attach the document; everyone is wary of email viruses these days, including editors and it might block your message. I recommend having no attachment, which would include your logo in the body of the e-mail.
Can you think of something else that helps make a good news release? I welcome your thoughts, insights, comments or questions. I would especially like to see hear some of your experiences.
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2 comments:
From personal experience, you should definitely question everything in your release and double check facts - even those given by your CEO, director or any other "expert" in your company. This is especially important when you announce that you are the first to do XYZ. You don't want your competitor to contact you to let you know your release was inaccurate.
Wow, that would be embarrassing to announce your have a new product, only to find out someone already has it. Thanks for sharing!
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