Tips on writing an effective news release (and ways to get them to the right people)
Here are a few tips for putting your best face forward when producing a news release:
Tip 1:Use an attention-grabbing first sentence that sums up the information to follow. Many editors won’t read past the initial paragraph otherwise. Tip 2:
Find an angle to your release that provides the public with useful information or entertainment rather than being blatantly self-serving. Tip 3:
Keep the release short – no more than two typed pages, preferably double-spaced. Tip 4:
Find the shortest, simplest way to make your points so you avoid wordiness. You can always provide in-depth details later to a reporter interested in knowing more. Tip 5:
Avoid trite, overused words like “fabulous” and “wonderful.” Stick to the facts. Tip 6:
If distributing the news release in a particular region, look for a way to localize the information by referring to a well-known person, place, or event. Tip 7:
Follow up with phone calls to the people on your list. You’d be surprised how many people say they never received the release or who say, “I was going to call but I lost the release.” Avoid being a pest, however – strike the right balance. Always ask the editor or reporter if he or she is on deadline. Tip 8:
Don’t give up. It often takes several tries to get something about you into the media. A series of news releases over a period of a few months continually reinforces your name and eventually establishes you as a reputable source. Tip 9:
Return phone calls promptly to the media. Instruct your front-line people to be especially responsive and professional on the telephone. Tip 10:
Don’t be long-winded in your responses to interview questions. Answer them in the simplest way you know how. A reporter who wants more details will let you know and will appreciate your brevity otherwise. Tip 11:
Don’t get off on a tangent that YOU consider important but doesn’t seem to interest the reporter.
A note about distributing your news release:
There are three main avenues for distributing your press release. Fax, snail mail and e-mail. Faxing is probably still the best way (unless the editor you are trying to reach has specified otherwise). For maximum effectiveness, call the “desk” or department pertaining to the type of information you wish to disseminate and ask for the appropriate editor and the fax number. It’s very important that the release go to a specific person, so you know with whom to do follow-up. For example, if the story relates to a business matter, get the name of the business editor. If the news release has feature potential, ask for the feature editor. Most radio stations have news directors, and TV stations have what they call “assignment editors.” Although most reporters now have e-mail, they are as apt to hit the delete button as the rest of us when something looks like it might be junk mail, so find out ahead of time if the editor or reporter you are trying to reach prefers receiving press releases by fax or e-mail. If e-mail is the preferred method, ask what you can place in the header to help your release be read, and what you shouldn’t include. Avoid sending your release or any materials, such as photos, in the form of an attachment, especially if you are not known to the media person you’re contacting. These may be viewed with suspicion as possibly containing a virus and might be deleted without further thought. Frankly, I prefer sending press releases in fax form, even now, because it’s a hard copy piece of paper that is likely to make its way to the reporter’s desk or in-box. And snail mail? Well, this might be the most desirable option if you have an eye-catching press kit you’d like the editor or reporter to see or if you have photos you know will make a good impression – as long as you’re not in a hurry for it to get there.For more information on any of the services offered by Carden Creative, contact us at (772) 220-1230 or send an e-mail to .
