PRESS RELEASE TIPS

We can help you get your press release in the right hands, but if it is poorly worded the potential positive impact of your news could be not only be negated, but could result in the opposite of your desired results. Here are a few tips for you to consider when writing your press release. If you need help, the professionals at TalonPR will be more than happy to help you craft a strong press release.

1. Include an eye-catching headline aimed at drawing attention to your news – journalists and consumers alike often see hundreds of headlines per day and will skip over your news if the headline doesn’t capture their imaginations.
   
   
2. Start strong. Don’t mince words in the first sentence – get right to the point.
   
   
3. The entire story should be summed up in the first paragraph, answering the questions of 'who, what, when, where, why, and how' of your news.
   
   
4. All sentences should be concise and avoid too many of them in each paragraph. People want to avoid large blocks of text as they’re hard to skim.
   
   
5. If your news pertains to the release for a product or service, be sure not to miss the obvious facts (product name, version number, where it's available, and what it costs). Provide information on what makes your product so compelling and how it is differentiated by others in the market (without mentioning your competition by name, of course).
   
   
6. Keep your release jargon-free and avoid telling everyone how your company is the “industry leader” or any other such buzz words – it’s like nails on the chalkboard to journalists who read dozens of press releases from industry leaders each day.
   
   
7. Your press release is not a brochure and should not be written lik e one. Avoid marketing-speak. The press release is the place for you to spell out the facts in a clear and concise manner.
   
   
8. Use CEO quotes in the press release – which gives you the opportunity to communicate a viewpoint about your news. The rest of the press release should stick to objective facts.
   
   
9. If you write your press release like an objective journalist would, you will increase your likelihood that writers who are time-pressed will simply cut-and-paste your press release directly into their articles or blog posts.  
   
   
10. Use proper English and be sure to spell-check your press release.
    
    
11. Conclude your press release with boilerplate information about your company: location, years in business, and any other pertinent information. Be sure to include your website address.
    
    
12. Include a contact name, telephone number, address, and email address.