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Welcome to WriteTips! This is our first issue and we're very excited about this opportunity to share writing-related articles and informational resources with those of you who have opted to receive this free Ezine. Most of the information included in WriteTips will focus on writing for business, organizational, or other promotional publications. We'll address other general topics related to writing, too. WriteTips will be issued monthly. We hope you find this Ezine helpful-if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, we'd love to hear from you! Feel free to drop us a line anytime and let us know what think about WriteTips. All the best, Cassie Hart Publicity With Press Releases One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to publicize an event or achievement, new product or service, or other newsworthy item is to distribute a press release to the media. Always hungry for story ideas, local newspapers and radio and television stations are constantly on the lookout for information about community events, business developments, and general interest subjects. Press releases help local journalists and announcers discover news while allowing you to enjoy the benefits of free promotion. Obtaining information A press release is really just a short article. And as with any article, it's necessary to conduct some research before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). For example, if you've been asked to write a release about the grand opening of a your employer's new business location, you'll want to get specific information from a contact person (in this case, your boss). Why did he or she decide to change locations? What's better about the new location? How will the move improve business? Schedule a face-to-face meeting if you can, but don't forget about the phone and email, too. People are busy and will appreciate having options available that make it easier to talk with you. Don't forget to collect written materials, such as company brochures and newsletters. Visit the company's website, too. Doing your homework ahead of time will help you understand aspects of the company before you interview the contact person. Writing the release So you've finished reading over the materials you collected and you've interviewed the contact person. Now it's time to sketch an outline for your release that includes a headline, lead, and body. As you begin to write, don't worry about length initially, but remember that in its finished form, the release shouldn't exceed two pages. Your release should include the following parts: Headline - Make sure your headline is concise and relevant to the topic of your release. It's ok to be creative here; after all, you do want to catch the editor's (or program manager, etc) attention. Just keep the headline professional and make sure it relates to the story. Lead - This is the first paragraph in your release. It should abide by journalistic standards and include the four w's: who, what, when, and where. It doesn't hurt to briefly add how or why, either. Body - Here is your opportunity to describe the event in detail. Pick an angle, or hook, to begin telling the story. Who will be interested in your information? How can you write to appeal to this group of people? Consider peppering your release with quotes from the interview. This is an important part of writing a release; quotes serve as first-hand accounts from knowledgeable people about the subject at hand. Readers will get a feel for an individual's perspective, which can be a very persuasive publicity tactic. Be sure to remember that your press release serves as a publicity tool, so keep sales pitches out of the text. Instead, discuss why the subject is worthy of the media's attention. Reporters and journalists aim to provide news, not sell your product or service. Finally, you may want to add a short paragraph about the company's history or mission at the end of your release. Distributing your press release You've written your release; now you need to get it out for all to see! There are several ways to send this information to the media. Fax, email, and snail mail are all acceptable ways to distribute information. Try to find out the name of the person responsible for deciding whether press releases are newsworthy for each medium. Does the editor collect releases at the newspaper first? Is the station manager of your local radio station responsible for this? Learn their names and address the release to these people. Follow up using the phone or email to make sure your release was received and ask if you can provide any other information not included in the release. Be aware that print mediums may use your release in full, in part, or as a springboard for an interview. If you are contacted for more information, be as friendly and helpful as possible. If you notice your release ran in the paper shortly after you submitted it, drop a short note to the editor thanking her for her attention to your release.
View some examples of press releases
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