A press release should be concise, interesting, and accurate. It should be formatted with a clean font, double spacing, and company letterhead. The header should be short and informative, followed by a first paragraph detailing the who, what, where, when, why and how. The second paragraph should provide more details, and the release should close with a short paragraph reiterating the pertinent information.
A press release is intended to convey information about an upcoming or ongoing event or to make another type of statement to the media. When writing a press release, keep in mind that many media sources receive large numbers of press releases each day, so it’s important to keep the information concise, interesting, and accurate. The press release is a jack of all trades and a well written factual release will generate positive publicity. When writing a press release, it’s a great idea to think your mind inside the mind of a reporter, making sure that relevant information is clearly outlined in a way that isn’t overly promotional.
General formatting rules for a press release include using a clean, clearly legible font such as Times New Roman or Arial, appropriate sizing, and double spacing. “PRESS RELEASE” should be centered and written in bold type at the top of the document so that a casual glance will reveal the nature of the communication. A press release should always be sent on company letterhead, with contact information listed at the top and bottom. If a company’s letterhead is not available, a company logo should be added so that the document is clearly an official communication. Press releases should always be checked for spelling and grammatical errors to ensure a positive impression on the recipient.
A press release presents chunks of information in an easily accessible way. The press release should lead to a short headline, just like a newspaper headline. The header is an opportunity to hook the reporter and get him interested in the rest of the content. Keep it short, informative, and interesting. “Meet famed author Howard Zinn at cocktail reception on December 16th” is not a good title, because it is too wordy; “You are invited to a reception with Howard Zinn” is better.
Following the header, the first paragraph should detail the who, what, where, when, why and how of the press release. This part of the press release is the appropriate section in our example to detail that the event is a cocktail reception in the Hoover Library on Tuesday at 7:00 PM. Draw the interest of the reader so that he is interested in more details, including in the second paragraph. In our example, the second paragraph may detail Howard Zinn’s credentials, the reason for the welcome, and other details that enrich the report. Finally, close with a short paragraph closing the release and reiterating the pertinent information.
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