Guide to Writing a Press Release

Quality press release writing is an important skill to develop, and requires different stylistic considerations to those used in other types of marcom writing.

A press release does not sell a product directly. Rather, it announces availability and provides relevant background information that is of interest. The goal is to have your press release attract a reporter who sees a good story in it. It must be written in a style that will be appealing for press reporters and editors.

Whatever the subject of your press release, it is vital that your English writing be clear and correct. Your company image depends on it, and the press release will not be picked up by any major press services if it is full of mistakes or hard to follow.

Press Release Tips:

• Always write in third person.
• Write an attractive heading and an informative sub-heading – emulate the style you see in newspapers.
• Press releases need to have release date information, as well as the name and location of the company publishing the press release.
• Keep away from marketing style writing; do not make claims like "Smith tires roll all over the competitors" or "the best tire ever manufactured". State facts only.
• If you want to make more subjective comments, try to do this using quotes from people, so there is a division between the facts presented by the writer (you) and subjective appraisals presented by interviewees.
• Keep paragraphs and sentences short and to the point.
• Do not repeat any information – use your small writing space wisely.

These simple tips will help you sharpen your writing for press releases, ensuring they are written to reap maximum benefits.



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