Many organizations and businesses want media coverage of their
activities, and at the same time many newsrooms are looking for local
(or even national and international) topics to cover. If you're belong
to an organization that wants coverage, you can increase the odds of
getting it by following a few simple news release (or press release)
conventions.
First, you must have something new or different to say. As the name
News implies, the media want information that's new or at least
updated. At the same time, reporters and editors want information
that's relevant to their readers; choose your media targets carefully,
and tailor the content of the release to their audience).
Second, your headline should be as interesting as a newspaper headline.
It should promise something new, dramatic, or timely. Make the editor
or reporter want to know more. Remember, though, the claim should be
credible and relevant.
Third, in the first paragraph of the body, get in what journalists call
the Five Ws: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. In fact, try to get them
into the first sentence, and if you can't, at least start with a clear
concise statement that summarizes the story.
Traditionally, reporters have tried to get the essence of every story
into the first paragraph because they didn't know where, or whether,
their stories would be cut. So, they start with the most important
information and end with the least important. That way, no matter where
the story was cut, the best material stayed.
Fourth, write and rewrite your news release many times before
'releasing' it. Use active verbs and transitions (from sentence to
sentence, and paragraph to paragraph). Boil down the content as much as
you can; two pages is acceptable, but one is better.
Fifth, follow this standard format:
At the top of the page, write this, in all caps:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Usually this will be left-justified)
Or, if you want the release to be held until specific date/time, write something like this:
FOR RELEASE AT 10 A.M., AUGUST 23
(But don't necessarily expect the embargo to be honored)
Skip a line and then put in contact information, as in:
Contact: Robert Abbott
Telephone: 403 555-1234
Email: robertabbott@anycompany.com
Skip another line and add your headline (centered, and use title case or all-caps):
Perpetual Motion Machine Unveiled
Now, the body of your news release, which should not exceed two pages.
At the end of the body, add three number marks with single spaces between them, as in:
# # #
Repeat your contact information at the end , as in:
Robert Abbott welcomes your inquiries at 403 555-1234 or by email at: robertabbott@anycompany.com
Sixth, prepare yourself for reporters' questions
It goes without saying, of course, that you would prepare yourself for
questions from reporters if you send out a release. I would recommend
you write out a list of questions that seem likely and prepare
bullet-point answers for each of them. That way you'll be ready for
most of the questions. However, don't read the answers back to
reporters; just use them as a guide. At the same time, assume you'll
get questions you simply can't predict. Answer them as well as you can;
and if you can't answer, your best bet is to tell the interviewer
you'll need to get more information, and will call back after you do.
Robert F. Abbott, a former radio news writer and public relations person, dedicates a full chapter to news releases in his book, A Manager's Guide to Newsletters: Communicating for Results. Get three free chapters from the book at http://www.managersguide.com/free-sample.html . He also offers free subscriptions to Abbott's Communication Letter, a free newsletter that helps you enhance your career through improved business communication, at http://www.abbottletter.com .
