Writing a press release can be a highly effective promotional marketing tool. Follow these guidelines to writing press releases that are compelling and will drive positive exposure for your company, product or service.
The key to writing a successful press release is to remember the audience and the purpose of press releases. A press release is different from an article in that it is designed to encourage journalists and media to write news articles on the subject.
A good press release can be used as raw material by the media when creating news content, saving the journalist time when putting their story together. Your secondary goal may be communicating or driving "buzz" to your prospective customer audience.
Here are some guidelines for creating a great press release that will get picked up by the media:
Before you delve into writing a press release, make sure you really do have a newsworthy story. Think about your audience. It may be exciting news for you (e.g., perhaps you just opened a new online store), but will someone else find your story interesting?
Focus your press release on aspects of your news that really differentiate you from everyone else. Think about what a journalist would want to write about your story. Where possible, use real life examples about how your company solved a problem.