Press Releases

A press release is pseudo-news story, written in third person that seeks to demonstrate the newsworthiness of a particular service, product, person or event to an editor or reporter.

It is important to remember a few important things while writing the press release.

• Press releases are not intended for customers. They are for reporters and journalists who will use them as a starting point for a larger story or feature.
• Therefore, the press release should be written in a way one would like to have it told.
• Press releases written as sales pieces will be completely ignored. The points you make in your press release and the order in which you make them may direct the journalist in how to develop the story.
• The reporter is really not interested in helping you or your company make money or driving visitors to your site. He is generally looking to write a story that will be interesting to his readers and pleasing to his editor. He could care less about your great selection, super customer service and commitment to quality. He wants to know only the information that will help him craft a good story.
• So the writer of press release must take his/her ego out of writing it. The story needs to be looked at with a cold, objective eye.
• Formatting the press release is as important as the content itself. The written press release must use a format that is generally accepted by most of the media.
• The most exciting news, finding or announcement must be stated first in as few words as possible. The headlines must be emulated similar to the headlines that we see in the newspaper every day.