The 411 on Writing an Effective Press Release

For years, press releases have been a tool for the public relations industry to disseminate newsworthy information to the press and consumers.  With the evolution of the medical field and the rise of online press releases, blogging, and social media – the knowledge of writing a basic press release is a tool that medical marketers can’t afford not to have.   Below are some tips on writing a press release that won’t get lost in this information overload.

Make it look like a press release: You want to be taken as a professional, so make your release look professional.  The typical press release has a headline (in bigger and bolder font), an option sub-headline below it (in smaller, possible italic font), and the words “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” on the top.  The first sentence of your release, called your “lead sentence” should begin with a dateline and can look like this:

ATLANTA, July 22, 2010 – <lead sentence here>.

(Make sure you check AP Style guidelines for the correct dateline in your city)

Oftentimes, the copy of the release is followed by a boilerplate or a standard paragraph with your company or organization information – contact information can be place below this. Your press release should end with “# # #” centered at the bottom of the page, so that people know there is no more information on following pages.

Grab readers with your headline. With so many press releases flooding journalists nowadays, you are lucky if you get them to even read your headline!  That’s why when they do, it must catch their attention so that they will read on.   Make sure your headline is newsworthy, short, in active voice, and contains the most important information.  Your headline can be catchy when appropriate – but try to avoid making it too corny or it’ll turn professional journalists off. If there is too much information to fit in your headline, you can add a sub-headline below with one or two sentences of more information and clarification.

Pack your lead sentence with information. The first sentence (and sometimes first two sentences) of your release should answer the questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? You must always put the most important information on top, in case the reader does not have enough time to continue reading.

Don’t try and sell to your readers. This is what advertising is for. A press release is news, not a sales pitch. Provide people with information that they will want to know and avoid bloated sentences about how great you are.

Make your release newsworthy. Just because you care, doesn’t mean anybody else will.  Keep your audience in mind when crafting your message.  If you can’t find a unique or interesting “hook” or angle – then you don’t need to be sending out a release.  Try to tie your message into current events and trends to make the information timely.

Keep it short and concise. Keep your paragraphs from 1 to 3 sentences so the information will not overwhelm the reader and discourage them from finishing it.  Use active voice, it is more interesting and uses up less space.  It’s also great if you can keep your release to one page of information too.

Quotes are great. Quotes can personalize a release, make it more interesting, or add validity to your claims.  DON’T however use a quote that doesn’t give the reader more information.  Having the company president say, “We are so excited about our event” doesn’t tell the reader anything new (of course you’re excited, that’s why you are sending out a press release!)

Provide Contact Information. Make sure people can contact you for more information. If there is a website, provide that too.

Optimize your release when it is online. Press releases are supposed to be interactive.  Add appropriate link and make the copy short so it is easy on the eyes when reading on a computer screen.  Online press releases will get to a wide group of consumers and media – and will help your SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Proofread! Proofread! Proofread! Nothing looks more unprofessional than having a typo in a press release. It is important to also make sure all of your information is correct (including approval of quotations and statistics).  If you don’t make sure all of your information is correct and approved, you could get yourself into legal trouble!

Please call McCauley Marketing Services or visit our website if you are interested in having a public relations or marketing campaign custom designed for your business.