How to write a press release journalists will want to read
Journalists get dozens, if not hundreds, of press releases delivered to their inbox each day. While the task of sifting through them is gruelling, the challenge to get your news to the top of the pile is even bigger. Here’s how to write a press release that will capture a journalists’ attention and boost its chances of being used.
Get to the point
Newsdesks don’t have time to scroll through pages of scene-setting information. So tell them your story upfront. Make sure the topic is clear in the subject line of your email and the headline in the main body of the message. Don’t add press releases as attachments to emails as this just makes them harder to access and read.
Be timely
Every business should have a set of key messages or themes ready to roll out to the media at certain times of the year or if a particular topic becomes newsworthy.
The holidays, major sporting events, and national and international awareness campaigns are all opportunities to put out timely news related to your business. Have a set of generic press releases drafted, ready to be tweaked and sent out when a relevant story hits the headlines.
Fill it with facts
Make sure your press releases are full of facts that make the case for why your business’ news is important. What percentage of people are affected? How big was the result? When was the last time this kind of thing happened? You get the idea.
Check your grammar
Journalists are professional writers who have trained for years to make sure they write good copy fast. It’s in their blood to pick up grammar and spelling mistakes. If your press release is riddled with errors this will rile them. Triple check your copy before you press send to avoid having your news binned for being poor quality.
Hit your target media
Don’t take a scattergun approach to media relations. Press releases that are sent to a small number of journalists who are already interested in your business or sector will have more impact than ones that are sent to the masses. Also, when you know your audience, you can tailor your release with the details you know will pass their editor’s scrutiny.
Add resources
Include links to images and extra resources that can be downloaded from Dropbox or another file sharing service. This way you’re not risking large emails being rejected by the journalist’s mail server or clogging up their inbox.
If you want to learn more about how to write a press release or get your business’s news in the media then we can help. Amplify PR is a Southampton-based, award-winning PR agency with experience in journalism, PR and marketing. Find out more about our media relations services or get in touch.