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February/March 2007
Volume I; Issue 1
Special Report:
Trans Texas Corridor

Tips on How to Write an Effective Press Release
By Cirina Catania

You’ve got something to say. Either something has happened that you believe is newsworthy and should be reported or something is about to happen, such as a meeting. You would like to have this event covered in your local newspaper. How do you communicate to the press in such a way that they will first: notice, second: read your release and write about it, and third: publish the story?

Rule #1 – Keep it simple. We’ve all heard this before. An easy trick I still use is to take out a piece of paper (or in this computer age, fire up the old laptop) and write down these words on separate lines…Who, What, When and Where. On each line I write in a few words the answers. Once I’ve done this, I have the distilled version of what I’m trying to communicate and I’m focused on presenting it in the most “newsworthy” way. Notice that I said, write each word on a separate line - this forces me to keep my responses brief.

Rule #2 – Stick to the facts. Don’t give your opinion, quote hearsay or include anything that is not fact–based. PR (as in press) is not the same as Advertising. In the first instance you are notifying the press of a newsworthy event and asking them to write about it. In the second instance, you are purchasing space in the publication so you can say whatever you like.

Rule #3 – Keep it short. Most press releases are only one or two double-spaced pages. Press people are swamped with information and you want them to notice you and read what you have written.

Rule #4 – Follow the rules. This is a tough one for those of us who are free spirits! The news industry has a standard format for press releases that is unilaterally recognized. If you can learn to use this format and become conversant with it, you will find that your news is published more frequently. If you deviate from the “standard” form for a press release, chances are your hard work will end up in the trash with 100 others that also did not fit the format.

Let’s talk for a moment about the specs. Use an easy to read typeface such as Times New Roman or Arial in 12-point size for the body and 14 for the headline. Double-space the body of your release. The headline is centered, in upper/lower case and in bold face and starts 12 lines below the upper margin. (No, you’re not wasting space, just giving your favorite journalist a place to write notes if he decides to pursue the story.) If there is a secondary point that is very important, you can put a second headline underneath the first in 12-point type italicized.

Elements of a professional press release:

#1 – The Headline – (see specs above) - Tell the most important newsworthy point in your headline. What are you trying to say? What is the one point you’d like to get across even if the journalist does not read further? This is your “pitch” to help get someone to read further and also positions the information the way you’d like it to be seen. How many times have you picked up the paper and just glanced through the headlines to catch up on the news? Same principle.
#2. – “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” – Place this notice on the left-hand side four lines below the headlines and all in caps. This immediately lets the journalist know that you are submitting a release and not an advertising pitch or an “essay” on the meaning of life. This is news and we want to get their attention.

#3 – Contact information comes next. “Contact: Mr. Property Owner” on the first line, followed by the address, telephone number and email address each on separate lines, single-spaced.

#4 – Dateline. The beginning of the body of your press release always contains the city and date of the news release in parenthesis (Dallas, Texas – February 6, 2007). This lets the journalist know that the news is current and that the story is on-going.

#5 – The Body. Double-spaced and in what is called the Inverted Pyramid form. Your very first paragraph should give everything you have to say that is most important in three or four sentences. Think of it this way, if your release is too long and an editor has to shorten it, most likely he will chop off the last few paragraphs. Always start with the most important points first. That way, if you get edited, your information will already have been covered. If you are quoting someone in your first sentence, start out with the information first then the attribution (the person who said it) second. The exception here might be if the person being quoted is extremely newsworthy themselves, i.e., The Queen of England. Make sure to cover the Who, What, When and Where concisely and briefly. Give facts and only facts. Opinion is for the editorial pages. Keep your target reader in mind. Know the type of news your local paper covers. Be aware that you are helping the journalist with his research. Think about the questions that he will ask and try to cover the major points in the body of your release. Keep it to one or two pages at the most.

#6 – Boilerplate. This is a short, two-sentence paragraph that gives background information on the organization that is furnishing the release or is the subject of the potential news article. This information doesn’t change and should be inserted in every release.

#7 – Closing Paragraph – Repeat contact information at the end. In one sentence say again who should be contacted for further information or to help set up interviews.

#8 – Use the word “more…” flush with the right-hand margin at the end of the first page to let them know that there is an additional page.

#9 – Repeat your Headline at the top of the second page. Number the page

#10 – Use the symbol ### at the end of the release to let them know there are no further pages.

Good luck. More next time on where to find press lists.