Press Releases for Every Occasion
by Bill Stoller, Publisher
Free
Publicity, The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses
To many marketers, the press release is something
of a "one size fits all" proposition. You want to get
media coverage, you knock out a press release, send it to some
journalists and sit back and wait.
Of course, smart Publicity Insiders already know
that's a prescription for failure. You know that your press release
has to have a "hook", be well-written and sent to appropriate
journalists in an active, not passive, manner.
But there's another part of the puzzle that even
savvy publicity-seekers sometimes miss -- you can't just write
"a press release", you have to write the right kind
of press release.
There's no such thing as a "one size fits
all" release. Smart publicists have variations of the press
release model ready to be go, depending on the occasion.
(Note: for a general introduction to press release
writing and formatting, see: http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp)
Let's look at some releases suitable for "harder"
and more timely news...
The News Release
To some folks, "news release" and "press
release" are interchangeable. Not to me. I use the phrase
"news release" to refer to a release that, well, carries
actual news.
Let's face it, most of what a business has to
say to a journalist isn't exactly "stop the presses"
kind of stuff. But, on occasion, something of real significance
occurs. A merger, a stock split, a major new contract, winning
a national award...something that's truly timely and important.
For these sorts of events, don't mess around.
Craft a solid, hard-hitting News Release that's written in pure
journalistic style (lead includes "who, what, when, why and
how", language is in 3rd person and completely free of hyperbole).
Use journalism's "inverted pyramid"
-- most important information at the top, next most important
info in the second paragraph and so on down.
Tell the entire story in the headline and subhead.
Again, don't get cute -- get straight to the point. The headline
"Acme Corporation Selected by Pentagon to Supply Troops with
Widgets" is far better than something like "Guess Who's
Making Widgets for Uncle Sam?" or something "clever"
like that.
In the subhead, fill in some details: "$18
Million Contract Largest in Company's History". Talk about
getting straight to the point! You've just given the journalist
the meat of the story before she's even read your lead.
Add a "dateline" (Akron, OH) at the
beginning of your lead (first) paragraph. In the dateline, use
your company's home town (or the location where some news has
broken.
You can be a bit creative here, if it helps maximize
your impact. For the above example, you can dateline it Washington,
DC and say that "The Pentagon today announced that it has
selected an Akron company...").
In distributing the release, use e-mail, fax,
distribution service such as PRWeb or PR Newswire, or even overnight
courier. The goal is to get it into journalists' hands on the
same day you distribute it.
Executive Appointment Release
Most businesses send out a brief release and headshot
when someone new is hired or a major promotion is made. That's
fine, and it will get them in the "People on the Move"
column on page 8 in the business section. It's an ego stroke for
the employee, but that's about it.
Savvy publicity seekers use the Executive Appointment
release to generate real publicity. Here's the key -- don't just
announce that someone's been hired or promoted. Rather, explain
why the move is significant to the company -- and perhaps the
market -- as a whole.
For example, Jane Smith has been hired as your
company's new director of sales. Not so exciting. However, the
reason you hired her is because she came from a major online retailer
and is planning to overhaul your sales system to compare with
the state- of-the-art systems used by the big guys. Hmmmm...that's
a lot more interesting. So why not tell the media about it?
The key ingredient is context. Your headline may
still look like that of a typical Executive Appointment release
(Acme Names Jane Smith New Director of Sales), but starting with
the subhead, you begin your journey off page 8 of the business
section and onto page one (Hiring of Key Figure in Online Sales
Explosion Marks Important Shift in Acme's Sales Strategy).
Ah, now you've entered the realm of news, not
business as usual. And a sharp business editor will see that a
local company is doing something far more significant than just
making a hire.
Dateline the release, fax (or even messenger),
email or regular mail it over to your local business editor and
follow up with a phone call. Offer Jane Smith for interview, too.
The Media Alert
The Media Alert is a deceptively simple creature.
It's essentially a memo from you to TV, radio and newspaper assignment
editors, city desk editors and others who decide whether a particular
news event is worth covering. They're used to alert the press
about news conferences, charity events, publicity "stunts"
and other events.
The point of the Media Alert is to, in just a
few seconds, tell a journalist about the event, how to cover it
and why it's important that the media outlet, in fact, covers
it.
Most publicists are pretty good on the first two
points -- almost all media alerts do a decent job of telling what
the event is, where it will be held and what time it starts. It's
the third aspect -- the "why" -- that will make the
real difference, though. And it's the thing most publicists do
a lousy of job of conveying.
First, a word about format. Use standard press
release headings (contact info, "For Immediate Release"
and headline). The rest of the document should be a few paragraphs,
spaced at least three lines apart from one another.
The first paragraph, should begin with What: and
continue with a one or two line description of the event (WidgetFest
2004, a celebration of young minds). Next paragraph, When:, after
that Where:
Now here's the key paragraph,
Why You Should Cover WidgetFest 2004: The brightest
young minds from around the region will gather to present their
inventions, as Acme Corp. celebrates the state's top high school
science students. The event will be a visual feast, with a host
of awe- inspiring inventions, many colorful, active and exotic,
on display. As part of the event, more than $10,000 in scholarships
will be distributed to budding Einsteins by John Smith, Ohio's
Science Teacher of the Year.
The key? This line: "The event will be
a visual feast, with a host of awe-inspiring inventions, many
colorful, active and exotic, on display." I just spoke
an assignment editor's language, telling him that this will provide
lots of cool visuals, making for great video or photos.
The bit about the scholarships and the Science
Teacher of the Year assures him that this won't just be a promotional
stunt. So what are we offering? A non-promotional, feel-good event
with great visuals. Just what an assignment editor is looking
for.
About The Author:
Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider",
has spent two decades as one of America's top publicists. Now,
through his website, eZine and subscription newsletter, Free
Publicity: The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses he's sharing
-- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring big publicity.
For free articles, killer publicity tips and much, much more,
visit Bill's exclusive new site: http://www.PublicityInsider.com
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