3 Tips for Writing a Good Press Release—and When You Shouldn’t Bother

1. Think like a reporter. Before putting the effort into writing a press release, determine if your story is newsworthy. Ask yourself, “Why would a reporter want to cover my business?” “What is interesting about what I do and who I serve?” “Will anyone care about this story besides me?” Be honest with yourself.

2. Decide on an angle. How can you add suspense, intrigue or advice to the story? Try to tie your story into a trend, local news or holiday. For instance, if your auto repair business is celebrating its 20th anniversary, you could include the trends you’ve seen in automobiles in the last 20 years of business.

3. Write the story like a reporter would. The key to a press release is to write the story the way you would expect to read it in a publication. (Here’s a sample press release)

The headline: Include an action verb and give some hint to the angle of your story.

The lead: The first paragraph should include the who, what, when, where, why and how of your story. It’s always good to include a twist or “hook” to grab the reader’s attention.

Quotes: Ask clients or customers to comment about the story. This will add credibility to your story and make your press release stand out.

Photos: A picture is worth a thousand words—not to mention it makes your release more eye-catching. “People really like to see what’s going on,” says Rozgonyi.

Length: Keep it concise. Reporters don’t have time to read a press release longer than one page.

source:nfib.com