How to Create a Better News Release

Title:How to Create a Better News ReleaseWord Count:554Summary:You can get a better response from reporters andeditors, if you follow a few simple guidelines inwriting your news release. Appropriate content,an interesting headline, a packed first paragraph,polished wording, using a standard format, and bybeing prepared for questions.

Keywords:release, news release, press release, mediacoverage, media relationsArticle Body:Many organizations and businesses want mediacoverage of their activities, and at the same timemany newsrooms are looking for local (or evennational and international) topics to cover. Ifyou're belong to an organization that wantscoverage, you can increase the odds of getting itby following a few simple news release (or pressrelease) conventions.First, you must have something new or differentto say. As the name News implies, the media wantinformation that's new or at least updated. At thesame time, reporters and editors want informationthat's relevant to their readers; choose yourmedia targets carefully, and tailor the content

of the release to their audience).Second, your headline should be as interesting asa newspaper headline. It should promise somethingnew, dramatic, or timely. Make the editor orreporter want to know more. Remember, though, theclaim should be credible and relevant.Third, in the first paragraph of the body, get inwhat journalists call the Five Ws: Who, What,Where, When, and Why. In fact, try to get them intothe first sentence, and if you can't, at leaststart with a clear concise statement thatsummarizes the story.Traditionally, reporters have tried to get theessence of every story into the first paragraphbecause they didn't know where, or whether, theirstories would be cut. So, they start with the mostimportant information and end with the leastimportant. That way, no matter where the story wascut, the best material stayed.

Fourth, write and rewrite your news release manytimes before 'releasing' it. Use active verbs andtransitions (from sentence to sentence, andparagraph to paragraph). Boil down the content asmuch as you can; two pages is acceptable, but oneis better.Fifth, follow this standard format:At the top of the page, write this, in all caps:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE(Usually this will be left-justified)Or, if you want the release to be held untilspecific date/time, write something like this:FOR RELEASE AT 10 A.M., AUGUST 23(But don't necessarily expect the embargo to behonored)Skip a line and then put in contact information,as in:Contact: Robert Abbott

Telephone: 403 555-1234Email: [email protected] another line and add your headline (centered,and use title case or all-caps):Perpetual Motion Machine UnveiledNow, the body of your news release, which shouldnot exceed two pages.At the end of the body, add three number marks withsingle spaces between them, as in:###Repeat your contact information at the end , asin:Robert Abbott welcomes your inquiries at 403555-1234 or by email at:[email protected], prepare yourself for reporters' questionsIt goes without saying, of course, that you would

prepare yourself for questions from reporters ifyou send out a release. I would recommend youwrite out a list of questions that seem likely andprepare bullet-point answers for each of them.That way you'll be ready for most of the questions.However, don't read the answers back to reporters;just use them as a guide. At the same time, assumeyou'll get questions you simply can't predict.Answer them as well as you can; and if you can'tanswer, your best bet is to tell the intervieweryou'll need to get more information, and will callback after you do.