Developing a Press Release
What is a Press Release?
A press release is a formal notification to the news media about breaking news. "It is a news story distributed on behalf of an individual or company." (Gerald S. Schwartz)
The press release should outline the story basics and provide contact information for your organization. The press release should clearly demonstrate the importance of the story to the newspaper s readership. This key link will persuade the editor to publish the release.
How Do I Write a Press Release?
Always remember, you are writing a press release to convey information to the media. You are not writing the article for the newspaper. Keep the press release concise and straightforward. Include the essentials. Interested reporters will follow up for more details.
Press Release Examples
First: Determine the Story Angle
What news are you trying to convey with your press release? What is the primary focus of the story? What do you want the reader to learn?
Do you want the reader to know that Weatherization:
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saves money for low-income families
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is a technical program
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spurs economic development
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reduces the nation's dependence on imported oil
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helps the environment by reducing pollution and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions?
If you try to convey all of these angles, your release will be too long and too confusing. Determine your story angle and prepare the press release to communicate that information.
Second: Gather the Facts
Collect all the relevant and up-to-date information regarding your story angle. Do not used old or questionable data, quotations, or program information.
Third: Write the Lead
The lead sentence should contain the essential components of the news story. It should answer as many of the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions as possible.
Avoid excessive use of adjectives or descriptive phrases. Your organization s name or the Weatherization name should be in the lead.
The title of your press release should essentially be a short, snappy version of your lead sentence.
Fourth: Write the Body
The body of the release will explain the information in the lead paragraph. Provide the necessary details and compelling "hooks" to interest the reader. Keep it short and to the point. Sentences should not exceed 15 words; paragraphs should not exceed 30 words or four typewritten lines. If the press release runs more than a page, consider using sub-heads to breakup the information.
Note: Smaller, community papers may welcome a press release that can be printed "as is." These papers have smaller budgets and staffs and appreciate a finished piece. The sample releases provided on this site are primarily examples of finished pieces. Larger, state or national news bureaus are looking for the facts and the angle. Do not add bulk to the release with non-essential details. If the reporter picks up the story, she will flesh it out. Remember, facts not fluff.
CRUCIAL: Make the Story Relevant
The more important and immediate your press release sounds, the more likely a reporter will investigate it further. Explain the importance, relevance, and benefits of the story to your audience. Use the word "today" if you can. If the story isn’t topical, relate it to current events, or use a local example to illustrate a national trend. Remember, reporters get hundreds of press releases each week, so make a positive first impression.
When possible, reference the names of national, state, or local public figures, community organizations, and businesses that have supported your agency. This is an effective way to raise organizational credibility and reaffirm your relationship with those individuals and organizations.
Writing Style
Write the press release in terms that can be understood by the average reader. Explain any technical terms. Write in the present, active tense whenever possible. Be concise, direct, and factual. Highlight concrete results of your project and include quotes from agency staff and clients to illustrate your point. Be sure to write consistently according to the story type you chose earlier - news or feature? Writing with different styles in the same press release may confuse the reader.
Formatting/Essential Components
There are seven basic elements to a press release:
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"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" should be written at the top left. Write the date beneath.
2. "CONTACT: spokesperson name, company name, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address" should be printed next. List the contact information a second time at the end of the press release: "For media assistance, contact [name] [day and evening phone numbers]"
3. Headline: This is your "slug" line, or essential summary. Use boldface type.
4. Dateline: Include the city and state the press release is issued from and the date.
5. Lead sentence/paragraph: Grab attention and outline the story essentials.
6. Text: Develop and elaborate your message.
7. Boilerplate: Provide a brief outline of your organization s basic functions. This is called the "boilerplate" and you will use it in every press release.
Submitting a Press Release
How Do I Submit a Press Release?
Submit the press release to the reporter responsible for covering a beat relevant to Weatherization such as community news, energy issues, or government operations.
Call the newsdesk and ask to whom you should send the press release. Newsroom aides will tell you which reporters are most likely to be interested in your story and give you contact information.
Contact information for reporters and editors is often listed on the web, but with the high turnover rates of local papers, this information is often incorrect and needs to be updated. Therefore, it is best to call the newsdesk directly. If you read the paper often, you can also follow reporter bylines to discover reporting beats.
Send the press release as the body of the message, NOT as an attachment. Reporters are wary of opening attachments if they do not recognize the sender. If you fax the story, include a cover page.
If you want to introduce yourself or pitch your story idea, call when the newsroom is slow usually before noon for a morning newspaper and after 3:00 p.m. for an afternoon paper. Find out when weekly newspapers are printed so that you can avoid distracting reporters on deadline. Keep your Weatherization Talking Points handy, in case you get tongue-tied.
Do everything you can to help the reporter complete the assignment. Include your evening telephone number in the press release, since reporters are often working on deadline and need last-minute interviews. The easier you make it for the journalist, the more likely you are to get a response. If you can, give reporters the telephone numbers of others who are worth quoting. The reporter will appreciate your assistance and be likely to remember you.
Send press releases as often as you have newsworthy information, but be careful about which stories you pitch. If reporters decide that press releases from your organization are generally not newsworthy, they will routinely throw them away without reading them.
Submit the release in a timely manner. Remember, "news" is current. Also, send your release at least one week before you want it published or before the event is to occur.
Before you send the press release to a reporter, use our Checklist to make sure you haven t forgotten anything.
How Do I Submit Photographs?
Let the reporter know if you have a relevant photograph, but don t send it unless the photo is requested. A shot of a family receiving a new furnace, an award presentation, or a home being repaired are all good examples. This will humanize the subject.
Use photos that have good contrast between light and dark colors so that the image will be recognizable in black-and-white newsprint. Ask the subject of the photo for written permission before submitting photos to the press. Download the media release template developed by NASCSP and customize for your agency. If you e-mail the press release, include the photograph as a .tif or other photo file.
What Should I Do After Submitting a Press Release?
Follow-up! If the reporter rejects the idea, talk to the section editor (the editor responsible for whichever reporter received the release). If you are turned down again, find out why the story was rejected and then repackage the idea for a different section of the paper or try a new angle. If the story is still rejected, consider incorporating the press release details into an op-ed or a letter to the editor.
Remember that the story may be newsworthy, but many newspapers have limited space. If the story runs, be sure to send a thank-you letter. If not, be patient, but persistent. Well-written press releases will eventually result in published stories.
Please check out Press Release Examples for ideas.