How to Write a General Press Release

This guide will tell you how to write a very effective press release with a few easy to follow techniques. Using these tips will help you to increase the number of viewers, getting you and your product more recognized, and getting the editor to say, "Yes, I'll publish you." The more professional your article sounds, the more successful you will be.

What is a press release?

A press release is pretty much an article that is written specifically for the editor, publisher. You are trying to promote your services/products/events (or similar) and to show it's worthiness to determine if it's worth being promoted. They take the piece you have written and (if accepted) reveal it to the public as a news report or ad in order to get you and your product noticed.

Why write a press release?

A successfully written press release will get you and your product well earned recognition and can increase your sales dramatically.

Sending a press release.

There are several ways to send, it's best to write a pitch letter as well as the article (but not always necessary). The pitch will help promote the press release. Just think to yourself "Why should they print this? Why should this be newsworthy?" This should be answered within the letter.

You can choose to mail these either by e-mail, post, or fax.

Standard format for writing a press release.

Choose a newsworthy topic, then add filler.

Write the headline in as few words as possible.

Write a subhead, it gives more meat to your story, helping to grab the editors attention.

The first paragraph should summarize your press release, with strong detail on the main focus.

Use plenty of material to prove to the editor that what you are promoting isn't carelessly written. Use quotes, facts, anything that will support the views on the product.

End the article with three ### symbols.

Tips to remember.

The editor is not there to help you, he is there to show his readers a great story, or to sell them a great product, something that will benefit himself.

To pick how to write the headline, read the short headlines in the newspaper to get an idea of how and why they chose that. (Get attention in as little words as possible.)

Always write in the third person.

Try not to write cliche, overused phrases.

The shorter, the better, but try to have plenty of description and facts. (Not too many adjectives and adverbs though.)

Read newspapers for a sense of how they are written. Well known papers seem to be the best choice, like New York Times.