What determines if the reader will want to read your press release? The title or heading is the first thing readers will see. If it interests them or catches their interest, they will read your release, or at least part of it.

This continuing feature series will give illustrative examples from actual press releases that we’ve done for our clients. By showing examples of these headings, you will be able to see the dynamics that have shaped successful press releases. Remember, you can write the best press release in the world but if the title doesn’t titillate, no one will read it. So let’s see how every word counts.

Let’s use the example of a client who ran an Online Gaming Company. He wanted to spread the word about the Site as well as entice the reader to visit the Site and want to write about it. He had no tangible product to sell so we couldn’t hook the reader in the heading with a description of a physical object. We couldn’t extol the benefits the reader would derive because there is no guarantee in gambling. What we could do was go along with the “gamesmanship” of the experience. So we made it fun. We created a heading that was both informal and catchy, much like gaming itself.

Our heading was “All Bets are On for Aladden Casino Online Gaming with State-of-the Art Software.” We tied in the words “bets” with “Casino” and “Gaming” to create a mood. “All Bets are On” creates a positive feeling. We added the enticement of great software to lure the reader to the Site. So the heading was catchy without being ‘cutesy’ and it still told the reader exactly what he would find. Now it sounds not only like fun, but easy to use too, because the software is “state-of-the-art.”

We used the word “Gaming” rather than “Gambling” because it has a more positive connotation. ‘Gaming’ sounds like fun, a game, a pastime while ‘gambling’ denotes risk, a negative tone.

In a short heading, every word must be chosen with care. It is a very brief time and space in which to hook the reader, the flick of an eye. The reader can read it without blinking. Each word must be hand-picked, thought out and molded into the Press Release like fine sculpturing. Give great care and thought to your every word!

We write hundreds of press releases and we receive dozens and dozens of questions from people who are just learning to write them. Even people who write press releases regularly have questions. The pros want to improve too.

We also interview experts who share tips on what works for them. Since one of our main goals is to help you write better press releases, we like to share that great store of combined knowledge and know-how with you.

For the next several newsletters, we’re going to focus on one important aspect of the press release. We’ll put it under the microscope, dissect it, and then analyze it. When we’re finished, you’ll know how to make that one thing better.

This newsletter will focus on the press release heading. Think of it as a title. It’s the first thing the reader will see to determine if the subject is of interest to him. It needs to convey enough information to grab his or her attention but not so much as to be confusing. Don’t promise something you cannot deliver. “Cutesy” headings often miss the point. An attempt at humor often misses the mark. Trying to be clever frequently backfires. You know how clever you are being but the reader has no clue.

The press release is really a lot like a short story. It should have a title, a beginning, a middle and an end. The title or heading is the most important part. That does not mean that the body of the press release is not equally important. It just means that if the title is no good, the rest of the release can be a work of genius but nobody will read it.

To quote an old cliché, “Don’t judge a book by its’ cover,” but we all do. How many times do we pick up a book or newspaper in a store if we like the headlines or the title? How many great books do we miss because the title lacks intrigue or interest? Think about that for a minute.

The best way we’ve found to create an effective heading is to summarize the message we are trying to get across. For example, suppose you are trying to sell a widget that decreases fat while cooking. It’s a special frying pan grill. You come up with a ‘cutesy” title, “Fat Gets Hot off the Grill.” That’s clever, catchy and cute. But does it tell readers what it is and how it will help them? No, it does not. It shows your brilliance but the reader will not read far enough to get the message. Remember, you get readers attention by reaching out to their needs and interests, not yours.

A better title or heading might be “Decrease Fat in Your Food While Cooking with Widget.” It gets right to the point, tells you what you can expect to learn and if you have an interest in the subject.

So hit the reader where he lives. Reach out to his needs and interests. Summarize the content of your press release message in the title.