In an online interview with Ken Fawcett, Sports Editor of the “Gettysburg Times” in Pennsylvania, we asked him what percentage of press releases received does he use for publication, in some form or other.  His answer was, “Less than 50 percent.  Most of them are too commercial and self-serving.  If there is solid news information valuable to our readership, we rewrite the info and use it in a brief form.  Personally, I think too many trees are sacrificed for worthless ‘press’ releases.“

Keep this editor’s somewhat acerbic but honest answer in mind when you feel the urge to gush in your next press release.  Simply state the facts and make it newsworthy.  If you can create a newsworthy press release by tying it into some current event, you stand a good chance of having it published.  Some people mistakenly believe that press releases will be printed verbatim in newspapers.  Not so.  Most often, if the news is worthy of mention in the media, the writer will simply capsulize the information and write it up in his own words.  If he sees big news in the release, he may build an entire article or column around it.  Or he may contact you to either get more information or to clarify the information you sent him.

Heed the inherent message in Ken Fawcett’s reply and don’t mistake a sales pitch for a newsworthy idea.  Even if you are selling a product or idea, pitch it to a news angle.  For example, products used at the recent Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City were tied in with the newsworthiness of the event itself.  Bobsleds were sold on the strength of the Olympics’ widespread appeal.  Many companies have plugged into Enron’s big lesson and are now selling their stocks with an emphasis on honesty in reporting to shareholders.

The next time you write a press release, ask yourself if it’s ‘tree-worthy.’  Better yet, transmit your press releases via the Internet.

Writing a press release can be somewhat like composing a resume in that the audience has certain expectations regarding the format, content, and delivery of the information of each.  If a job applicant sends out a resume filled with spelling errors, misplaced punctuation, and wide gaps between dates of employment, he is not likely to get a call for an interview.  Likewise, if a company distributes a press release replete with spelling errors, incorrect punctuation, and a missing headline, that press release isn’t likely to be “picked up” by any of the publications to which it was sent.  Unfortunately, many people take more care with their resumes than with their press releases!  No matter how seasoned the writer, it is easy to fall into a number of common press release writing traps.

The most common trap that people fall into when they first start writing press releases is writing something with no real news value.  Always look at the press release from a journalist’s point of view.  They need relevant news stories.  What they don’t need is blatant commercialism.  Press releases that use descriptions like “out-of-this-world,” “one-of-a-kind,” “terrific,” “amazing,” etc., sound more like a sales pitch than an informative news release.  The best way to avoid this trap is by approaching it like a journalist.  Ask yourself what’s new at your company, what importance that has on your consumer or market demographic, and the need for this information to be brought to the public’s attention.  Being able to step away from your company, or product, and write a press release objectively about it will increase your chances of having journalists follow up with your story, and also help them look forward from future press releases you send out, as long as you avoid the other traps that people generally fall into.

Once you’re able to “step back” from your company, or product, and look at it objectively, you don’t want to make the mistake of writing an unprofessional press release.  Again, look at if from the journalist’s point of view; they are professional writers, and they expect professional press releases.  There are five basic sections you want to have covered in any press release you send out.  The first is your contact information.  It is always best to provide as many means of contact as possible.  The second is the headline.  This should be a catchy, although relevant, title that helps grab the reader’s attention.  The third is the lead paragraph.  This is where you cover the “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why” of your story.  Most editors cut press releases from the bottom up to fill in empty space; therefore, it is essential to have this information in the lead paragraph.  The fourth section is the supporting text paragraph.  This is where you provide evidence to support the lead in paragraph.  The fifth section is the company summary paragraph.  Using this “upside down” pyramid structure will help the journalists who read a number of press releases a day get the pertinent information they need without having to read the entire release.

Now that you’re looking at things objectively and you know the basic design structure you need to have your press release in, just remember that shorter is better.  If your release is over 400 words, you have too many adjectives and quotes that sound like “outstanding,” and from an editors point of few, scream of self-serving.  Stick to the basic facts.  The average person loses interest after 400 words, so keep it short, sweet, and to the point.  Take your time with it, and have a few people read over it to make sure you stayed objective and avoided writing irrelevant information.  For more detailed information on press release formatting, click here.