Press Releases Submitted On Line Need To Be Newsworthy

“Just the facts, ma’am” is what the editors want, no matter where you submit your press releases. That phrase means the same for the Internet in 2006 as it did when Sergeant Joe Friday declared it on Dragnet, the classic 1950s TV series.

Many of today’s press release writers need to understand the basics of developing a press release. If you want your release to get picked-up and published by the various media outlets (both on-line and in-print) you will be wiser to understand what the editors consider newsworthy. If you don’t, you will surely diminish your chances of gaining the media exposure you desire.

A Press Release is a factual write-up that conveys NEWS. If you want to tell your audience about a new product, service or new hire at your company what would you include in your write-up?

It’s so simple that most people can’t handle the truth. But the truth is exactly what editors want.

Today with the broad reach of the Internet and so many people writing for cyberspace, some of the key principals of press release writing are getting lost. The fact is that these journalistic principles never changed. However, some writers are submitting advertising copy, promotional sales write-ups or even feature articles with slants and perspectives that may be interesting, but are not going to get any PLAY as press releases.

So here are the basics of what to include in your release. Just state the facts!

1. Who is involved in the news or event? Provide the exact name(s) of the person involved and include their formal title. Provide the exact name of the company, school, church, branch of government or whatever is involved.

2. Briefly describe What has occurred. It might be that someone within your company was promoted, or that you are announcing a new product. Perhaps you have added new features to your product that make it appeal to a broader audience, or your business has been sold. A concise summary of what happened should be written without a lot of flowery or promotional spin.

3. Where did the news occur? It’s simple. State the location or locations. If your new product is manufactured in Colorado, distributed worldwide and sent to the moon via the space shuttle, say so in exact, clear language.

4. Why is this news important to your audience? That is, how does this news benefit the end user? Remember editors are looking for newsworthy items that will draw more readers to their publications. This is where the rubber meets the road. Provide more detail here, but keep it factual and try to avoid industry jargon.

5. When. Another no-brainer. When did it happen? Or when will an event occur? For example, ABC Company will hold its Grand Opening on March 2, 2006

6. Provide some Background Information.

7. Include your Company Boilerplate.

Okay. Now that you have your facts in mind, how do you organize your release?

1. Your title and subtitle should convey the What, or briefly state both the What and the Why.

2. Start your body copy by clearly restating the What. Your first paragraph should state What occurred and be sure to include Why is it beneficial to your audience.

3. Your second paragraph should include further details about the news item and might include Where and When plus secondary information about key benefits.

4. Later in your release you can include supporting information. For example, if you are announcing that a new product is being added to an existing product family, you might describe the current family of products and how they are used.

5. Finally include your basic company information, also known as company boilerplate. Include when your company was established and the scope of work. An example is: XYZ Company is a supplier of games and toys for children ranging from age 8 to 80. They have been in business since 1966.

6. Also include a point of contact, telephone number and/or e-mail address. This info should probably go at the top of your page, but wherever your format dictates, don’t forget to include it.

In this short article I have provided only the core elements for developing your press release, but if you use this simple guide you can’t go wrong.

Sergeant Friday always set ‘em straight! And now you have the facts too.

For complete instructions on how to submit a great press release go to PRWeb.
[tags] online public relations, press releases, pr web [/tags]