Your Press Release is going to be sent to journalists who receive many 100s each day so it must catch their eye and grab their attention.

A well written Press Release will include the following elements:

• Your story must be current or about an imminent event
• Keep it short and simple without using jargon or technical terms
• Your story must be newsworthy and relevant to the readership of the newspaper or magazine
• Human interest, a local angle or surprise situations are popular.  As is a bit of controversy or celebrity name dropping!  But make sure you have your facts right first!

To make your Press Release easier to read use the following format:

• Date: For Immediate Release (date) or Embargoed for (date to be released if not immediate)
• Headline: Make it eye catching, clear and concise. 
• Always include a photo where possible
• Paragraph 1: Summarise your story with the key points i.e. what is the news, why is it newsworthy, who is the story about
• Paragraph 2: Add more detail to the story outlined in paragraph 1
• Paragraph 3: Include a quote or two drawing out the points of the story
• Paragraph 4: Any further relevant information
• Ends: Use the work Ends at the end!
• Notes: Include background, statistics or links to further useful information
• Contact details: Your name, company, telephone, mobile, email, website, address.

More Press Release tips:

• Find out what the upcoming features are so that you can prepare in advance a Press Release on the topics that you are an expert in
• Keep your Press Release to the equivalent of one page
• When quoting someone always gain their permission to do so
• Send your Press Release in the body of your email, not as an attachment
• Use the headline as the subject line of your email
• Find out what the journalists’ deadlines are
• Follow up to make sure your Press Release has been received, if it is going to be published and if they have all the information required
• If your Press Release is not used, ask why.  This will help to improve your Press Releases in the future
• Don’t give up!  There are lots of reasons why your Press Release might not be used.  The next one could be a successful one.

Do you have any other Press Release tips to add to this list?