Talk about why your product, service, or company is valuable and what benefits it offers to the public. Describe how your company came to be, and how you went about designing and developing your product or service.



By writing a press release, you are potentially getting your company and product out there to millions of people, so your writing has to be attractive and engaging. Even if it is in the format of a news article, it must still maintain the basic elements of any good sales letter.

Your priority is to please the editor or writer. Editors who are looking for press releases are used to seeing hundreds of press releases to choose from. You have to be unorthodox in your approach. Include angles and approaches that not only make your product or service stand out from the competition, but also make your press release stand out as well.

Do your research. Find out what is popular in the publications you would be targeting. See what is currently news worthy, and see if you can tailor your press release to somehow relate to the current hot topics.

Keep in mind that editors always have to consider the demands of their audience. If your press release doesn't satisfy a publisher's audience, it will not be published. And always keep your writing truthful. Nobody wants to publish hype.

Unless you are marketing something completely new, different, edgy, or revolutionary, most large publications will not be interested in what you have to say. A good idea is to target the smaller publications, especially local publications. When targeting this audience, remember that you are talking to people who are interested in local issues. If you can tailor your press release so it embraces what you think a local reader would relate to, you will have a better chance of capturing the interest of both the editor and her subscribers.

Be consistent. You are representing your company, and for any new or small business, you have to think about building a reputation. If you are honest, and include factual information, editors will begin to recognize your name. They will be more inclined to publish information written by a company they believe to be reputable and trustworthy.

Lay Out

Press releases are generally one to two pages long. Double space it and include 1.5 to 2 inch margins. At the top of your press release, put your company's name, its logo, its slogan, and all the contact information that's relevant. This includes your address, phone number, email address, and fax number.

Avoid bright or dark colored paper. Use company stationary if you can. Center the words: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE above your headline.

Content

Include a catchy headline. You are using your headline to help promote your product so it has to catch your reader's eye just like a search engine ad or an ezine ad would. However, make sure it's newsworthy and reads like a normal news article's headline.

Use an inverted pyramid form when writing your release. Include all the pertinent information within the first two paragraphs, and get more specific and focused as you go along. Be sure to answer the who, what, where, when, why and how questions in this section. There is no predetermined order for including the answers to these questions. Just make sure the most important questions are answered first.

Remember the urgency of your content. You only have a short amount of time to convince people to read your release all the way through and go to your website. Keep it concise and to the point.

After you write the first part, the next sections should include all the information that supports or clarifies what came before it. Remember to keep it simple. This section should not include any information that is vital to hear or understand

One approach to writing your content is to think about stating a problem and talking about the solution. Obviously the problem you choose should be the most pressing issue at the heart of your target audience. What issue would make a potential customer decide they need or want your product or service? Your solution is your product or service. Highlight the benefits of your product or service and talk about why and how they deal with the stated problem.

Distribution

There are a few different ways to distribute your release. You should send your release to appropriate writers and editors at relevant magazines and newspapers. Send your release to trade journals that are focused on your industry. You can also post your press release online. Most will allow you to post it for free, although you can also pay someone to distribute your press release for you.

Here's a list of free places to post your press release:

Free Press Release

PRWeb

PRFree

PR

PRLeap

24-7PressRelease