Writing A Press Release

News releases (also called press releases) are an important part of a public relations campaign. They are also an important part of marketing your business. They are the primary means of "selling" your story to the media. All press releases are structured the same way. Make sure you
answer "yes" to these key questions when writing your next press release:

Is it easy to read?

Editors look at hundreds of press releases every day, and if your news release is difficult to read, they will throw it out. It should be on plain white paper and printed in black ink. The main body of the release should be double-spaced and have at least a one inch margin all around the edges.

Your letterhead should appear at the top of the first page to establish your identity.

Have you double-checked your spelling and grammar?

A good press release has no typographical or grammatical errors. If yours contains such errors you'll lose credibility; it will have the same effect as a badly written business letter or resume. The release should be typed. Print out (or type out) a fresh copy for each person to whom you will send it. Do not send out poor-quality photocopies with dark staple marks or blotches.

Did you include the six news elements?

Because all news articles include six basic elements-who, what, when, where, why, and how - your press release should also follow the same guidelines. Put the most important facts in the lead paragraph, with the facts decreasing in importance as you go down the page. Why? Suppose you send a press release to an editor who has five inches of space open in the newspaper and your release runs eight inches long. Ideally, the editor would trim your press release from the bottom. Therefore, to make sure the most important information gets run, put the less important information at the bottom.

Did you include a contact source?

In the top, right-hand corner of the first page, directly beneath your company name, there should be a line that states, "For further information, contact." A name and telephone number should follow. The editor must have somebody in your business to call to answer questions or to be interviewed about your news item. If you can only be reached during certain hours, specify them.

Have you included a dateline?

The best press releases have a dateline with the city in which the business is based and the date the release is written. Every press release needs a dateline so that the editor can tell when it was mailed. Nobody wants to cover an old story that has lost its timeliness.

The other morning during my favorite radio talk show they mentioned this guy who wrote a book about selling water beds which was coming out next week. How you do think this guy got the radio stations to talk about this....you got it - a press release or a publicist who sent a press release.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2002

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com

deep house cleaning Park Ridge ...
In The News:

Luxury fashion brand Dior experienced a January 2025 data breach affecting customer personal information, and notifications were sent months after the discovery.
The commercial Unitree H1 humanoid robot weighs 104 pounds with 365 pound-feet torque per joint and demonstrates dangerous potential when software glitches occur.
Americans average 10-plus hours online daily, according to recent survey, splitting time between streaming shows on TV and browsing websites on multiple devices.
Boost your smartphone privacy instantly with these security tweaks for iPhone and Android that limit ad tracking, hide notifications and prevent unauthorized access.
Platforms like Hoax Tech and JS Click Cloaker help cybercriminals bypass detection systems using machine learning to selectively display scam content to victims.
A new battery recycling technique transforms old lithium-ion batteries into high-performance components that retain 88% capacity after 500 cycles with minimal waste.
Google's Android operating system can warn users about earthquakes before the shaking even begins – and there are ways to do it on your iPhone, too.
Meta's new gesture control wristband might just be the most seamless way to control a computer yet. And no, it doesn't require surgery, a camera, or even a touchscreen. All it needs is your wrist.
Long-haul trucks are now being upgraded with a surprising twist, thanks to California-based startup Revoy. Their electric boost doesn't replace diesel but works alongside it to cut emissions and fuel costs without major disruption.
PayPal and Venmo just rolled out something big: AI-powered scam alerts for Friends and Family payments.
As data centers multiply across the United States, energy demand is increasing at a rapid pace. This has not escaped the notice of large investment firms from Wall Street.
The Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that maintains the Unicode Standard to ensure emojis work across devices, has announced Unicode 17.0, which includes nine new emojis slated for release this fall, in September 2025.
OpenAI is one of the world's leading AI research labs. Founded in 2015, it's behind some of today's most talked-about tools, including GPT, DALL·E, and ChatGPT.
Ever catch your dog staring at the screen during movie night and wonder if they're actually watching? Turns out, they might be. A new scientific study from Auburn University found that many dogs really do engage with television, and not all pups react the same way.
Stop the scammers from making contact in the first place. They're getting your parents' contact information and much more personal data besides, from somewhere.
The Walker S2 robot from UBTech autonomously exchanges its batteries in just three minutes, allowing continuous operation in car factories operated by BYD, Nio and Zeekr.
The FX Super One electric MPV from Faraday Future offers flexible seating, zero-gravity recliners and an AI system that creates a personal connection between driver and vehicle.
Practical solutions for reducing unwanted charity mail, political texts and email spam by opting out of shared lists, replying "STOP" and using data removal services.
Delta's new AI pricing system eliminates static airfares for personalized rates based on individual data, raising questions about fairness while promising optimized revenue.
AI data centers are straining the power grid across 13 states, contributing to a $9 billion increase in electricity costs, and PJM customers face monthly bill increases of $25 or more.
Artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry as AI-generated bands like The Velvet Sundown earn substantial streaming revenue, prompting lawsuits from major record labels.
Microsoft phishing scams use fake security alerts and links that redirect to credential-stealing pages with warning signs, including urgent language and unusual senders.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Tesla vehicles manufactured since mid-2021 with AMD Ryzen processors can now access Grok 4, xAI's witty conversational assistant designed to make drives more engaging.
Understand how technology affects mental health through five concepts, including blue light exposure, screen time management and algorithmic bias.

How To Use PR To Build Your Business

Everyone knows the value of free publicity. And given the... Read More

6 Essentials for Doing Your Own PR: Guest Author

Today's issue of Lean Marketing Champions features tips on doing... Read More

How to Use Community Relations to Grow Your Business

Community relations is one of those marketing strategies that isn't... Read More

Cultivating Positive Media Relationships

Some people think that publicity is all about paparazzi snapping... Read More

Publicity - What to Say to a Reporter

You can have dozens of marvelous ideas to get free... Read More

Media Relations: When Google Got Googled

Before meeting my soon-to-be-wife for the first time, I "Googled"... Read More

Publicity From Thin Air

In an ideal world, your business would be overflowing withnewsworthy... Read More

Detailing The Famous Kentucky Derby Train

The annual detailing of the Kentucky Derby Train is an... Read More

Some Cool P.R. Tips for These Dog Days of Summer

Yup -- it's hot and sticky and you don't feel... Read More

Media Kit: 25 Component Possibilities

Media kits include a combination of information whether created for... Read More

How to Form a Relationship with a Newspaper

How do you make a good relationship with a newspaper... Read More

PR: Room at the Bottom?

When special events and communications tactics rule the PR roost... Read More

10 Ways to Get the Media to Love You

So you've put yourself "out there" with a public relations... Read More

How to Get More Mileage Out of Your Media Coverage

Maybe it played for Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams,"... Read More

She Who Has the Gold...

?makes the rules, of course.But when the gold takes the... Read More

Business Community Relations 101 - Getting the Most Out of Your Chamber of Commerce Membership

Since the major part of a small business typically comes... Read More

Public Relations: Toast?

Could be, when unit managers in businesses, non-profits and associations... Read More

24 Killer Press Release Secrets

1. Your press release should sound like news, not an... Read More

A Managers PR Paradigm

If you manage a department, division or subsidiary for a... Read More

Leveraging Media Coverage - Your Tool For Business Growth

Media relations, simply put, is the business of building and... Read More

Five Publicity Buckets For Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

Maybe you've seen another financial planner on TV, and thought,... Read More

Promoting Your Website Through a Press Release

Have you ever gotten one of those letters from your... Read More

How to Write News Releases that Get Noticed

What do you do with junk mail? Are you like... Read More

The Three-Mile Radius

In last year's animated film Shrek II, a giant gingerbread... Read More

Financial Planners Garner Free Publicity by Making it Easy for the Media

Would you advise clients to buy a stock based on... Read More

pet-friendly home cleaners Buffalo Grove ...