This article by Susan Young, President of Get in Front Communications, gives 15 good tips for what you should do and not do in a press release. It takes into consideration that reporters and other news-eaters may only have at most a few seconds to scan each press release that comes in front of them, and how releases can be constructed to catch the eye of the glancer.

----------------------------------

Tracks to Success

Savvy PR for Nonprofits
by Susan Young, President, Get in Front Communications

Tips for Writing Powerful Press Releases
Part Two

In the first article, we explored how public relations differs from advertising and marketing. This week, we'll get right down to business with some helpful tips on how to make your organization's press releases stand out.

Reporters and news decision-makers are constantly bombarded with irrelevant information in the form of press releases. They typically spend just a few seconds glancing at press releases to quickly decipher what they're about. It's your responsibility to articulate a clear, compelling, and concise story that will grab their attention...in writing.

Here are 15 dos and dont's for powerful press releases:

1. Do have something NEW to announce. The word "new" is in the word news. Your job is to be proactive and make news, not news releases.
2. Do write a catchy headline. Limit it to 8-10 words with the understanding that if it gets the attention of a reporter, they will be inclined to continue to read. We live in a busy world of people who skim. Make sure your words jump off the page. Do the same for the subject line of an email pitch.
3. Do show and tell a compelling story. News is about people. People love great stories. Put a face on your story and make it come to life. Highlight people directly affected by your programs, services, legislation, volunteers, etc. Reporters don't want a stale quote with fluffy adjectives from the executive director. Give them real people and emotions.
4. Do speak and write directly to the public. Tip sheets are great for this because you can offer "5 Tips for Traveling with a Child with Autism," "7 Ways to Recruit New Donors," or "10 Steps to Estate Planning for Seniors." Identify that the public has the pain (the child with a disability) and you have the solution (the tips, strategies, and expertise). Help people solve their problems.
5. Do write short, punchy, and easy-to-understand sentences. Don't try to impress reporters with words that will confuse them or send them to a dictionary. That will send your press release right into the garbage.
6. Do include the name and contact information of someone who is available and knowledgeable. There's nothing worse than a reporter calling to follow-up on your press release and only getting your voicemail: "Hi, it's Susan. I'm away until January 10th..."
7. Do cite sources. You must attribute any statistics or surveys to the group that gathered the information. If you state that special education programs in your city have grown by 39% in the past two years, you must say where that statistic came from. Any editor worth his salt will not print a statement like that without giving credit to the source.
8. Do know to whom you are pitching. Read the publication, watch the TV news show, and listen to the radio station before you craft your pitch. You must know where you fit in. Do your homework.

1. Don't bury the lead. The lead is the #1 reason that you are writing your press release. Carefully organize your thoughts on paper and build out details from the lead.
2. Don't try to sell anything. Your press release should be something newsworthy that affects the public. Don't use it as a vehicle to sell something. That's what the advertising department is for.
3. Don't email large files and attachments unless the reporter has requested them. Most will get bounced back by filters and never reach the intended party. They can also wreak havoc on servers.
4. Don't "announce" anything in the lead. Reporters despise the word announce in the first line or two of a release. The main reason for a press release is to announce news. Saying you're announcing it is ludicrous!
5. Don't repeat information. If you say that a 17-year-old girl from Asbury Park, New Jersey, has won a $10,000 scholarship, those details should not be mentioned again. This will help to keep your press releases more concise. Repetition is for advertising, not news.
6. Don't ask questions in your lead. You're supposed to be the experts with the answers to people's problems. If you are writing a tip sheet, for instance "5 Ways to Sell Your Home," don't open up with a series of questions like "Do you know the value of your home? Do you think the housing market has plummeted? Are your neighbors waiting months to sell their homes?" People need answers, not more questions.
7. Don't use industry rhetoric, jargon, and acronyms. It's confusing. Write for the general public.
8. BONUS! Don't say "first annual." There's simply no such thing.
    

Web version available on GrantStation.com