Public Relations How-To | A Template for Writing a Press Release

The press release to the left shows an overall view of the formatting and length a press release should usually use. This press release reads:

(LOGO)

Contact:
Name
Company Name
Phone Number
Fax Number
Email
Website

The H Media Group and BusinessTraining.com Launch Rigorous, Specialized Public Relations Certification Program

Portland, OR, January 1^st, 2010 – Explain your headline here in a concise and succinct manner. This is where you quickly answer initial questions of what the title means. Capture interest, and assume that your title may not have been read.

Following the short introduction sentence, here is where you begin to answer the questions of who, what, when, where, and how. This is still the part of the press release where the most important information is needed. If this press release is talking about a product, remember to include information on why the product will solve problems for consumers, and remember to avoid jargon.

Keep sentences short and to the point, and avoid long paragraphs. Ensure that you check your work for grammar and spelling errors.

The last paragraph can be used as a “call to action” section where you can ask customers reading the release to do something. That can include downloading a free book or white paper, or simply getting them to your website.

Lastly, you’ll need a boilerplate. This is where you can tell readers who your company is we well as describe any company you may have partnered with or acquired that may have been featured in the preceding paragraphs.

(To ensure that press or customers reading the press release know that it is done, use three hashtags to indicate the end of the press release.)

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For more information on this topic or to schedule an interview with (name of contact listed above), please call (insert press contact’s name here) at 345-3450, or email (press contact’s name) at pr@company.com.

__________________________________________________________________

The press release is a great tool to use to get in touch with your customers directly. It can also be used by your connections in media or blogging to let their readers and visitors know about your news.

Remember that your press release needs to be relevant and newsworthy. It will garner no recognition and even if published it will not last very long as a high ranking story in search results, or a as a story that is shared by others.