Former news editor Andy Hirst reveals top tips and the ultimate news release template to help businesses get their press releases published
Here's the ultimate news release template and advice to give businesses the very best chance to get their press releases published.
Yorkshire freelance journalist, blogger and copywriter Andy Hirst from AH! PR ran a busy media newsdesk for many years and saw both the best and the worst news releases … many made basic mistakes which meant they had no chance of being published.
So here’s the inside advice on how to write the perfect press release and then pitch it to the media.
Andy says: “Writing a decent press release isn’t complicated if you follow my template below but what you have to bear in mind is that newsdesks are incredibly busy places to work with emails arriving all the time so your press release has to instantly stand out as something newsworthy. The trouble is that many businesses think their press releases – perhaps about a new product or service – are newsworthy when they are far from that. Sadly, many are not even interesting.”
In short, before even writing a news release you need to take a hard, critical look at what you’re writing about. It needs to tick several of these boxes – is it of interest to a lot of people, is it topical, new, unusual, unexpected, what impact does it have on people’s lives, what benefits does it bring them, does it challenge conventional thinking and is there a great human interest story there.
In short, you’re writing your press release for the reader, not for your business. It needs to tell a story that people will want to read and must never be a marketing promo or a lazy attempt to get a free advert. If it won’t make a decent news story then don’t bother even writing it.
Andy believes every business has a story to tell – it’s just finding the right news angle which is why it’s worth having a chat with him first to see if he thinks it’s strong enough. The best press releases must be well on their way to being finished news stories as so many media organisations now have so few staff. If it is well written it won’t take the journalist long to get it ready for publication.
So, if you think you have that great story, you’re good to go.
Top tips to writing a great press release
* When you email the press release to media the subject box must grab the news editor’s attention – so never just write ‘press release’. Make them want to know more and make it relevant to that news organisation. So, a story about a Leeds company’s research into cancer, for example, should say: Leeds company’s breakthrough in pioneering cancer research and how it could save lives for local media and for more regional media Yorkshire company’s breakthrough in pioneering cancer research and how it could save lives. Simple, eh.
* Andy then writes a few lines at the top of the email to make it clear in a sentence exactly what the press release is about and why it’s interesting for the readers of that particular media organisation so the journalist doesn’t have to plough through the release searching for the best news angle.
* Paste the press release straight onto the email – never as a word attachment. Busy newsdesks don’t want to be opening different files to see what a press release is about. It must be immediately visible.
* A great headline is all-important but nothing cryptic. It can be clever - perhaps a play on words - but must be instantly understood and be a torchbearer for what’s to come in the story. This is one Andy wrote for a client Former RAF fighter pilots from Yorkshire-based company using drones to fly Covid-19 Test and Trace samples to hospitals that led to huge media coverage http://ah-pr.com/work/phenomenal-media-coverage-for-press-release-written-by-yorkshire-copywriter-blogger-and-journalist-andy-hirst/
* Start with the strongest news line in the first paragraph and within the first few paragraphs answer the questions all press releases must answer: Who, what, why, when and where. The important details need to be near the top of the press release with quotations, context and explanations further down.
* Write in a straightforward, concise style using simple words so the message gets straight across. The news editor will probably skim read it and then, if it’s published, the reader will possibly skip through it too. Every word has to count – never, ever waffle. Ideal length is about 500 words.
* Include quotes from someone in the business or an expert to add meaningful insight and opinion – such as how a new medical treatment will save lives. Facts and figures should be in the main story – not in quotes. Make sure the full name and job title of anyone quoted is included.
* If you’ve several key points to make then use bullet points like we are doing here.
* Submit a photo with every press release but make sure you own the copyright for the picture or whoever does have the copyright is fine for you to use it. Many a time publications have been asked to pay for photos they have used without clearance – the copyright will always remain with whoever took the photo even if those pictures are sold. It’s OK to send the photos as attachments and they will need to be high definition. You can always send them via WeTransfer or something similar if they are huge files.
* Think video as the vast majority of the media also publishes online and video is all-important to them. A story with a good video has far more chance of being used.
* At the end of the press release write Ends and then below it add any important information for the news editor under the heading Notes for Editors such as your contact information and background information on the business – when it was set up, how many people it employs, other products etc
When you’ve written your press release leave it for a while, ideally overnight. When you go back to it I guarantee you’ll spot things to change and improve. You may even spot obvious mistakes as the eye at first only sees what it was expecting to see. For more on proof-reading and the importance of spell-checking go to http://ah-pr.com/blog/10-tips-for-effective-proof-reading-so-you-get-it-right-first-time-every-time/
If you want Andy to write a press release for you then email andy@ah-pr.com or call him on 0798 5654822. Prices start around £125.