How to Create a Better News Release

Many organizations and businesses want media coverage of their activities, and at the same time many newsrooms are looking for local (or even national and international) topics to cover. If you’re belong to an organization that wants coverage, you can increase the odds of getting it by following a few simple news release (or press release) conventions.

First, you must have something new or different to say. As the name News implies, the media want information that’s new or at least updated. At the same time, reporters and editors want information that’s relevant to their readers; choose your media targets carefully, and tailor the content of the release to their audience).

Second, your headline should be as interesting as a newspaper headline. It should promise something new, dramatic, or timely. Make the editor or reporter want to know more. Remember, though, the claim should be credible and relevant.

Third, in the first paragraph of the body, get in what journalists call the Five Ws: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. In fact, try to get them into the first sentence, and if you can’t, at least start with a clear concise statement that summarizes the story.

Traditionally, reporters have tried to get the essence of every story into the first paragraph because they didn’t know where, or whether, their stories would be cut. So, they start with the most important information and end with the least important. That way, no matter where the story was cut, the best material stayed.

Fourth, write and rewrite your news release many times before ‘releasing’ it. Use active verbs and transitions (from sentence to sentence, and paragraph to paragraph). Boil down the content as much as you can; two pages is acceptable, but one is better.

Fifth, follow this standard format:
At the top of the page, write this, in all caps:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Usually this will be left-justified)

Or, if you want the release to be held until specific date/time, write something like this:
FOR RELEASE AT 10 A.M., AUGUST 23
(But don’t necessarily expect the embargo to be honored)

Skip a line and then put in contact information, as in:
Contact: Robert Abbott
Telephone: 403 555-1234
Email: robertabbott@anycompany.com

Skip another line and add your headline (centered, and use title case or all-caps):
Perpetual Motion Machine Unveiled

Now, the body of your news release, which should not exceed two pages.

At the end of the body, add three number marks with single spaces between them, as in:
# # #

Repeat your contact information at the end , as in:
Robert Abbott welcomes your inquiries at 403 555-1234 or by email at: robertabbott@anycompany.com

Sixth, prepare yourself for reporters’ questions
It goes without saying, of course, that you would prepare yourself for questions from reporters if you send out a release. I would recommend you write out a list of questions that seem likely and prepare bullet-point answers for each of them. That way you’ll be ready for most of the questions. However, don’t read the answers back to reporters; just use them as a guide. At the same time, assume you’ll get questions you simply can’t predict. Answer them as well as you can; and if you can’t answer, your best bet is to tell the interviewer you’ll need to get more information, and will call back after you do.

Build a Better Online Press Kit

Some recent surveys of journalists and reporters indicate that most prefer to use online media rooms/press kits as opposed to the old-fashioned hard copy press kits. Why? The Internet is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A busy reporter on deadline can log on and cruise from one online press kit to the next without having to wait for an overnight package or fax.

Many businesses and publicists are embracing this new technology in media relations and are in a mad dash to develop online press kits of their own or for their clients. Like a Web site, an online press kit should contain certain elements, should make some features more prominent than others, and be simple to navigate. Here are some dos and donts to consider before you dive in and begin creating an online press kit.

Online press kits Should:

Be easy to locate if linked to a main Web site. For instance, if ABC Bottled Water has a public or consumer Web site already established, a separate media room can be linked to the Web sites home page. This link must appear prominently either in the sites menu or on the home page. Reporters dont have time to search for it. Also, if the media room is linked to a main site, the media room should share the main sites look and feel, so that reporters dont feel link theyve been forwarded to some unrelated site.

Provide materials commonly used by the media. A general press kit usually contains a backgrounder, FAQ, and profiles of key individuals/spokespeople. This is what a reporter will want to see when he or she visits your online media room. The purpose of providing these common documents is to minimize any extra work a reporter will need to do to get what he/she needs. Other important items to include are high-resolution, digital photos, high-resolution digital logo graphics, and of course, press releases. A good online media room will come equipped with a media library where all types of files can be uploaded, stored, and distributed, including general press kit materials.

Include the media coverage already received. When a company, organization, or individual has been covered by the media (preferably favorably), it helps to legitimize them. Be careful about copyright issues when reposting articles, though. If you or your organization has appeared in the media, use anything from audio clips, video clips, and links to media outlets Web sites in your online media rooms In the News page. Check with the media venue for reprint permission.

Include media contact information prominently. If the person handling media relations is not an employee of the company/organization, be sure that the contact info in the online media room directs reporters to the person who is. If a reporter reaches out and his/her request is lost in cyberspace, chances are, they wont come back.

Online Press Kits Should Not:

Combine info for both the public AND the media. Ideally, the information provided for the media should be separate from content intended for the public or consumers. One reason is that it makes it more difficult for the media to find what it wants, and another is because it reduces your control over the info provided to the media. Messaging is very important, and while it can sometimes vary for the public, it should always be consistent for the media after all, your messaging is what theyre using to cover you with.

Require a reporter to make numerous requests for additional info. There are always going to be some things that you do not want to provide online on a constant basis. This could include certain photos or ebooks. Keeps these instances to a minimum! In cases like these, it is fine to say please contact us for photos of this event, or please contact us for a sample ebook. Some media rooms have very limited file space, which may require you to upload low-resolution photos to save space. Asking reporters to contact you for high-resolution photos is all right, too. The point of an online media room is to provide the media with most of what it needs.

Be out of date. Update press kit materials as needed, and try to keep a current press release available even if it wasnt distributed on the wire or to reporters directly. By keeping a timely supply of news, in your media room, it will be obvious to the media that it receives your attention.

Other Helpful Tips:

Use links not e-mail attachments! Media rooms with media libraries should allow you to upload your documents and create a URL to their location online, which you can provide to the media instead of an e-mail attachment. When was the last time you opened an e-mail from a stranger that had an attachment?

Have a blog? Link it to your online media room. Blogs are a great way to discuss your company, cause, or industry and are often used by members of the media when researching someone/something for a story. If you have one, add the link to your media room. If you dont have one, consider getting one.

By following these tips and by putting yourself in the shoes of a journalist, you will be able to develop an online presence that is both informative and convenient. Do this and youll meet the demands of the media and increase the likelihood of gaining editorial exposure.