A press release is an invaluable tool for all PRs and is the main way we get information about our clients and their campaigns out to journalists that might be interested in writing about them. For us in the PR sphere, writing a good press release is crucial. If we get it wrong, it’s unlikely that any journalist will cover what we’re asking them to. But what exactly constitutes a ‘good’ press release?
In this guide, we’ll talk you through our top tips here at Shout Bravo for writing press releases.
What is the purpose of a press release?
Firstly, it’s important to establish what the purpose of a press release even is. In essence, your press release should sell the story of whatever it is you’re trying to get media coverage on – whether that’s a new business venture, a killer campaign, or something else.
Your press release is your opportunity to tell journalists all about a new announcement or campaign and give them the information they need to write up some amazing coverage. On top of that, it’s a general platform to promote your clients and what they stand for.
It’s vital that your press release is saying something news-worthy, since journalists exist within such a competitive industry that they don’t have the time to waste on stories that won’t interest the public – try and pitch something in a dull and uninspiring way, and expect to get a bucket-load of rejections.
What should you include in a press release?
A press release is usually a one-chance saloon to gain some great brand awareness for your clients. Journalists are busy people in a fast-paced industry, so they’re unlikely to be too happy about having to reach out to you for additional details that should’ve been included in the press release. That’s why it’s a good idea to get familiar with what they expect to see.
Typically, journalists expect to see:
- Hard details and solid facts – including prices, dates, names, and values
- Industry anecdotes – relating the story to the industry you’re pitching to
- Quotations – from relevant experts, spokespeople, etc.
- ‘Big picture’ context – placing the story within the current news landscape
- Useful visuals and graphics – but only if they add something of value
- A focused and well-disciplined use of space – not ‘waffling’ on, getting straight to the point
How do I write a press release?
Now that we’ve got all of the prerequisites out of the way, we can start to write our press release. Here at Shout Bravo, we have a tried-and-tested method that works well for us and our clients – with slight tweaks as and when needed.
The headline
One of the most important things about your press release is the headline, as this will be the first thing the journalist sees, and it can make or break their willingness to read on to the good stuff. Headlines should be punchy, interesting, and straightforward – and also written in a bold, larger font (we recommend sizes 12 or 13). Ideally, your headline will be within 65 characters – so make them count!
The blurb
Once you’ve mastered the headline, it’s time to move on to the body copy – but there are actually two ways you can do this: progressing straight into the meat of your release or adding a blurb.
Blurbs can be an effective way to summarise the story you’ll be telling through your press release in just a couple of sentences, with a real emphasis on the important information. This can help journalists to become intrigued and read on into the full press release. If you choose to include one, it should be bolded and no longer than 160 characters.
The main body
The main body copy should then outline all of the information the journalist will need to write about the story you’re pitching to them.
The first paragraph should aim to answer each of these questions: What happened? Who did it? Where did this happen? When did it happen?
These are the questions the journalists will expect to be answered within the press release, and it’s good to establish them early on so that the journalists you’re pitching to don’t tap out of reading before they reach the important information.
The second paragraph should build on the information provided in the first, and flesh out the details to give a real sense of what you’re selling.
The third paragraph should ideally be where you place your quote. Almost every press release should include at least one quote from a relevant person unless you’re unable to provide one for a specific reason.
Below you will find our structure guide for writing a press release:
| Headline |
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| Blurb |
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| Main body
Key points and core info Building on the detail Include a quotation Closing remarks |
|
| Ends | |
| Notes to editors |
|
| Boilerplate |
|
Writing a great quote
Even if you provide a quote, there is a fairly high chance that the journalist may contact you for an exclusive quote instead – but this could be minimised if your initial quote is interesting and engaging enough.
Your quotation is a great opportunity to answer the other two questions journalists will have – how and why did this happen? If you include the answers to these questions within the quotation, this will make your press release less repetitive, and also help to bring genuine interest to the quotation.
Putting it all into practice
With all of the details established, it’s time to put it all together and demonstrate how our team of writers create press releases at Shout Bravo. Below is an example of a press release for a fictional fast-food restaurant chain’s new low-calorie lunchtime menu:
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Fully Cooked Chicken launches guilt-free low-cal lunchtime menu
The new ‘Lunchtime Lifesaver’ menu will include low-calorie grilled chicken and lean-beef burgers, with sweet potato fries and Mediterranean salad side options.
Fully Cooked Chicken (FCC) will launch the ‘Lunchtime Lifesaver’ menu across all of their London and Manchester restaurants on the 6th of April 2023, targeted at hungry office workers on their lunch break.
The new low-calorie menu will provide healthier options for health-conscious foodies, offering revised versions of two of the chain’s best-sellers: the ‘Chicken Supreme’ burger and ‘Classic Angus’ burger – alongside introducing two new side dishes: sweet potato fries and a fresh Mediterranean salad.
Bill Todd, CEO at Fully Cooked Chicken, comments:
“With obesity on the rise across the UK, many health-conscious workers may be foregoing lunch to lose weight. We think it’s really important to provide our customers with a healthier alternative to their lunchtime favourites that still tastes just as great.
“Our team has worked hard to keep our iconic taste whilst significantly reducing the calories for a guilt-free lunch. Our ‘Lunchtime Lifesaver’ menu additions are specifically designed to ensure nobody feels the need to skip lunch for the sake of their health.
“Eating healthy is so important, and we’re passionate about delivering delicious food that is not only healthy, but also good for you. The revised burgers utilise grilling, rather than frying, to reduce the amount of fat and oil involved in the cooking process.
“We can’t wait to launch this new menu in our London and Manchester locations at the start of April, and will be looking to expand the menu across our entire franchise in the coming months.”
FCC’s new ‘Lunchtime Lifesaver’ menu officially launches on the 6th of April 2023. Prices range from £1.50 for a medium sweet potato fries to £3.99 for the revised ‘Grilled Chicken Supreme’.
ENDS
Notes to editors
View the calorie breakdown of FCC’s new ‘Lunchtime Lifesaver’ menu.
About Fully Cooked Chicken
Fully Cooked Chicken is a family-owned restaurant chain, offering high-quality, delicious food at affordable prices. With over 160 locations across the UK, FCC has become a household name that is known for its commitment to providing good food that tastes incredible, keeping customers coming back for more.
For more information, please contact <____>
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Disclaimer: No URLs are included in the press release as it is fictional, but of course, links to your brand/client and content you are promoting need to be added to the press release when sending out to the press.
Final thoughts
In this article, we’ve covered all of the basics of writing a really effective press release that grabs the media’s attention and gets across all of the invaluable information that you want to convey for your client or business.
A good press release is truly one of the most important aspects of your digital PR strategy, and knowing how to create an efficient release that is clear, concise, and interesting to the press can be the secret to gaining the coverage you want.
We hope you’ve found this guide helpful, and that it has given you some insight into how you can write press releases that are set up for success.
We also wanted to add that we understand that you may choose to send a quick pitch email rather than a full press release. There are several ways you can promote your content and clients, and press release is one of them.
