news releases

September 21, 2021
  • Think about what you want to write.
  • While writing early drafts, do not stop to correct spelling errors or to reorganize ideas. Get a feel for the creative flow of the release.
  • Be completely brutal with your first draft. Nothing should satisfy you. Delete, substitute, rearrange, insert.
  • Be especially critical of the first few paragraphs. They are the most important to the story.

The Venerable Press Release Is Here to Stay

Companies have often scorned press releases. In recent years, as social media has taken center stage, the decibel for their abolition has definitely grown louder. Popular grumbles we’ve heard include:

  • Why do we need a press release when we have a blog?
  • We can socialize announcements, so what’s the point of an official press release?
  • Who reads them?

Let’s start with the last question first: readership.

The purpose of most press releases is to condense the facts and give critical takeaways for the media to digest. The trick is making it attractive enough for journalists to report on or to include in an article.

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  • Put yourself in the target audience’s place and reread the story to be sure nothing can be misinterpreted.
  • Have others on your staff read the drafts.
  • Do suggest a headline for the story, but don’t try to write the story itself for the media.
  • Check the story a final time for accuracy. Verify all numbers, names, titles and policy issues. Remember, “good news releases are not written, they are rewritten.”