How to Write a Press Release ( Free Template)
Kelly is a former Google Tech Entrepreneur and Apple Developer who has counseled businesses of all sizes and growth stages. You can find her expertise across Fit Small Business in marketing, business website, and business trend content.
A press kit, also known as a media kit, is a document used to give journalists key information about your business, from general knowledge to brand assets (e.g., logos). The purpose is to make it easier for journalists to craft a story, in return landing your business free publicity. Learning how to create your press kit is easy—choose a template, add your information and assets, and distribute your media kit.
Make sure your press kit is a worthwhile investment of your time by linking to it whenever you publish and distribute a press release. Using a distribution service is the surest way to ensure your release reaches thousands of journalists and media outlets, including those most likely to be interested in your news. Unlike some other press release distribution providers, Newswire allows you to include links, including a link to your press kit, for free.
What is a press release/news release?A press release is a document that announces a newsworthy story about your brand that the media might want to cover and provides all of the pertinent information a reporter or editor would need.
Some outlets will share your news based solely on the press release. Other times, they’ll contact you to arrange an interview or use you as an expert source for another story, especially if you regularly send out press releases sharing newsworthy topics.
Reporters look for stories that are timely, affect a large number of people, have an emotional element, or relate to other news stories. You could also tap into what people are talking about, either in person or on social media. If your business has a connection to a bigger story, you may improve your chances of getting covered.
The benefits of writing a press releaseAnother benefit is the ability to share your press releases on the news or press page of your website. This can help establish you as an expert in your field. When a reporter visits your site and finds press releases available, you come across more professionally and save the reporter time by making pertinent information easily and quickly accessible.
Past Press CoverageIf you’ve received free media coverage before, you can include a sheet that details those media outlets. But don’t send media coverage from a direct competitor or it won’t be covered. For example, if House Beautiful ran a piece on your product don’t send it to House & Garden because they’ll say that it was already covered by a shelter publication. However, if your product appeared in a CNN segment, go ahead and include that press exposure.
This can be a great addition to a press kit because it details features, benefits, and other specific information in a way that educates the reporter or editor about your company and/or products with quick bullet points of information. Fact sheets can be used for product launches, press kits about new hires, news conferences, and other areas where you want to give the editor key facts that they may want to use word-for-word.
Company BackgrounderWriting a company history page can be valuable for current and future press kits. This backgrounder details your company’s beginnings and can include where your business is headed. Major accomplishments should be included as well as any accolades or awards. Also, don’t forget your plans for expansion and product development. Be sure to update your backgrounder on an annual basis to include any additional accomplishments and benchmark moments.
Executive bios, along with high-resolution images, give the editor much-needed background information about the caliber of people behind the company. Some publications print a bio word-for-word, so write the bio in the third-person rather than the first-person point of view. Keep all bios to one page and include awards and accolades but no personal information other than industry affiliations.
Source:
https://fitsmallbusiness.com/press-kit-template/
https://www.shopify.ca/blog/how-to-write-a-press-release
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-create-impactful-press-kits-39191
How to Write a Press Release ( Free Template)
Note: A press release is a piece of content which is accompanied by a press release email pitching the story to the journalist – a sort of cover letter which summarizes the content in the release.
When you write a cold message to someone to sell on Instagram DM you’re usually pretty straight forward and informal. A good press releases has those same qualities – it’s designed to shock someone and make them curious to read more.
1. Garners attention and awareness2. Helps build relationshipsSending press releases is a mutually beneficial exercise. Journalists need stories – if you can help them with this, it could be the start of a relationship with someone in the media industry.
3. Improves your search engine optimizationAlso, if a journalist uses your contributions for an article or blog post, it could get you backlinks from their company’s website (backlinks are one of the best ways to get your content to the top of a search engine).
4. You can manage your imageAn effective press release is also a good way to control how your business is viewed. You can build your brand image and shape public perception through an informative official statement with facts to counter any negative publicity.
What is a press release/news release?A press release is a document that announces a newsworthy story about your brand that the media might want to cover and provides all of the pertinent information a reporter or editor would need.
Some outlets will share your news based solely on the press release. Other times, they’ll contact you to arrange an interview or use you as an expert source for another story, especially if you regularly send out press releases sharing newsworthy topics.
Reporters look for stories that are timely, affect a large number of people, have an emotional element, or relate to other news stories. You could also tap into what people are talking about, either in person or on social media. If your business has a connection to a bigger story, you may improve your chances of getting covered.
The benefits of writing a press releaseAnother benefit is the ability to share your press releases on the news or press page of your website. This can help establish you as an expert in your field. When a reporter visits your site and finds press releases available, you come across more professionally and save the reporter time by making pertinent information easily and quickly accessible.
8 things all press releases should have1 HeadlineSince media outlets receive hundreds of stories per day, you’ll need a killer headline for your press release to stand out. To create a standout headline, try some of these approaches:
2 Date of publicationMost press releases simply put “for immediate release” in the date of publication field, but that isn’t your only option. If you have an upcoming event, you can always send out your press release early and instead list the date you’d like it to be released.
3 Contact informationThe contact information field on the press release should list your organization’s public relations liaison. This field should include their name, job title, email, and phone number.
4 SummaryThe summary falls above the body of the press release but below the headline, contact information, and date. The summary is one to three bullet points or an italicized paragraph of two to three sentences relaying the most important information. Keep it succinct.
5 Intro paragraphThe first paragraph, or intro paragraph , should start with the location of the event and introduce what the press release is about. Media outlets are looking for a newsworthy announcement and for three of the five Ws—when, where, and why.
6 Detail paragraphsYou can include one or two detail paragraphs that share facts and figures, more details, or a quote from a relevant organization member. Pick only one or two crucial quotes or statistics that are truly newsworthy. You can use the third paragraph to also relate your press release to a current news event to make it timelier and more relevant.
7 AboutAlso called the boilerplate, the about section is where you tell the press about your company. This section should be two to four sentences and include the last two of the five Ws—who and what. Include the name of your organization and its mission statement, founding dates, and company size.
Traditionally, three pound signs have been included at the end of a press release to indicate the end of the press release content. The signs were used to let wire services know that there wasn’t another page and tell journalists that they didn’t need to wait around for another page. Nowadays, these symbols aren’t technically necessary, but many writers still follow this format out of respect for the tradition .
Source:
https://blog.justreachout.io/how-to-write-press-release/
https://www.shopify.ca/blog/how-to-write-a-press-release
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/press-release/