Done well, a simple press release can work wonders for your public relations: it can turn heads towards your business and generate buzz around your latest venture. Here at the Finesse Group, we love press releases, and encourage our clients to create a captivating press release as part of every business campaign.

That said, writing up a press release isn’t always straightforward, and getting it published isn’t as simple as you might expect it to be.

So how do you write up a press release, and then hook the media to your story? Here are some of our best tips.

Journalists don’t do ‘cute’

A press release isn’t written to engage a reader. It’s written to engage a journalist – and the difference is significant. When writing a press release, you need to steer clear from the fun, clever and cute tone that us writers are so accustomed to with digital content, and write in a way that is direct, factual, and clear.

Stand out in a crowd(ed inbox) 

A journalist’s inbox is likely inundated with press releases – many of which are left unread. That is why a short and striking headline is vital when writing your press release. One top tip is to include surprising facts and figures in the headline. Has your company conducted research that is worth mentioning? Great! That’s likely to get more attention from a journo than a simple fact or comment. Still, even if you don’t have data to offer, facts will help. Our advice is always to push the most news-worthy part of your story to the forefront… and the subject bar.

The five Ws

 The easiest way to go about writing a press release is to identify the facts in your story and jot them down in a systematic way. It always helps to check that you’ve answered all five Ws: what, why, who, where, and when. Map out the replies, think of any other factual information worth mentioning, and weave them together in a flowing and concise body of text.

 A touch of humanity

In the midst of all the facts, don’t forget to add a human element to your press release – that special ingredient that makes any story more relatable. One easy way to do this is to include a quote from someone who is connected to the story. Launching a new product? Why not include a comment from the innovator who helped create it? Announcing some important data to the sector? The press will love a comment from the head researcher! The truth is: people + facts create the perfect combo in a press release.

Contact details

You’ve caught the attention of a journalist and they want to run a story on your press release. Congratulations! Let’s just hope they can get in touch with you quickly, before other journalists pick up on the story and your release becomes old news. To avoid this, make sure to add your contact details to the bottom of the press release, including your mobile number and instant messaging details.

Bonus: A boilerplate (extra information on the business or product in question) is also a useful extra touch. It gives  the journalist more back story about the brand and even more facts to help get the story straight.

Still not for you?

If you still feel you are lacking the skills to create a press release yourself, let us do it for you. Get in touch with our writing team here at the Finesse Group, where we can take care of all aspects of your PR campaign, including writing journalist-worthy press releases. Email us on [email protected] for details.