Writing a press release

Press releases are a great way of attracting free media coverage. They are easy to produce and journalists like them. And when the story appears in print, it tends to be perceived as more credible than a piece of your own campaign literature.

What you have to do

Your press release must be written and presented in a certain way. And it must be newsworthy. Even then, there are no guarantees that it will make it into print. If it does, it might be edited or completely rewritten. The media always receive more releases than they can use. You need to make sure yours leaps out from the pile.

Start strong

The first paragraph of your news release is all-important. A busy news editor will glance at it, but read no further unless you've hooked them.

A common mistake is to write a release so that it progresses logically, starting with the background and building up to the news. You need to do the opposite, with a strong news angle at the start.

Remember the five Ws

Journalists learn early on that every story must include the 'five Ws':

• Who?
• What?
• When
• Where?
• Why?

Check that you have covered your five Ws. But be careful not to cram them all into your first paragraph as it will make for a dull read.

Have a quote

Every release should feature a quote from a named, relevant person. Make your quote interesting and believable.

Make it read right

Use short sentences and words, plain language. Avoid jargon and the passive tense e.g. 'Developments have occurred...'. Check closely for spelling and grammatical errors, then check again.

Include a 'note to editors'

A 'note to editors' section at the end allows you to include useful background information that isn't vital to the story. It helps keep your release short but ensures that you don't leave out something that could help the reporter.

Add a contact name

Specify at least one contact person, and preferably two. These contacts should be easy to get hold of, confident about talking to the media, and fully briefed. Out-of-hours contact numbers are essential, as are mobile phone numbers and your website address.

Target your readership

Tailor the press release to each publication. This might mean producing several releases, but it's worth it if it secures more coverage.

Make it look right

You'll need to set out your release according to convention:

• Double space it so it can be easily edited.
• Use wide margins.
• Keep it single-sided.
• Avoid fancy formatting.
• Never split a sentence from one page to the next.
• Staple pages together so they won't get separated.

Where to send your release

If you plan to use the media a lot, invest in a media directory. These include PR Planner, PIMS, Editors, the Guardian Media Guide (£17.99), the Hollis Directory and Mediadisk.

Find out more about other campaigning issues and examples in the In more depth section.