How to write a press release? General rules for exploitation.
A press release is a piece of information about a particular event in the mass media. It is known as one of the most effective marketing means, where you can read about the hottest and the most sensational news.
It contains information about interesting events, which are going to happen or have already happened in the spheres of music, art, medicine, science, politics, economics, foreign relations etc.
Our world is big and there are many interesting events, happening almost every day, no wonder that everyone is interested in what is going on. Hence, your press release should be very informative, attractive, interesting and useful.
It is hard to determine definite rules for a press release, since it depends upon your creative abilities; however, here are some generally accepted principles you have to observe and follow:
1. A press release must comprise:
· an argument for an event, concrete facts and figures, a description of consequences, quantitative and qualitative changes;
· an enumeration of the main participants, exact names of the organizations, the job titles, the names, the surnames;
· activities of the concrete participants, which entailed serious consequences;
· the time, date, place of the action;
· an enumeration of people, whose interests the event has possibly affected or will affect;
· a generic description (history) of the situation or event;
· the expert's quotation, his name, surname, job title, short description of his status, experience, knowledge, which give him a reason for the statement;
· the contacts with the author, name, surname, job title;
2. A press release should be written on a firm-blank of the organization;
3. It may have a title; however, it is not necessary;
4. The first part of the text should include all the major information; notice that it should be extraordinary, fascinating and astonishing;
5. You article should not be very long (one page). Do not go into details, if your editor wants to get more information he will ask you;
6. It is necessary to leave large areas for the editor's marks;
7. In the beginning of the article all abbreviations should be written completely;
8. Your article should be grammatically correct;
9. The text should be written in a regular type (10-14, Arial or Times New Roman); it should not be too large or too small to avoid inconveniences during the reading;
10. Each new paragraph must begin from a break line;
11. When you do not know what official persons will be on the particular event, you can write: "There are rumors about possible participation of ...somebody". This sentence does not promise that this person really will attend the event (conference, festival or inauguration); however, it will draw the attention of your editor and your readers to your article.
Before writing your press release, just imagine yourself in the place of an editor or a reader. Think what will draw your attention in the article, what conclusions you would like to make, what useful information you can pick up from it, what you will memorize, what you would like to tell your friends, relatives, colleagues. Now you can begin your work. Good luck.