PR and Media Best Practice Guide

PR AND MEDIA GUIDE Creating the perfect press release

WHY A PRESS RELEASE? Despite what 90s daytime TV dramas would have you believe, there isn’t a roaming band of journalists surreptitiously sneaking around in long trench coats trying to listen in to your every word and get the latest scoop.

While this is a win for privacy, it does mean that for many businesses it can be hard to know how to get news about their company into the public domain via reputable news sources.

This is where a well-written press release comes in.

A press release can enable you to confidently and succinctly provide news outlets with information about your important business endeavours in a cost-effective manner, helping to increase engagement, boost brand reputation (or limit damage in some circumstances), promote awareness and even generate new clients.

Used in conjunction with good social media practices, the humble press release can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.

BEFORE YOU START WRITING They say planning makes perfect and when writing a press release it is no different. So before you start putting pen to paper (or typing), there are a few questions you must consider: DETERMINE YOUR FOCUS The first task is to identify your goal. Why are you writing the press release? What is the main focal message you want to convey? Do you have a new product you want to tell people about, for example? Or perhaps you’ve opened a new headquarters? Whatever it is, decide this at step one as almost everything from here on out will centre around it.

ALIGN YOUR GOALS WITH THOSE OF THE MEDIA OUTLET You can have the best press release in the world, but if it isn’t relevant for the publication then it’ll never get published. Identify your target media outlets early on, and target ones that create the type of content that you plan to supply. For example, don’t send a product launch bulletin to a publication that only publishes interviews with garden designers.

Also ensure that the audience you are trying to reach is represented in the demographic of the publication’s audience - otherwise your message will garner little interest.

CRAFTING THE PERFECT PRESS RELEASE GET TO THE POINT QUICKLY Very clearly describe what your key message is and why it matters in your first paragraph. The five W’s - Who, What, Why, Where, When - can help guide you.

NOW WHAT? Finish with a call to action (CTA) - something you want the audience to do after reading.

This could be a link to visit your website, buy a product, contact a team member, etc.

CREATE A COMPELLING HEADLINE This should be something that creates interest or intrigue, but also tells the story clearly - don’t be vague. Puns can be great and memorable, but don’t overuse them, and consider the tone of your message first.

ADD CONTEXT WITH A BOILERPLATE Adding a boilerplate (aka an “about us”) provides a concise overview of your company, its mission, and core offerings.

This can provide context to the journalist so they can better understand your business.

LET’S HEAR IT Include quotes from key people in your business or relevant to the story. This helps build credibility, adds a human element, and can establish your business’ perspective.

STAY ON TOPIC Do not be tempted to cram in as many topics and information as possible. Keep to your key focus message and break your story into short, digestible paragraphs to make it easy to read.

BOOST YOUR CHANCES OF BEING SEEN BE RELIABLE

ENSURE THE RIGHT FIT

Many editors and journalists will receive tens, if not hundreds, of press releases daily. So if you do get a positive response, it is vital that you are reliable - provide what you say you will, when you say you will.

Once you’ve proven your reliability you are more likely to get your emails read and calls answered in future.

Rather than waste time guessing what a media outlet might want to publish, simply email or call the publication.

Linked to this is considering the outlet’s needs. Although you want to tell your story, what is in it for them?

Considering how your press release benefits them, and shaping it accordingly, can help get results.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

DECISION MAKERS

When do you need your press release to be published? If it is time-sensitive, then target publications that publish frequently - daily, weekly, etc. For example, if you have an announcement about an event next weekend, don’t target an outlet that doesn’t publish until next quarter.

Consider the strategic use of embargoes too.

Get your press release in front of the right person. If you can contact the key decision maker (editor, content manager, head of PR, etc.) you stand a much better chance of getting published. Blind sending to a “catch-all” address such as contact-us@xyz.com rarely gleans positive results.

BE PICTURE PERFECT SUPPLY QUALITY IMAGES

CONSIDER COMPOSITION

MAKE IT EASIER

Offering hi-resolution images can be the make or break for the chances of your press release getting picked up, and they help to tell the story visually.

Learn some basic photography skills to enhance your images, such as rule of thirds, negative space and focus.

Media outlets will have their own image specifications, so make life easy by using common file types.

Ensure to remove any clutter in the shot - e.g. are there tools, garden waste or people’s lunches lying around? It’s surprising how often this gets overlooked.

A .png is preferable as it allows editing without loss of resolution, while a .jpeg is a good alternative.

Avoid .psd, .ai or .pdf files as they require specialist software.

Although there is more to it than just file size, a good rule of thumb is to aim for a minimum of 1MB.

CONSIDER USING NEWS WIRES REACH FURTHER So you have a press release, but you’re not sure who to send it to?

Rather than spend countless hours trawling the web for target contacts, consider using a press wire service.

For a small fee you can publish your press release on the wire and it will get picked up by an audience of journalists looking for stories. Additionally, they allow you to view journalist requests and reach out if you have a story or release that aligns.

Popular services include: Response Source, PA Mediapoint, and PR Newswire.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROOFREADING You’re almost ready to write your press release and send it off to media outlets, but there is one final step that, although not everyone’s forte, is vital for success: PROOFREAD AND EDIT Once the press release is written don’t forget to proofread it for errors. Journalists make their living off having excellent levels of English writing skills, so making basic grammar and spelling mistakes is a quick way to lose credibility. Not everyone is confident here, so using a spellchecker and having someone who hasn’t seen it check it over with a fresh pair of eyes can help as we often become blind to mistakes once we’ve been looking at something for a while.

PROOF THE EMAIL TOO! As mentioned earlier, journalists are often time-poor and may only spend a fleeting few moments reading your email to decide whether it is right for them, so good grammar and spelling is just as important here too. If you’re supplying images, double-check that you have successfully attached them to your email - forgetting portrays a lack of care that it will be assumed is reflected in your press release (remember to attach this too!).