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Press releases and writing skills

The best press releases are bold, concise and punchy. Keep it simple. Don’t send any attachments. If the formality of a press release makes you panic, then try writing a simple short, personal email or letter explaining your story to a journalist. They can be just as effective.

Ways to make your press release stand out

  • A great photo will always catch a journalist’s attention. Don’t send photos as email attachments. It’s better to post them on your website or www.Flickr.com and send the journalist a link.
  • A brilliant, snappy, eye-catching headline.
  • Keep it short. Half a side of A4 is plenty.
  • Include a mobile phone number so a journalist can contact you at anytime.
  • If your press release is well written, you’ll find that quite often it will make it to print without any changes! You need to write the story for the journalist.

See how the Samaritans tailored their press release to each region of the UK and the coverage they secured. Have a look British Heart Foundation’s Christmas press release. You can also see the press release which secured Hearing Dogs for Deaf People coverage in local press. 

Basic ingredients of a press release

  • A punchy or funny story headline. Make this bold.
  • Go straight into explaining what the story is in the first sentence. Write in the third person. Don’t use jargon. Keep it simple and easy to understand at a glance.
  • Where and when your story is happening (if it’s related to an event or launch)
  • Who’s involved? List case studies and potential interviewees.
  • You can include a quote from a key player in your organisation but keep it very brief.
  • Suggest a photo opportunity. Offer case studies. Are you offering an exclusive?
  • Give that particular media outlet a reason as to why they should cover your story.
  • Give them the closing paragraph you’d like broadcast or printed. Only give them one web link, one charity name, one phone number for the article. (e.g. Find out more from www.charityname.org.uk or call 020 7888 6666)
  • Your contacts details: name, phone, mobile, email
  • Repeat the key, most important information at the end – the event, place and date (if appropriate) and your key message
  • “NOTES TO EDITORS” – This is where you can put a couple of sentences about your organisation and what it does.

Here are some online guides and templates for press releases:

Books on writing press releases:

Distributing press releases

Targeted distribution of a press release following an initial phone call to the journalist or reporter is always best. Find out how to get journalists' contact details in the article Building your contacts book.

 

Read the next article in this section... Planning an event or launch