by Leslie Hamp, Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach
Many small business owners are surprised to find that crafting a press release is more like following a recipe than writing a creative essay. Industry dictates certain formatting requirements that can’t be overlooked, even within the seemingly impossible 400 word count limit.
But why all the rules? Imagine you are an editor who receives dozens, even hundreds, of press releases every day. You¹re looking for news‹good news that will attract readers or listeners and increase subscription numbers.
You are under deadline and have a big hole in our newspaper or broadcast.
You receive a press release with standard formatting, complete contact information, and an informative writing style that requires very little editing on your part. Another press release contains a mish-mash of fonts, salesy language, and missing or incomplete contact information. As a busy editor, which press release would you choose?
If you want your press release to get published or aired, follow traditional formatting standards:
1. Use 8 ½ x 11 paper when you’re faxing a press release.
2. Use a one-inch margins on each side of the page to increase readability at a glance.
3. Type “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” (no quotation marks) in all caps at the top of the page.
4. Include contact information two lines under “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.” Include your name, phone, fax, email and website in case an editor wants to contact you to verify or clarify information.
5. Use a Bold typeface for the headlines, and capitalize the first letter of
each word.
6. Include the city and state from which the press release is being issued along with the date that it is being sent at the beginning of the first paragraph of the body of the press release, ie, MADISON, Wis., January 7, 2007 Begin first paragraph here.
7. Include the who, what, when, where, and why in the opening paragraph so that the editor can discern the essentials of your release in a minute. The headline and first paragraph of the press release will make or break your chances of being picked up.
8. Complete the full paragraph at the end on each page instead of carrying it over onto the next page to make it easier to read and comprehend.
9. Use the word “more” between two dashes and center it at the bottom of the page to let editors know that another page follows.
10. At the top of the next page, include a line with the name of your business and topic of release and second line, single spaced, with the date and add #1. Double space and continue your release.
11. Use three number symbols immediately following the last paragraph to indicate the end of the press release:
# # #
When you send a press release without the three numbers symbols at the end, there is always a risk that editors will assume the document is incomplete and therefore unusable.
Follow the rules and you’ll increase the likelihood of getting your name in the
news.
© 2006 Leslie Hamp
Leslie Hamp, Certified Guerrilla Marketing & Lifestyle Coach, collaborates with entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to achieve business success without making sacrifices in home life, health, or personal balance. Find out more at www.lesliehamp.com.
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Yes, standard formatting of press releases is important–but so is the content. I find I have the best results when I tell “the story behind the story,”–that gets journalists overwhelmed with hundreds of releases per day to sit up and notice yours. As an example–for a client’s book on electronic privacy, my press release headline was NOT “Electronic Privacy Expert Releases New Book.” That’s not news; books are published hundreds of times a day.
My headline was “It’s 10 O’Clock–Do You Know Where Your Credit History Is?”
I’ve posted eighteen short articles on media publicity at http://www.frugalmarketing.com/marketingtips.shtml
* Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World
http://www.frugalmarketing.com /
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Hey, is there a section just for latest news
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