The purpose of a press release is to get attention, make news, and generate publicity. It’s cost-effective marketing (free) and they can be used to create brand awareness for your association.
The Basics of Crafting a Press Release:
- Make it newsworthy; it’s not an ad, it’s a news article
- Use an attention-grabbing headline
- Be time-sensitive – no one wants old news
- Stick to one topic
- Write it in a professional tone, or even better, write it like you’re a reporter
- Proofread it and then have someone else proofread it
Key Components of a Press Release:
- Letterhead (identify that it’s from your organization)
- Date
- “For Immediate Release” under the date
- Headline: Limit it to 15 words
- Subtitle (optional): Keep it short
- Lead paragraph: Your organization’s location (city, state) in bold type and the 5 Ws (who, what, when, why, where) of the story
- 2nd Paragraph: Supportive information and at least one quote
- Other paragraphs: Additional, relevant, non-essential information
- Call to Action: An exact, complete, non-embedded URL (not “Click Here to visit website”) in one of the paragraphs
- Conclusion: A brief description of your organization
- Media Contact Information: Name, email, phone, and website
A Press Release Should Not:
- Be longer than 1 page
- Have a lot of formatting
- Include exclamation points (unless it’s a direct quote)
- Exaggerate
- Use the words: I, we, our, me
Distribution of a Press Release:
- Develop a media contact list of people you will send the release to
- Send the release to an actual person, or at least to a specific news department
- Use a detailed subject line in your email (not simply “Press Release”)
- Post the release on your website
- Share the release on social media
Incorporating all of this into your association’s press release should result in a well-organized, relevant article that is newsworthy.
SEE ALSO: Easy Tactics to Increase Association Email Open Rates