Help! How Do I write a good press release to impress my boss? Part 1

Hey there,

It’s a new day to talk about PR and all things public relations related! Today, we will be discussing the topic of press releases, how exciting and draining they can be for newbie PR  people, and the steps to writing a great press release.

Something in me just says to point out the fact that a vast majority of people (I don’t have the numbers) still think that PR is a press release! Sad, but it is a reality for some. Just so that we are clear, PR is Public Relations and a press release is one of the many tools that PR people use to execute their campaign strategy.

Now that we have cleared the air, let’s dive in! Have you been stuck in a situation where you are handed a new brief and its reads, write a press release for a client to announce their new “Feed The Poor” campaign, detailing what the campaign is about, ways to attract people to the campaign, with a mind to wowing an editor who may or may not publish the press release in their news column or blog, without having a clue as to where to begin, where to get data from, how to convince a whole editor? You the newbie has to do all of this at this stage of your career! I know I have, it was mind-boggling, life-changing, and scary at first. For the life of me, I didn’t know why I was chosen to handle the role and I almost passed on it. But I thought about it, it was my opportunity to showcase that I had more in me to pursue a career in PR. I knew that if my bosses were pleased, I would get a seat at a table, so I decided to put in the effort, do a little bit of research like you are doing right now, and used the following tips:

• Think of a news angle to the story: Your client may want to announce a new product, may have a fundraising event that needs to be announced, a charitable campaign that they want to launch or a specific announcement to be made. Always think of a  news angle that you can pitch your press release from. It has to be newsworthy enough to appeal to the editor and then the audience. You could pick a prominent person to discuss, talk about the number of times the client has done a particular deed, or even choose a quote that was mentioned that is sure to draw attention. Just make sure that it is appealing enough to excite and entice the relevant stakeholders.

• Write a captivating headline: Your headline is a sure way to interest your audience. If your headline is not compelling enough, it may not get the desired results. Therefore ensure to coin a headline that is direct, succinct, and has the right bait to make them want to click. Make sure to make your headline short and easy to read, that way you don’t bore your audience and they understand your story at first glance and get curious for more. Which headline would you rather click on: “How to write a press release” or “Help! How Do I write a good press release to impress my boss?”. Considering that you clicked on this post, then it should be the latter. It grabs the attention, it explains what you need to know, therefore, writing a great headline should be a priority. Some write it first, others write it last, whichever works for you as long as it passes the right message and delivers great results.

• Use the inverted pyramid style: This means that in writing a story, you write the main crux of the story, the lead first, which contains a summary of the main gist of the story. It usually answers the questions, What, Where, When, Who, Why, and How, which are commonly referred to as the 5Ws and H. In using this style, you are able to answer, what is the story about, where did it happen or take place, who was present, why did it happen and how did it happen. You may not answer all questions but remember to answer at least 3 to ensure that people get the gist. For instance, “Leading multinational company, ABC Limited, recently launched its all-new XXX product at an event held in London on Friday, May 20, 2022, which saw the Mayor of London in attendance, as well as several dignitaries.”

I hope you enjoyed reading up to this point, thank you! Join me next week for a follow-up to this post where I continue with my tips on writing a great press release to impress your boss and the editors hopefully. I might even add a special free template to help you in your journey. Have a great week!

Warm regards,

The PR Chic