Begin with a heading in the upper left corner. It must
contain the name and address of your organization and
the name and phone number of a person or two to
contact for more information. Reporters almost always
want to talk with you for answers to additional
questions. Since newspapers operate around the clock,
make sure that they can reach a spokesperson at any
time. Reporters are on very short deadlines and will
simply drop a story, or worse, unknowingly go with a
mistake, if they can't reach someone authoritative for
more information.
The media is still a telephone intense business. Several
times I have forgotten to check my voice mail, only to
days earlier. Too bad for me. Whatever her story was,
chances are she's long past writing in my information.
The media business moves fast. If it needs to be done, it
must be done now.
Follow the heading with the phrase:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
If you are sending them the information in advance of
the date you would like it reported, write: FOR
RELEASE: Friday, July 1 (for example).
A word to the wise, don't expect them to wait if the
news is really big. In fact, giving a reporter earth
shaking news in advance, then telling them not to report
it for a few days, is likely to irritate them.
Drop down a few spaces underneath the release date
and type in all capitals a headline summarizing your
message. For example: MAYOR WILL COMMEND
BOY SCOUTS FOR PLANTING TREES ALONG
THE JORDAN RIVER.
Four spaces below that, type a second sentence
supporting your headline. Example: Kearns den plants
220 saplings in destroyed fire area.
Now follow with the information you have to offer in
the body of the release. Begin with the name of the city
you are reporting from and the date the release was
written. Your first sentence should re-tell the
information in the headlines.
For the example above:
KEARNS, July 1, 1986. In a ceremony at Salt Lake
City Hall, Mayor Kathleen Wilson will commend boy
scouts from Kearns for planting over 220 sapling trees
in the area of the Jordan River park that was destroyed
by fire last winter.
Write it as you would a newspaper story, in inverted
pyramid form. This means that the most important
information must go at the beginning, with the less
important details coming at the end.
Many poorly written news releases start with, "The
Huge Corporation conducted a meeting of board
members on Friday July 1. In attendance were......"
The outcome of the meeting was that the directors
voted to build a forty story building that will be the
biggest in the state. Unfortunately, this jolting news was
buried in the middle of the news release.
Put your newsworthy information first. Lead with
whatever you think the reporter will be most interested
in. Let the less important details bring up the rear.
Don't write your release like a feature story, beginning
with something like, "It was a dark and stormy night and
Bill Higgins woke up in a cemetery." Even though there
seems to be a growing number of papers across the
country who turn all their news into feature stories, it is
bad journalism.
Keep your release to a page or two. Even a half-page
release will often do the job. Reporters want the
information quickly and with a minimum of effort. They
will call you for more details, and these will frequently
be details you never thought about including.
Conclude your release with the sign "#" or "-30-" placed
in the center of the page, immediately following your
text. These are traditional ways of signifying that the
release is finished.
Keep your writing clear. Uncommon terms will require
a quick explanation of what they mean. If the reporter
may be unfamiliar with your point, compare it with
something they'll probably know.
You can reinforce a concept by saying the same thing
again in different words. This is valuable when talking
with reporters. Accentuate the important points of your
message, saying them slowly so that the reporter can get
them down. The reporter is often writing the story as he
or she talks to you. Listen and you will hear the
clacking of computer keys as you talk.
Some reporters says they appreciate a few handwritten
words of thanks along with the news release. Others
say they are much more likely to open envelopes that
have been addressed by hand. This may be particularly
appropriate if you are trying to cultivate a personal
relationship with the reporter.
Kevin Nunley helps small and mid-sized businesses build effective
marketing. Reach him at DrNunley@aol.com or at (801)203-4536. Ask for his free marketing
report and list of Special Reports and
Tapes that make you a marketing whiz
in dozens of areas. Also ask how he can help you build your on-line
presence.
http://www.drnunley.com/
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