What do you do with junk mail? Are you like me? I toss this stuff without opening it unless I see some benefit. Publication editors do the same. They toss news releases that dont demonstrate a benefit to their audience.
Whats the difference between a release that gets used and one that hits the editors circular file? Here are seven easy tips for writing releases that get picked up rather than thrown out.
1. Make sure its newsworthy. Whats newsworthy, you ask. To be newsworthy your topic needs to be timely, of interest to the publications audience, benefit-oriented, and substantive (that is, not self-serving, hype or fluff.)
2. Write a powerful headline. The headline is what will pull in the editor or leave her/him cold. Keep it short and descriptive, but make it interesting.
3. Use journalist style. Editors are looking for the facts, not fluff. Be sure to include the essentials: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.
4. Keep it brief. Editors are pressed for time and inundated with releases. Keep yours to one page, 300-800 words. The headline and first two paragraphs are the most important parts of your release.
5. Avoid jargon. Even if youre sending a release on a technical topic to a technical journal, resist the temptation to use acronyms. Spell it out! Use common language. It will make your releases more readable and accessible.
6. Proof it. The accuracy of your release including spelling and grammar reflects on your company. If you arent good at proofreading your own stuff, enlist someone else to do it.
7. Include a photo. Okay. This isnt a writing tip, but its good advice anyway. Publications are looking for good quality visuals, so including a photo, illustration, chart or graph (with a caption, please) increases your chance of getting picked up.
Follow these tips to improve your news release writing. But remember that the keys to a successful news release program are a good list of publications and a regular mailing schedule of newsworthy items. Persistence WILL pay off.
?Clairvoyant Communications, Inc.
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