How to write and send a press release?
You have news and you want to get it out into the world! With a press release you have a chance of journalists picking up your message. But writing a good press release is an art in itself. How do you do it? And what not to do?
Writing the press release - do's
Reason
You can increase your chances of getting coverage by explaining to the journalist why your news is of interest to the audience they write for. The journalist may not immediately see the relevance, and your explanation could make all the difference.
Get to the point
Focus on a single topic, as digressions distract the reader. We advise against exaggerating the news, however tempting it may be. A good message sells itself. Exaggeration doesn’t make it any stronger.
Make it attractive, but keep it simple
Your press release does not have to be a pretty story. Precisely not. Journalists want to be able to find the most important information quickly. If you provide a concrete and clear press release, the journalist will turn it into a nice story.
But even if you keep it simple, there are of course ways to make your text more engaging. For example, by including a quote. This gives your text a personal touch. It certainly makes a business press release more engaging.
And if you have a good, relevant image that reinforces your message, be sure to include it.
More do's and a few don'ts
Tell more about your organisation
A short text about your organisation is called a boilerplate. Better known as the 'About us' piece. You write about this at the bottom of the press release. A good 'About us' text can win journalists over. A boilerplate should at least contain this information:
- Company name and locations
- Founding year
- Name of the current founder or leader, number of years of experience of this person in the industry
- Some of your products or services, highlight one/some.
- Your mission statement (keep it short)
- Website, e-mail address or (free) phone number
Online you will find many examples of boilerplates, get inspired.
Double-check
It's obvious, yet press release writers sometimes forget: double-check your text for correct spelling and grammar. And whether your names are written correctly.
Inverted pyramid
Journalists receive many texts, which they cannot read through word for word. You can respond to this by giving your text the shape of an inverted pyramid with the foundation (the most important information) at the top. You do this by writing a catchy headline and introduction. In the paragraphs after that, you can explain.
Don'ts
Using industry jargon
Check your press release for industry jargon. These words often creep in easily, because to you they’re just everyday words.
Don’t include subheadings or paragraphs in your press release
To ensure the text is easy to read: a single block of text is not clear. Subheadings and paragraphs help journalists to scan your press release quickly.
Send the press release
So, your press release is finished. Time to send it to journalists! There are also a few things to watch out for when sending it.
Timing
The best days to send out a press release are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Friday and the weekend are the least suitable. Wednesday is a possibility, but if people work a four-day week, Wednesday is often their day off. Also bear in mind days or periods when there is a lot of other news. Around major sporting tournaments, Prinsjesdag, King’s Day, etc., it is often difficult to get your story noticed.
The subject line
The subject line of the email in which you send your press release is the first thing the journalist sees. If you can grab their attention here, you’re already 1-0 ahead.
Be available!
Make sure you’re easily reachable after sending the press release. Let journalists know when and how they can contact you, and stick to that.
Better not
Shooting in the dark
There’s no point in emailing as many journalists as possible. Quantity is good, but relevance is key. Send your press release to journalists at media outlets followed by your target audience.
Don’t expect immediate results
If journalists don’t know you yet, it’s harder to get your press release picked up. It’s a long-term endeavour. If you send out (good) press releases more often to journalists who can actually make use of them, you’ll build brand awareness.
But you don't have to do it all by yourself: we are happy to help you write press releases. In addition, we have a large network of journalists. Contact us if you want to know more.
But you don't have to do it all by yourself.
We’re happy to help you write press releases. We also have a large network of journalists. Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
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