What should your Press Release look like?

What should be Included In It?

Appearance:

Use top-notch, letterheads. You work for a classy firm and this is an important conference, so be stylish (if it is expensive, but worthwhile). Use A4 paper (big enough to be noticed) and write the release on one or two sides.

Layout:

`Press release’ at the top? An eye-catching heading, perhaps to the left. Date in the top right corner? The first paragraph must be attractive enough to have impact to keep them reading. Have subsequent paragraphs of the `who-what-when-where-why-how’ variety. Put `more’ at the bottom of the first page and the heading plus’…2’ at the top left side of the second. Then go on! State `ends’ at the end of the release and add a name and telephone and fax numbers in case the recipient wants further information.

Contents:

Basic details about the conference – its type, theme, purpose, dates, times, location, business activities, social activities and fees. What else? Include the benefits of attending so far as the delegates are concerned? The experts who will be there, ready and willing to pass on their knowledge and expertise and the interesting celebrities to be met? Anything else?

Style:

Brisk and business-like – you’re dealing with busy, hard-nosed journalists. Have it typed in double-spacing with wide margins and leave plenty of room for their notes and amendments. The text should be short and concise, with specific, informative paragraphs, easy-to-understand language and quotes to liven it up perhaps and to add credibility. Avoid hype and flannel, though. Don’t capitalise parts of the text; underline or put them in italics – make sure it is simple to read.