| How to write a press release is a major challenge | | | | This is the sharp end of your message and the reader |
| facing both experienced and aspiring PR professionals. | | | | must understand what the whole story is about just by |
| Press release writing is a learned skill. This article | | | | reading the first paragraph. The most important and |
| contains press release sample writing, including that all | | | | critical information must come first. |
| important first paragraph. | | | | 2. Answer The Five W's. |
| "If it bleeds it leads" is a famous saying amongst news | | | | It must answer the who, what, when, where, and why |
| editors on why certain stories are on page one or first | | | | of the story. |
| up in a TV or radio news bulletin. | | | | 3. Grab Your Attention. |
| With so many big news stories breaking recently, such | | | | Like a good headline, the lead paragraph must grab |
| as the Pope's death and the Navy helicopter crash in | | | | and hold the attention of the reader. |
| Indonesia, how can you make your media release | | | | 4. Make Every Word Count. |
| stand out? | | | | Aim for brevity and word economy. Less is more. Edit |
| Well, the success of a news release being followed up | | | | out words to increase impact. |
| by the media depends on the all important lead or first | | | | 5. Make Sense. |
| paragraph. | | | | Write for meaning. |
| After the headline, this is the first message an editor or | | | | 6. Be Accurate. |
| journalist will read and it is one of those critical | | | | Always stick to the facts and be truthful, no matter |
| moments of truth when you either win over or lose | | | | how bad the news. Avoid fluff and hype. Remember it |
| the media. | | | | has to be newsworthy. |
| The first paragraph sets the structure for the whole of | | | | 7. Keep To One Sentence. |
| the media release. | | | | Simplicity is the key to great lead paragraphs. |
| Take this example of a very poorly written opening or | | | | 8. Provide Context. |
| lead paragraph that was actually sent out from the | | | | If you are introducing an organisation or person for the |
| office of Northern Territory Opposition spokesman, | | | | first time, put this in context by providing descriptive, |
| Richard Lim on March 9, 2005. | | | | detailed and meaningful words immediately prior to the |
| Shadow Minister for Employment Education and | | | | company or individual name. |
| Training Dr Richard Lim says that private registered | | | | For example: |
| training organisations which provided vocational | | | | Thomas Murrell - poor, no one knows who he is! |
| education and training for Territorians are struggling to | | | | International business speaker and co-author of |
| survive because over the last two years, the Northern | | | | Understanding Influence For Leaders At All Levels, |
| Territory Government has a policy of using the | | | | Thomas Murrell - better and puts person in context. |
| Equipment Grants for government providers only, they | | | | Different descriptions can be used, depending on your |
| being the Charles Darwin University and Batchelor of | | | | objectives and the context of the release. |
| Indigenous Tertiary Institution. | | | | 9. Be Precise. |
| (Source: D.D. McNicoll, The Diary, Media Section, The | | | | Precision is vital. Out of all the information you could |
| Australian, Thursday march 17th, 2005, pg 22.) | | | | get across what is the most important? This must be |
| What is this person trying to say? | | | | communicated in a precise way. |
| As a media and communications specialist working | | | | 10. Edit, Check and Proofread A Minimum of Three |
| with clients, I find I spend at least half my writing time | | | | Times. |
| working on that all important first paragraph. It is were | | | | Nothing will shoot your credibility down like a typo or |
| all the value is. | | | | error in the lead paragraph. First impressions count no |
| Here are my Ten Commandments for writing a great | | | | matter how good the story is. Professionalism is |
| lead paragraph. A good lead paragraph must: | | | | essential. Get someone else to check and read your |
| 1. Summarise The Whole Story. | | | | release. |