• By John Cunningham
• Published 07/14/2010
• Writing

Press releases are a good way to get publicity for a product, event, or just about anything else. You may think that writing press releases are hard, that only professional writers can do them, well you’re wrong. Even someone who has little to no experience in writing a press release can write one, you just need a few tips to get you started. Here are a few pointers on how to create effective press releases: 1. Create a bold beginning. Your reader should know from the very beginning what you want to say. At the very beginning you should already state what the press release is all about; give a few facts as an appetizer. The body will be used for more facts and examples, the main course if you will. 2. Keep it accessible. When you submit your work to media outlets you will see that they will use your work word for word. Or it may be used by journalists as a starting point in order to report about other events. You should keep in mind that you should provide a lot of details so other people wouldn’t have a hard time if they want to reuse your work. 3. Do not bore your readers. Write about something that you yourself would like to read, chances are that your readers would like it too.

4. Keep your story relevant. If you know that what you’re writing about is important you should make your readers think that way too. Point out how the contents of your article affect the reader. If they can connect

with your press release then they would think that it is important. 5. Keep your facts straight. In order to make a strong story, it should be backed up by strong facts. A well-researched article is a great help for journalists who will be using your press release. If you will be borrowing from other sources then you should cite them and give them credit. And also keep tall tales at a minimum, as these will give a tremendous blow to your credibility. 6. Introduce your company. Make sure that your readers know where your release came from, describe your company, tell them where it is located, and maybe even give a brief history about the company. At the end give all the contact information of your company. 7. Keep it short. Get to the point; don’t go meandering off just to lengthen your article. Good press release examples are short and concise; you’ll be boring your readers if your release is too long. 8. Always get permission. If writing about a specific company, or a number of them, it’s best to get their permission first. This is a good way to avoid unnecessary conflicts and lawsuits. 9. Keep exclamation points at a minimum. Don’t be trigger-happy when using exclamation points. It will look like you’re giving to much hype to your content. If you must use it, then just use one.

10. Mind your language. Don’t use big words; chances are that most people wouldn’t be able to understand just what you are trying to say. It will just seem like you’re showing off, and no one likes a show-off.