Public Relations & Press Releases: Standing Out from the Clutter

The most common - and yet misunderstood - tool of public relations is the press release (also called news release). The press release is a written summary of your announcement that is disseminated to a targeted audience. Typically, a press release is designed to inform the media of your message. This document should be written to appeal to newsroom editors and show producers, so keep flowery language to a minimum and the key, newsy details foremost.
Also, writing a news release guarantees you nothing. News outlets literally receive hundreds of news releases daily and most are never read. Be eye-catching, but avoid clichés, to stand out from the crowd. Polish your writing and, if possible, take a class in news writing. Watch the news and see what makes good news. I always, before writing a press release, ask if I would tune in if this story was on the evening news. If the answer is no, this may not be the best topic for a news release.

Learn the difference between news and sales. If you're offering a twenty percent discount on your product that weekend, buy an ad. Now, if you're donating all of your proceeds to a children's organization that weekend, that's news.

To determine if something is news, ask the following questions

Is it important? Will your press release alert the media to something that will affect the daily lives of its audience? For example, if you are working with a department of transportation, you may want to let residents know that a significant section of highway may be closed for repairs. The power company may need to let customers know that there will be a significant rate increase or a hospital may want to let everyone know that a nursing strike has ended.

Is it current or timely? News always needed to be current, but especially now that we live in a 24-hour news cycle. If you need to make an announcement, do it while the story is fresh.

Is it local? Also called proximity in journalism studies, the news in Colorado Springs is probably not going to report on a story affecting people in Little Rock.