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Release Tips for eMediaWorld.com Press Releases |
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It is the reporter's job to look for newsworthy items. By providing a good press release you are helping the press to do their job while making money for your own company. The media needs your press releases just as much as you need publicity.
Top Nineteen Tips for a Successful Submission |  |
1. The first lines of your press releases shall include:
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" (or FOR RELEASE May 25, 2006) and "For more information, contact:" followed by your contact information.
2.Craft a compelling headline. The headline makes your release stand out. Keep it short, active, and descriptive. If you don't know how, read a number of compelling headlines till you get some idea.
3.Hook reader with the first paragraph. A first paragraph shall summarize the five W's: who, what, where, when and why. In fact, most readers will give up if you haven't "hooked" them in the first few lines.
4. Put the most important information at the beginning. This is a tried and true rule of journalism. Never hide golden points to the end.
5. Don't sell but answer questions! Making over-inflated statements is helpless to your business. Write a release that answers questions about your business, rather than piling flowery adjectives without saying why.
6. Don't say it, show it. Avoid saying something is "unique" or "the best". Instead, show how people will benefit - i.e. save time, save money, make their life easier, etc.
7. A 'non- biased' source like university professor or software reviewer is very helpful.
8. Provide all possible contact information including mail address, telephone, fax, e-mail and web site (especially for online business).
9. Proofread & Proofread! Do remember to proofread your press release for typographical errors before you send them out.
10. Keep the length a maximum of one page or 400 words.
11. Always write your press release in third person. Any first person commentary, such as testimonials or product reviews should only be in a quote with the source listed.
12. Be careful to base your press release on facts. Report the facts about your product or service without fluff or hype. Let the reporter decide from the facts that your business is special and newsworthy.
13. Use timely and new information related to current events. Do not write about something old or well known.
14. When writing, remember who your audience is. Your audience is not your customers. Your audience is the journalists and editors.
15. Make your release new, different, and interesting.
16. Do not tell everything. Your purpose should be to provide enough information to generate interest and a follow-up from a reporter.
17. Provide as much contact information as possible: contact name, address, phone, fax, email, website address, etc.
18. You should have a link to your press releases at your website. Media may often come to your website and pick up an old story rather than the new story that drew them there in the first place. Also, the text helps with search engine placement because it provides good food for the search engine spiders.
19. End your press release with "###" (without the quotation marks) after your last lines of text. This symbol lets the editors know they have successfully received the entire release. |
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