Every institution needs a flow of press releases. But what if there isn’t any real news at the moment? Fact is, often there is no hard news for you to report, because most institutions don’t generate a lot of news.
Not a problem. The solution is:
Invent a story.
Not fakery. But instead a solid something that editors will want, and are likely to print or broadcast. In other words, you are creating a story where there was none before. Ask questions such as these, and you’re on your way to sharp, significant press releases:
1. Made any speeches lately? Tell me the core message in your speeches.
2. Any expansion of facilities or offices?
3. Can you think of 5 or 8 or 10 things of importance to your customers – questions customers should ask? (Editors love lists.)
4. What are some trends in your industry?
5. Tell me what’s coming up in your institution or your industry.
6. Any new people-appointments here?
7. Joined any committees or groups?
8. You or anyone made a speech or talk?
9. Any changes in your offices or plants, especially expansions?
10. New literature?
11. New products?
Now, about writing your news releases, here are six tips that work well:
1. Headlines are OK although some publicists skip them on the premise that they want the editor or reporter to get right into the story. Headlines, like billboards, are ideally a maximum of 6 words long.
2. Short leads are next to Godliness. Try for a maximum of one and a half lines in normal formatting. Examples are on our web site at “News releases.” Gets your target – an editor or reporter – right into the story.
3. Avoid editorial words. Nix such lines as “XYZ Corp. is proud to announce…” Editors axe words like “proud.”
4. Don’t describe your company as “the leading,” unless you can quote someone outside the company as saying so. “The leading” is an opinion, and good editors – the only kind you care about – will chop opinions out of news stories. If you can rank your company as “one of the half-dozen largest in the industry,” or such, that’ll work.
5. Another kind of opinion to avoid is characterizing a client or subject as “important” or “esteemed.” Good editors will chop it instantly. Why put them through such work? Instead, get known as the writer whose news releases need little work.
6. Get the main point of the story into the lead. Don’t bury it. Ask yourself what is the main news, and make it your lead. (Or, as some newsrooms spell it, Lede.)
