A press release is a written communication prepared for distribution to members of the media and press. Its purpose is to announcing something newsworthy. You can enhance your venture’s visibility by sending a well-timed press release.
Who Should I Send a Press Release To? Typically, they are sent to assignment editors at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and/or television stations. However, press releases can also be sent to community groups, partners, or funders for informational purposes.
What information does a press release contain? Most journalists prefer to receive press releases in a standard format. This helps journalists read and understand them quickly. Therefore, formatting a press release correctly will help ensure that it gets read. Press releases should be written in the following format:
• The Headline is the title of your news story. A strong headline is important because it can capture a reporter’s attention. A headline should contain a single point and use active verbs in the present tense.
• The Dateline contains the city and state, and date. The dateline often comes at the beginning of the lead paragraph.
• The Lead Paragraph contains 3-5 sentences that give the basic information of the story (who, what, when, where and why). The lead paragraph should be interesting enough that the reporter wants to keep reading.
• The Body explains the information in greater detail. The body should include interesting and significant details that pertain to your Venture or the event you are promoting. Often, a quote is included in the body. Quotes should be used to provide credibility to the statements that you make and to add a personal touch. Quotes from team members or those you serve can be included here.
• The Boilerplate is 1-3 sentences that describe your organization and what you do.
Additionally, your press release should:
• Be no longer than one page.
• Be single-spaced no paragraph indentation
• Be written in the third person (Don’t use “I” or “we”)
• Have a business tone and avoid hype or exaggeration.
• Be tied to an event or current activity. For example, Venture Teams could announce the receipt of an award, milestone, a new partnership, or an upcoming event,
• Be clear enough for an audience that may not know anything about your Venture. Be sure to have someone proofread your press release. What makes sense to you might be confusing to someone else.
• Be sent to a reported via email, if possible. Note: Most journalists won’t open attachments from a stranger, so copy and paste your press release into the body of your email.
Use the Youth Venture tool titled “Sample Press Release” as a guide to writing your own press releases.