Ahh, the mysterious and elusive press release. I have only had to write a few in my life and I must say it isn't as simple as people may think. Sure there is a standard format that can be used – and widely found via a quick internet search, but the question is how to write one, not how to find one.
Question #27 – How Do I Write a Press Release?
First you need a good story line and a good title. A press release is all about getting the word out to everyone in your community about something important that you think they need to know. You partnered with a local charity and you helped raised a lot of money for a good cause. Perhaps you have recently won a prestigious award and will be attending a local fair to demonstrate your work. One angle that is getting press are LOCAL small businesses that are thriving in today's economy and willing to share your story secrets to your success - this is something that editors eat up. All of these are just a handful of ideas that would make great newsworthy press releases. So once you have a great hook , come up with a good title that sums up your Press Release.
The format of a Press Release. I actually had to look up this info because I haven't written one for a few years and criteria changes all the time. It is because of this I encourage all to do find a few samples of press releases onlineget a well rounded amount of detail on how to do one for your specific needs. I can recommend the following points to help you get started:
1.Contact info. The first line, at the very top should be your contact info (like in writing a business letter). Include the date.
2.The title. Remember, catchy, short, and sweet is what editors are looking for.
3.Double space. Each line should be double spaced for ease of reading. This is an industry standard.
4.The Body of your press release. The body should be no more than one page long. The first paragraph must cover the who, what, when, where, and why's of the article. The first sentence should be something like this ... “On December 1st 2010, artist Jane Doe will be a featured artist at the upcoming Christmas Art Festival in Denver, Colorado. Ms. Doe just received the prestigious ...” The body should stay on topic and easy enough to read so that a person with an average education will read it and understand it.
5.Edit! You may be anxious to get the press release out, but if it has a lot of grammatical and spelling errors, it will get passed over and not get printed.
6.State that you have photos upon request, if they would like photographs to go with the press release.
Want an edge on how to get your press release noticed more over others? One of the best things you can do is address the editor by name, not “Dear Editor” - the more personable the better. Great photos truly are worth a thousand words, they should be less than 800 pixels. A perfect pitch should include a brief introductory paragraph, your full name (and business name), product (what medium you specialize in), and link/info on where you can be found – i.e. Website address or shop address. Let the editor know why you think his/her readers would be interested in what you have to say.
Along with a Press Release, you should have a Press Kit. A Press Kit must have a fact sheet, copies of any press coverage, A line sheet (a sheet listing everything in your line of art/craft that you make), a sheet outlining what makes your art/craft unique, photos, and marketing material (such as a post card). Send out your press kit in a folder – with your business name and contact info.
Lot of info? Well, to get your press release to stand out it deserves some thought, planning, and editing. With any luck, you will see your hard work pay off in print! Please share your success stories on this topic, it will help others, I assure you! Take care and have a great weekend! - Michelle Sholund, www.quickcraftartisttips.blogspot.com
