I wrote two press releases this past week and pushed back on one other saying it wasn’t newsworthy.

When you do write a press release what should you include?

1. Write a strong headline that lets the reporter know what the point of      the release is. Don’t make it all about you or your organization. A reporter is looking for a story that will interest readers.
2. Include the necessary facts and at least one quote. Don’t go overboard. If the reporter is interested, he or she will call to get more details or arrange for an interview. Carrie Schum, executive vice president of Porter Novelli, said press releases are most useful when written with simple, straightforward facts.
3. The press release should be well written with good grammar and following AP style.
4. Contact details also are critical. Who will be available to explain data in the release or track down additional information? Include that person’s name, number and email. That person will need to be available at most any hour since the news cycle is now 24/7.
5. At the end of the release add a paragraph that tells what your company does and who it serves. This information is known as the boilerplate.

Once the release is written be sure that you have a spokesperson available in the day or two following the release. Reporters frequently want to speak with someone about the release and if you don’t have a spokesperson available, then the reporter may not write the story.