The 7 secrets of writing a great press release

I recently rewrote and edited my last Media Motivators article on McEddie “Everywhere” McGuire personal branding and turned it into a press release.

It spawned two high profile radio interviews on ABC and commercial radio and a Google search on the words “Eddie McGuire” put my story on the front page at number 10 out of a possible 3.2 million mentions.

He also had a news editor contact me and ask if I could write a column for his influential, prominent, and award-winning newspaper.

So how did I do it? More importantly, how can you turn your expert knowledge into a press release that earns you tens of thousands of dollars in media coverage for free?

And what are the secrets of writing press releases that are used instead of being deleted and ranked high on Google?

This is a critical issue for consistently consistent media coverage for any organization or individual.

How to write a press release that generates free publicity is a great skill. The good news is that it is a learned skill!

This article covers press release writing in detail: the 7 secrets to writing a great press release.

1. Strong news value

Your press release should have strong informational value and should not attempt to sell something or be blatant advertising. The media will see through this.

Conflict, drama, topicality, relevance, proximity, prominence, and topicality are the strongest value in news.

Ask: what’s new in what we’re doing?

2. A well-written headline

A headline should grab the attention of the editor or reporter.

3. A well-written main paragraph

An opening paragraph should continue to attract the attention of the editor or reporter and summarize what the story is about.

Quotes 4.

Quotable quotes add credibility and human interest to a press release. They are the meat that is based on the facts or the essence of the story. They should be memorable and well crafted.

Take this quote from a famous athlete just out of retirement: “I’m bored, I’m broke, and I’m back!”

Pleasant: simple, memorable and direct. Also, the media love it for its honesty, structure, and rhyming nature, especially the alliteration with all the first words that start with the letter ‘b’.

5. Clarity in writing style

Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking. Don’t try to convey the whole story with all the details. Remember, the goal is to get the media interested in the story and then ask for more details.

A press release is not the same as an article, promotional brochure, or detailed listing on the Australian Stock Exchange!

6. Strong call to action

Your press release should end with a call to action. What do you want people to do after reading or listening to your message?

Invest in your stocks, buy your book or vote for yourself!

7. Full contact details

A press release should always contain up-to-date contact details for the media to follow up.

At a minimum, these are landlines, mobiles, web, and email.