Now let’s take a look at how to structure your story
A press release consists of:
- Headline
- Body copy
- Copy about your company
- Contact information
Many news stories are written using
the inverted pyramid, which works great for press releases too. This means that you start with all the important information and ease your way into elaboration or perspectives on the news.
Headline
A great informative headline is cardinal.
Keep the journalists in mind and remember that they might not know your business or what you’re selling. Make sure your headline is interesting and makes sense to someone who doesn’t know about the hearing industry. The same goes for the subject line in your email to the press.
Cision has made a great list of
10 tips for the perfect headline. You may also want to take a look at
Adweek’s list of really bad headlines – just to be safe!
Body copy
Start by thinking about the four Ws – what, when, where, who – and how. All these questions must be answered in the body copy.
The introductory paragraph should provide a full overview of the story, so you understand the gist of the story from simply reading that. Again, the four Ws and how.
The following paragraphs should expand on the information and give more details about the news. You can include statistics, research data and quotes to give your story more perspective.
Statistics and research can come from any kind of trustworthy source, including yourself! A quote from someone (relevant) in your business helps you explain how your business feels about the news. It can also help you nudge the receiver into thinking how they should feel about it. Remember to provide the full name of the speaker and their title after the first quote.
Your company
Finish the press release with a few lines about your company, so the journalists can expand a bit more on your company if they want to. Again, keep it relevant and factual.
Contact information
It’s very important that journalists can get a hold of you if they pick up the story. But remember to put the right contact person on there, not your receptionist. Include name, title, email and phone number, and you’re all set!
There are plenty of online resources that’ll help you craft a great press release, including templates. Check out
Hubspot,
Class:PR, or
CoSchedule. Good luck!