How to Write a Press Release for an Event: 10 Key Tips For A Great Press Release

Are you having questions like "How to write a press release for an event?" or "what makes a great press release?" and what about "How to write a press release for business?". Fortunately, we have all the answers for you.

In this age of technology, many businesses have been forced to generate new ways of sharing information with their customers. Unlike in the past when newspapers were commonly used to pass information, today, people have resulted to headlines on social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

One way that businesses have adopted to share information is by writing great press releases. Companies use press releases to connect with the public, from sharing information about a new product to highlighting organizational changes.

In today's guide on how to write a press release, we will share some insights on the following:

• What is a press release and what is it used for?
• What should be included in a press release?
• 10 elements of a press release
• Tips on how to write a press release
• What makes a great press release?

So, get ready to know how to write a press release using our pro tips.

What is a press release?

A press release; is an announcement that is written to give updates about a business brand to the public. Usually, the updates are about a new product /service or a change in the organizational structure of a business. A press release can also be defined as; an official statement that is delivered to the news media to announce newsworthy stories.

A press release contains about one to three pages written by writers or officials in public relations from a company. A press release is then forwarded to the journalists and editors through email or fax. A press release has a format that writers or journalists should follow if they want to write a great press release. We will take a look at these guidelines later on in this post.

What is a press release used for?

Essentially, a press release is used to pass information (news coverage) and at the same time improve the brand awareness of a business to a specific audience. A great press release (written skillfully) will ensure that a story will be covered in the news or the media, therefore, creating awareness about a brand to the masses.

However much of a press release is used to create awareness, it is not a promotional tool. For a press release to be deemed newsworthy, it has to be objective as well as factual.

What should be included in a press release?

Ideally, a press release should be short, simple, and straightforward to the point. Often, a press release communicates with an audience about the things that are developing in a company.

It may include the following:

• A strategic change in a company, such as a change in location or new partnerships.
• An announcement of a product or service. This includes innovation or a launch of a new brand.
• Important findings of a survey or a study done to access how a company is doing.
• Changes in the organization's activities may impact the customers.

These are some of the common things that are included in a press release. Other things might be added to a press release depending on a specific organization or audience.

10 Elements of a press release

Before we look at how to write a press release, it is important to know the important elements of a press release. When you write a press release, it is required to include all of its elements. When writing a great press release for your business or company, ensure to check all these boxes:

1| The company logo

When writing a press release, you need to draw the audience's attention by including the logo of your company. At the top of a press release document, place your company logo. This will help the reader to know who is communicating with them.

If you do not have a logo for your business, you need to create one. Use a logo maker to create your first logo; it won't take much of your time. You can create many professional logos using this tool.

2| Bold headline

Generally, the headline is the first thing you see when reading a document. Readers will surely be motivated to read the entire document if it is good enough and captivating. For this reason, use bold and very interesting headlines in your press release to capture your readers' attention.

3| Subtitle

Apart from your headline, a subtitle gives more clarity to your headline by providing more information about a press release. A subtitle is used as a tool to trap the readers to read through the entire press release. A subtitle should be simple and short (about 10 to 20 words).

4| A press release date

The information you are sharing through a press release should be interesting, valuable, and time-sensitive as well. Be the first to share it by including a release time and date. Use the "for immediate release" statement if the time to announce your press release is "now."

5| Date and location

At the beginning of your paragraph, include the date and location to help build the background story of your press release. Including these two details will show how your information is relevant, accurate, and timely.

6| Introduction paragraph

At the beginning of your press release, write important information here. In this section, address what you want to talk about in your press release.

Do not save the best for last; instead, highlight the important points that you will talk about in the body of your introduction paragraph. This will help get the attention of your readers quickly.

In the last sentence of the introduction paragraph, say what you will talk about in the next paragraphs (your body).

7| The body

After the closing sentence in your intro paragraph, now write the rest of the content in this section. Make sure to write your points according to their importance level. Start with the strong points as you progress. Assume a reader won't finish reading the entire document. They should have at least read the important parts you placed at the beginning of your body section. In this section, add more information to back up your topic. Add around 1-2 paragraphs to cover your background story. Remember to keep your content short and simple. You can also choose to include links to guide your readers to other relevant information.

8| Quotes

Where necessary, add relevant quotes to your press release content. You can add quotes from CEOs or other individuals.

At times journalists use quotes to write exactly something that was said without changing anything in it. You can also do the same for your article to ensure you write points precisely as you want them to appear.

Readers will be looking to hear your point of view. Therefore, it's worthwhile to speak yourself out using quotes.

You can get quotes from trusted sources such as:

• Executive officials at the senior level.
• Loyal customers.
• Top influencers.
• Business experts and so on.

9| Boilerplate text

A boilerplate is a typical text that summarizes the background information about a business ("about me"). Add a boilerplate to your press release to provide more information to a person who may be unfamiliar with your business.

A boilerplate is placed at the very end of a press release. It can also include links to your websites and social media networks. Adding links to your boilerplate will help you use your press release as a chance to get the public to talk about your business and not just the story you are writing about.

Also, links in your boilerplate can attract more traffic to your websites.

10| Contact information

Place your contact information at the bottom of your press release. Add your name, phone number, and email address as your contact info. Separate the boilerplate and your contact information by using a space between them. Get in touch with the customer who contacts you to build a good reputation for your business.

Tips on how to write a press release

In addition to the press release structure discussed above, let's take a look at the tips on how to write a press release. If you want to write an outstanding press release, use the following tips on how to write a press release.

Let's get to it!

1| Write like a journalist

Do you want your stories to be covered by journalists? Then you will have to think and write like one. It is important that you learn the writing styles that journalists use so that you can create a press release that will get their attention.

For starters, stick to the five W's, i.e., Who, When, Where, Why, and What. Addressing these questions is what reporters and journalists what to hear. Use this formula, and chances are, you will always get it right.

Also, as you write a press release, reframe your stories in a journalistic tone. To do this, you can write your press release using the writing style of an article.

Generally, an article is a way that a journalist thinks, writes, and reads. It will be easier for them to cover your stories if you observe the article writing styles.

2| Keep it short

When you write content for your press release, don't complicate it with long and complex sentences. Just use simple sentences and short paragraphs that are brief and neatly done. Put yourself in the shoes of a busy reader who does not have time to read long and complicated information.

A great press release is a one-page document with words of around 300 to 400. Write and read through your content to make sure that you have not repeated anything.

3| Be organized

Your press release should be written in an organized way. Start by writing the most important points first as you go on with the rest of the information in relation to their importance. This is the reason why points like the boilerplate or your contact information are written last at the end of your press release.

In addition, as you write your press release, follow the same structure that is used in other press release documents. Use the key elements of a press release to guide you through the structure. Also, follow the steps on "how to write a press release" in this post to help you remain organized as you write your stories.

4| Provide valuable and relevant content

Before writing content for your press release, ask yourself whether your audience will care to read the content you are sharing. This reason will help you stay relevant to the topics and provide useful information.

As a writer, you want to write content that will address your readers' interests and preferences. For instance, the word choice of a charity organization will be different from the ones used by video game developers.

5| Answer all the questions

Other than proving relevant and valuable information, you will also want to do some digging into the topics you are writing about. Try your best to research questions related to those topics so that you can be prepared to address them in the best possible way.

In the body section of your press release, address all the questions with the answers you have researched. By doing so, you will improve on clarity and make your readers understand your content easily without any confusion.

6| Go through your press release

One cannot be too careful in writing. For this reason, once you are done writing a press release, read it to check for errors before sending it. Correct any grammatical errors and if any, remove repeated sentences to ensure your document has a good flow.

Get a second opinion from a friend to confirm the content is okay in case you missed some small details. When satisfied that your press release is great, you can now send it.

7| Share your press release

Your work is not done once you have pressed the send button to send your press release. You can decide to share your press release with blogs and other publications that feature your story. Also, you can use your social media networks such as Twitter or Facebook to share your work. This is a great way to promote your business's brand

Your press releases can set you up for success if shared with the right audience. It can easily build your reputation online and improve your brand awareness.

Bonus tips on how to write a press release

Here are some bonus tips on how to write a press release for business:

• Be straightforward and to the point.
• Use SEO to optimize your search online.
• Use bullet points and numbered lists to break up long texts where needed.
• Keep your sentences and paragraphs short (3-4 sentences)
• Use bold and italics on text to emphasize critical and sensitive information.
• Write content that will engage with readers by using compelling topics for your press releases.

What makes a great press release?

Anyone can write a press release but what makes a great press release is various key takeaways such as:

1. Correct formatting of a press release;

Following the correct format of writing a press release from writing the headline, including dates, and placing a boilerplate will help you write a great press release. Follow the steps provided above to know the key elements in a press release.

2. Eye-catching topics and headlines;

To stand out from other online materials, use headlines that will attract your audience's attention and make them want to read more of your content.

3. Captivating stories that connect with readers;

Your press release needs to share information that reflects your understanding of the needs and interests of your audience. This can be achieved by using a language that can relate to the public.

4. Call to action (CTA);

A great press release has the ability to make the reader want to do a specific action after reading the content in the press release. This can be achieved by adding a call to action in your press release. Add a link to your CTAs to guide readers to the action you want them to take.

5. High-quality media;

Visualize your press release by including multimedia in it. Use multimedia such as images, videos, infographics, and PDFs to support your stories. The multimedia used should be of high quality and impressive to the audience if you want to make a great press release.

6. A great strategy to distribute information in your press release;

To make a great press release, be strategic. Understand how the market works and be time-sensitive. In other words, be sure that you have plenty of time to write a press release that journalists will discover on time so that they can read, write and publish your press release.

Also, sending a press release to distribution services when time has run out may lead to extra charges. So, keep time.

Conclusion

I hope that the questions you had on how to write a press release for business have been answered. If you want to write a great press release, make use of the guidelines provided in this article. Additionally, if you need hands-on experience, contact us at (Wiki Pages Creator) and hire our talented writers to create awesome press releases for you. We also offer other services like business articles, Article writing, SEO optimization, Wikipedia services, etc.,

All the best in your attempt to write a great press release!