A press release is a press release containing certain information. In particular, an organization or an individual indicates news about itself, sets out its position on a particular issue. After the compilation of the message should follow its publication.
general information
The message, as a rule, sets out the official position of the organization in the form of a reaction to any informational occasion. Public authorities sometimes issue press releases in the form of answers to questions. The first message in history was released in 1906, on October 30th. Its author was the father of modern PR Ivy Lee. The information in it was related to the tragedy that occurred on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The definition of what a press release is becomes more clear when considering its objectives. First of all, it must be said that this is the main PR document in the organization. It is thanks to him that journalists receive the most relevant, important and interesting information about events that have occurred in a particular area. However, a press release for the media may not always be interesting. Journalists pay attention to really important, in their opinion, events. These or other incidents can be further spread among a specific target audience or the general public.
Material requirements
For a message to be published, it must be compiled according to certain principles. First of all, as mentioned above, the information should be really interesting - guaranteed unattended press release will be ignored. How to write a message? What key points should be highlighted? Here are some recommendations from professionals:
- Information of the message should be not only interesting, but also necessary for the audience of the publication in which the publication is supposed.
- Information should be up to date and up to date.
- It is good if the information can be associated with some socially important event.
- The presence in the message of the words and opinions of leaders on the issue addressed will also have a positive effect.
The more points that are followed, the greater the likelihood that a press release will be printed. If the organization constantly sends uninformative information, then not very positive opinions will be compiled in absentia about other messages.
Distinctive features
For a better understanding of what a press release is, its main features should be considered. Some novice advertising managers, and in some cases the heads of enterprises themselves, consider direct advertising today not to be effective enough. In their opinion, a better result can be achieved by posting an article about a product or service in a newspaper. But, as a rule, the article comes out very advertising, and in some cases it doesn’t work at all, since there is no time and effort to do such work. In this case, it’s better to start writing press releases. Unlike an advertising article, a short note does not require much effort and time. Thus, the main characteristic of a press release can be considered the conciseness and concreteness of the information provided.
The tasks posed by an advertising article and a short message are also slightly different. The final goal for the press release is to create and maintain a certain
image of the organization in the public eye. The writing style also has its own characteristics. A press release, a sample of which will be given below, is not drawn up in a narrative, colloquial form, but in a “telegraphic”, anonymized form. There are examples in history when messages were compiled in an artistic, lyrical style, more suitable for online literature. To write a press release, an
informational occasion is needed
. A brief note is compiled regarding an event, news. Therefore, the content is associated, as a rule, with a specific time period.
Types of Press Releases
The announcement provides coverage of an event that is just about to happen. For example, the timely sent and published press release of the exhibition ensures the presence of the press at the event. In such a document, in addition to the essence of the event, one can briefly highlight its background. This may be even more interesting for journalists. If the event has already occurred, then talk about the press release, news. In this message, in addition to the main content, you can add opinions and comments of interested parties. An informational press release talks about an unfinished, ongoing event. In this case, it is only supposed to report on new turns of the matter, current changes, despite the fact that the essence of the event or news is already known. An example is the press release of a competition or competition.
Message structure Title and first paragraph
The title is considered the most important part of the entire document. After reading the first lines, the journalist determines whether the news will be interesting to his publication or whether it is better to throw it away. Therefore, the title must be made so that you can immediately interest anyone reading it. The first paragraph is called lead. It consists of one sentence, which summarizes the essence of the event, news, etc. The skill of inventing headlines is very important. After all, what is a press release? This is a message that should be of interest from the first lines. And the first line is just the title. A lead or resume is also a very important part of the concept of a press release.
How to write a resume?
In this part of the document, in one sentence, the author of the message must answer the following question: "What do I want to say as the author of the message?" A summary concretizes the title. It is rarely published in publications and, as a rule, serves for technical purposes and determines the subject to which the message relates. It should be said that the work on compiling a resume contributes to a better understanding of the meaning of the note. If the essence cannot be expressed in one phrase, then it is better to redo the press release. A sample of the correct drafting of this part of the document is given below. As additional questions, you can use, for example, the following: "For whom is the document compiled?", "Why do I need to write a message?"
Content
In this part of the document, it is important to provide basic information. The order should be as follows:
- who is involved in the event or incident;
- the news itself or the event itself;
- the place where something happened or will happen;
- causes;
- exactly how the event happened or will happen.
In other words, you should adhere to the rule "what, when, where, how much and to whom." In fact, the answers to these questions make up the entire content of the message. Of course, it is necessary to correctly indicate the names of organizations, events, the place and date of the event, the names of participants or interested parties, etc. The desired volume of the main part is about half the page of A4 sheet. It is approximately one and a half thousand characters. However, depending on the topic, the message size may vary.
Contact details
This part is very important for the author of the message and the organization on whose behalf he writes. First of all, it is desirable to indicate mobile contacts: an email address on the Internet and a phone number. It is also necessary to indicate the contact person (s) where, if necessary, you can contact for clarification, commenting or with questions. The site address should also be indicated. Such information is especially important when, for example, a bank press release is compiled. Information about the enterprise itself is a desirable but not mandatory part of the document. She presents a brief information about what the company is doing (field of activity). This information will help message editors quickly understand who they are dealing with. At the same time, one should not abuse this part of the message and try to put various advertising texts into it - this will not make a very positive impression. Along with this, the organization should not pretend that it is so famous that the publisher should know everything in advance.
Conclusion
The press release, a sample of which is given above, is composed mainly for publication in various publications. In this case, the question may arise: why not distribute the message yourself? This option, of course, is used by some organizations. But greater efficiency can be achieved by entrusting the coverage of an event to professionals. Press releases can be distributed at press conferences, briefings, or sent out via communications (fax, email). In general, the message should not be very large in volume and should be placed on two pages of the A4 format. The document should not contain estimated data or information of an advertising nature. Typically, a press release covers one event or one news item. In addition, when composing a message, it is necessary to find out the requirements of the editorial office where it will be sent. The finished document should correspond to them as much as possible.
Example
When writing a note, you should not abuse the advertising of the enterprise. After all, what is a press release? This is a message that should be of interest. The abundance of advertising in it may affect the image of the organization is not the best way. As a good example of compiling a press release, you can cite Microsoft's notes. Her press releases in the final part always contain brief information about the company. Here, information on services and goods is sometimes indicated. For example, some campaign with a certain software product may be held. In the main part of the release, it is mentioned in passing, and in the final part - as if outside the text - it is reminded briefly of what the product itself is. If the message refers to several, for example, two or three, companies that have entered into an agreement on cooperation, then it is advisable to give a brief information about all.