A few weeks ago I was talking with a prospect, who told me they had worn themselves out writing and sending press releases with information about their company to the media without getting any attention. They couldn't understand how their competitors caught the interest of their target audience while their information, no less valuable, went unnoticed.
When I reviewed one of the releases sent by the person I was talking to, I was able to spot some mistakes that are very common when writing a press release, and that could put off a journalist's interest when choosing valuable content for their readers.
A company's news can be extremely interesting if you use the right combination of creativity, figures and fresh content, but above all, if before writing we think about what our information actually contributes.
Take note of these four mistakes when writing this document.
- Not having a goal. Before you start writing, you need to be clear about the release's goal, who the target audience is, and what the central topic of the news will be.
- An unappealing headline. Grabbing the reader's attention is the hardest and most important part of creating this document. When a topic is on everyone's lips it's easy to generate appealing information; the challenge is making newsworthy something that might just be an update on content already covered in the media.
- Excessive company advertising. Every brand has a set of key messages it wants to be known for; however, excessive self-promotion takes away credibility from the release.
- No story. A story can grab the attention of whoever reads it, but a good story will truly captivate. Remember to include a strong opening paragraph that clearly communicates the most important point, add nuance to the text with statements from spokespeople, add market figures, weave your key messages into the content in a subtle style that feels pleasant and natural to the reader. End with a general overview and land a good finish that brings it back to the specific.
Writing a press release that appeals to a journalist isn't complicated; however, next time you have this task, remember to avoid these four mistakes, and maybe your information will earn a privileged spot over your competitors.