10 easy tips on how to prepare and disseminate your association’s information through press releases
What is a press release?
A press release is a document of no more than 2 pages addressed to the media and press to inform about a new or newsworthy fact about our company or business.
The main objective is to get it published free of charge in as many media as possible to reach the public, whether on television, radio, newspaper or networks, or any digital format.
From the point of view of an association, the content of press releases is mainly divided into two: news about the organisation itself or information about its members. In addition, as an extra support, this information can be shared in the association’s own newsletter to achieve a wider reach.
Guidelines for writing a successful press release
Before you start writing, you need to know what you want to say, as the aim is to attract the journalist’s attention, so not everything goes. Something that is fundamental is time, media professionals receive large amounts of emails with notes like yours, so, if it is not interesting, do not waste time writing it or making other people read something that is not of interest to them.
The keys to a successful press release are brevity, conciseness and appeal. More is not better. So let’s look at the guidelines for writing a press release:
1. Headline
Following the main objective, the headline is the letter of introduction and the moment when the journalist determines whether or not to continue reading. Therefore, the presentation is very important. Some recommended elements to include: include the company logo, indicate that it is a press release, the date and you can even attach an image or photograph.
2. Title or headline
Although it seems simple, it is one of the most complex elements, as sometimes it is not easy to summarise all the content or highlight the most important idea. It has to be brief, clear and concise.
3. Lead or lead
These are 4 or 5 lines that form the first paragraph of the article where the most relevant information appears. It normally provides an answer to the 5Ws (what, when, where, why, who). It should be clarified that it is not compulsory to answer all of them in the lead, as they can appear in the body of the article.
4. Body of the news item
This is the rest of the article where the topic is developed, always maintaining the pyramid structure, that is, starting with the most relevant information and leaving the least important information for the end. The biggest problem is usually the organisation of the content. To facilitate this task, it is recommended to deal with one idea per paragraph.
5. Boiler plate
It may go unnoticed, but it is of great importance. Journalists receive many notes from different companies and this is where they will find the information quickly in order to get to know the company. It is a brief summary of the company or a biography, it is the ideal place to promote your company.
6. Contact details
If the journalist does not have this information (name and surname, position, email, telephone, website) he/she will not be able to contact you in case he/she wants more information or has any doubts about the news.
7. Design or layout
Once the content has been written, it must be presented so that it is attractive. The use of corporate colours makes it easier to relate it to the company. Do not use colours that make it difficult to read, especially in digital format, as it varies from paper. The design is a way of attracting the journalist, but let’s not forget that the most important thing is the content we want to communicate.
8. Database
Once we have the content and layout, it is time to decide who to send the press release to. To do this, it is essential to have a large and up-to-date database. Not all press releases are of interest to all media, so you have to decide who might be interested depending on the subject and the media.
9. Email
Sometimes companies have media mailing platforms, otherwise it can always be sent through the company’s own mail. Even so, do not forget to take care of the content and design. Writing the subject line is just as important as the title of the news item, as this is what the journalist reads and decides whether or not to open the email. The same applies to the text inside the email.
10. Reply to the email
Although it seems that you have already done everything, this is not the case. You have to check the email to answer any doubts or questions from the media to whom you have sent the article or other people who may have seen the information. It is also possible that they may call for more information if they are interested in the subject.
Case study
At Rabuso we manage several business associations, including the Spanish Association of Continuous Pavements, AEPC, with which we have carried out a study on the trade. Once the study was finished and after its publication, we drafted a press release that we sent to the media and members interested in the subject.
In addition to sending the press release, we also publish it on the website so that it is accessible to anyone interested who has not been sent the mailing.
On the other hand, we include a link to download the press release itself and complementary material such as images or related documents.
Also within the text we include links for quick access to more content, in this case to the entry of the publication itself. And we highlight in bold relevant details to facilitate the reading of the text.