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Writing a press release (or news release) AND getting it

published is not difficult.

I say this after struggling for some years to get any

of my press releases published.

I stumbled on the most important factor for getting a press

release published right *after* my first release got

published in a UK Internet magazine.

I then decided to piece together all the advice, all the

tips and tutorials I'd read, into a single checklist, to

make writing my next successful press release easier.

The press release checklist below is the result.

Like all checklists, it's brief and to the point. So if you

need to understand more about a particular concept I

recommend that you read the article Appendix (available

in the online version of the article at

http://www.howipromotemywebsite.com/press-release ).

Remember, good press releases -- i.e. press releases that

get published -- are great ways to get invaluable promotion

for your business or website.

So learning how to write a good press release, and then

writing them, is definitely 'worth it.'

Read on.

Here are the basic steps of writing a press release:

o Step 1 - "What's Your Story?"

o Step 2 - Think Like A Journalist

o Step 3 - Mechanics Of Writing A Press Release

o Step 4 - Example Layout Of A Press Release

o Step 5 - Is Your Press Release Ready?

An explanation of these steps follows. (Remember, you can

learn more from the resources listed in the Appendix.)

=> Step 1 - "What's Your Story?"

1.1) Find your story, and develop it!

1.2) Position yourself as being different (develop

different angles). This means thinking about:

* holiday and event tie-in articles

* tips, articles, advice

* politically and socially important editorial

tie-in articles

* new, unique products, Internet innovations and

developments

* human interest angles

* interpersonal relationships on difficult issues

* unusual events, unique personal accomplishments

* unusual creative ideas

* humor and wisdom, fun and tragedy

Some suitable news-sources to aid your research:

- http://news.bbc.co.uk

- http://www.zdnet.com

- http://www.backwash.com

- http://www.moreover.com

2.1) What reasons would an editor want to publish your news

What benefits do their readers get? Is it relevant? Is

it mildly interesting? Is it newsworthy?

2.2) Make the main benefit of your press release the

headline. (Your headline has one purpose: to get the

attention of the editor, to get him/her to read your

release - use the words YOU, NEW and/or How To)

2.4) Remember to 'keep it simple stupid'! Write for

scannability. Write short, punchy paragraphs

2.5) Remember to answer these questions:

"Who? Why? What? Where? When? & How?" Ideally, answer

these questions in your headline.

2.6) Write the press release so it can go into a magazine,

with as few edits as possible. (IMPORTANT!)

3.1) Headline (or title) of your press release is vital -

see 2.2) above. (Some say that most of your time should

be spent on writing a powerful headline.)

3.2) Your opening sentence continues on the from the

headline

3.4) Use specific, powerful (and true) testimonials - use

convincing case studies; use a powerful guarantee, and

draw attention to it

3.5) Make sure you use no more than 5 bullet points.

3.6) Change passive words to active; use the words YOU; and

link selling points

3.7) For each sentence you write, ask yourself: "So what?".

And remove the sentence if you can't think of an answer

3.8) Edit your copy ruthlessly, over and over again!

3.9) Finally, make sure there are no attachments, no HTML,

no .DOC files. (Everyone is wary of email viruses

these days, including editors!)

Here is an example press release layout:

-- Benefit

(tell me more, 36-40 chars)

-- What? Why needed? How it will

help (40-75 words). Include

quotes

-- Who aimed at (the facts)? Who

cares?

(Want to look at an example? Visit the link below

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2003/5/prweb66510.h tm

Note: this example didn't get much media attention, because

it simply wasn't newsworthy enough.)

=> Step 5 - Is Your Press Release Ready?

1) Is your press release published on your website?

2) Better still, do you have an online press pack?

3) Do you know what to do or say if a reporter calls?

Phew! That's a lot to take in, I agree!

So can you guess what the main problem is, with doing all

of the above?

...Your press release will be L-O-N-G (long).

Yes, the vital ingredient to your press release, the one

factor that WILL increase the chances of getting your news

published is to:

Keep It SHORT Stupid (yet another K-I-S-S !)

Not convinced? Ask yourself these questions, then:

* How many of these press releases do you think editors get

to read every day?

* How many long, badly-worded releases will they read before,

eventually, they become instantly put off just by the

length of a press release?

* And how much more likely do you think it is that an editor

will read your SHORT, quick-to-read, press release?

Keep your press release short, simple as that!

So there you are: another promotion tip that *you CAN* do,

to promote your website or business. Just follow the

checklist below, to make sure that your next press release

gets published:

* have a story to tell

* think like a journalist

* format the press release properly

* (and keep your press release short!)

Get writing that press release now!

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