There are several reasons why journalists might ignore a press release. They could’ve been busy with a bigger story. Or perhaps the press release wasn’t right for their publications. Or the press release could have been tailored better.
If you’re not getting into the news, you might want to consider the following tips when writing your next press release:
- Is it really news? It is if it passes the TREAT test: it’s Timely, Relevant, Engaging, Accessible and Targeted.
- Heads up – The first thing a journalist sees is the headline. Make sure your headline is punchy, relevant and interesting.
- Get to the point – If this was a conversation with a close relative or friend you would start with the most important news first. Similarly, the first paragraph of your press release should sum up your story in one or two sentences. The next two or three paragraphs are for expanding and adding in secondary detail, findings and a quote. Make sure you cover who, what, when, where, how and why.
- Short and sweet – Kenyans don’t have much of a reading culture and sadly this applies to many of our journalists too. Save our dwindling forests and keep your press release to a single page.
- Add a human element – A story that shows how an individual’s life or a community has changed is a good way of getting media attention.
- Tell the truth – Back up your assertions with facts and figures.
- Cut the fluff – Drop the hype and leave out jargon. Make your message easy to understand.
- Can I quote you? Make sure the quotes used add value. Remember, conversational-sounding quotes are more believable.
- Proof-read again and again. Typos, factual errors and poor grammar won’t help your cause. If your regular vocabulary consists of words like “xaxa”, “xema” and “swirry”, please, for the love of your cause, get someone else to write your press releases.
- Remember to include your contact details, information about the project and/or organisation, links and directions, in the Note to the Editor section at the bottom.
You may also want to check out CRIN’s tip sheet on how to turn your press releases into news.
Promote Your Cause! 