How to get your press releases read, not trashed

Focusing on the value to your reader, not your company, is key

With all the textbooks, classes and articles on how to write a press release, why aren’t people doing a better job?

In researching a project for a client, I looked for well-written press releases—specifically studying the lead first paragraph and executive quotes. Sadly, strong press releases were hard to find.

With staff cuts at news organizations on the rise, time is more precious than ever. So many news people make a judgment on using your material based on that first paragraph, even the lead sentence, of a press release.

Today, the majority of news releases begin with “XYZ announced today.”  Then, the details follow with a focus on the organization.

Instead, writers need to think about the audience the media outlets are trying to reach and write from that audience’s point of view. Simply put, what’s in it for the reader/listener/viewer?

For example, this mid-August news release from Vizion Interactive, Inc., is self-focused as it reads, “Vizion Interactive (www.vizioninteractive.com ), a search engine marketing firm, is pleased to announce the addition of Brandy Eddings to its management team.”