There is no one way to write or construct a press release, and your preferred format may differ slightly from the sample we offer below. This is just a GUIDELINE to help you put together a well-formatted and effective press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Grabbing Headline Utilizing Action Verbs

CITY OF RELEASE (DATE) Include key elements in the first paragraph. Cover all the fundamental points of the project here - what are you trying to tell the audience? You are laying the foundation upon which you will build the rest of the release.

The standard word limit for a non-feature press release is 400 words. Keep your paragraphs short, light, and fast. Try to hit hard, often, and quickly - display a blur of information before taking a deep breath and moving on to the next paragraph.

You will also want to include quotations - often one from the company/project founder or producer, and another from an industry expert, critic, or other authority. “Companies have found it is best to shape their own destinies,” says Donald Quixote, an expert in transcendental meditation and network infrastructure. “Also, we've found that by separating a quote into two subsections and introducing the credentials of the speaker in between, we create a smoother flow, a more believable text, and a more effective statement."

Never forget to give your readers the opportunity to contact you. Include a “for more information” section at the end (or the beginning) of the release. There is no worse mistake than writing an effective release, having it picked up by major media, and losing the ability to harvest those results because your readers have no way to contact you.

There are various opinions about a closing statement. For a release to feel more newsworthy (or like an announcement in town square) - just end it. Say what you have to say and then stop. In some cases, a call to action can be effective, but you risk making your release sound like advertising - which may decrease your chances of major media picking it up.

Final note: since online press releases are becoming more popular and more effective, remember to utilize the additional style elements the web affords you - you can highlight items by bolding them, and you can make links to websites or email active and clickable.

For more information, contact:
(this may also be located at the top, before the release)

Contact
Company Name
Address
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Web:

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(signals the end of the release)