How to Write a Press Release

A press release is an important tool for alerting the media to an upcoming event or an issue that your community is currently struggling with. Reporters often get story ideas from the press releases they receive. The following are a few tips to help you undertake this task.

Keep It Brief

The press release should be brief, limited to one page.

Write Like a Reporter

A press release should read like a news story. Start by writing an attention grabbing headline that suggests your point-of-view. Below the headline, write the name of the city and state where the event took place (or the city where your group or coalition is located).

Be Active

In the first sentence, make your group or the coalition you support an active player. For example, “Parents For Public Health, a coalition of parents and health professionals, commends Representative Smith for supporting legislation that promotes comprehensive sexuality education.”

Provide Answers

Don’t forget to answer the questions “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why” with the most important details at the beginning of the release.

Be Quotable

Highlight your viewpoint and include positive, succinct quotes from a member of your organization or coalition. Your goal is to get reporters to insert these quotes, verbatim, into their stories. Identify the person (and organization) from whom the quote originates. You also want to include poignant facts that support your organization’s position as these may also be put into a story verbatim.

Look Like a Professional

To make your press release look as professional as possible, be sure to include a date, contact name, and phone number at the top of the release. End the release with “-###-”; this journalistic convention indicates that this is the end of the release.