A media release is one of the most effective way to get your story across to the media.
It can enable you to create wide spread media coverage, enhance your brand/company’s reputation and/or manage a crisis.
Therefore, it is vital that your media releases are accurate, detailed and concise to suit the needs of the busy journalist. Yes, they are always busy.
It is important that you include all the information of your story in a detailed, orderly manner that gives the journalist an understanding and an easy to digest insight of what your story is about and your angle.
Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as you think!
Below is a detailed, step by step guide on how you can easily achieve a successful media release for you or your company.
Headline
This is the first thing a journalist is going to read, so making it interesting and stimulating is essential. Its important to use the headline to encourage the journalist to continuing reading the length of the release.
TIPS
- Make sure its bold
- Short and catchy
- Keep it simple, avoid complicated jargon
- Take a look at a popular news site where you would like your story to be published and see how they write their headlines and emulate this.
EXAMPLE
Tesla’s limited edition surfboard sells out in one day
Lead
The lead is a brief and detail orientated paragraph that condenses all the critical information about your story into 2-3 sentences. All important information should be included in this section and should address the following;
Who is your story about? Or who is involved?
What happened?
When did it take place and for how long?
Where was it located?
Why it happened and how?
TIPS
- Keep it short, 2-3 sentences
- Make sure it is interesting to the journalist without straying from the main idea and hard details
- If the release is for an event taking place or a charity, include how this will benefit those involved (e.g. community).
EXAMPLE
Telsa’s newly released and state of the art surfboard has sold out within one day with consumers begging for more to be released.
Priced at $US1500 ($2020), the surfboards uses the same quality matte and gloss finishes used on all Telsa cars and can fit into its Model S, X and 3 cars either inside or outside.
Body
This is where you extend on the information you provided in your lead paragraph. In this section you should offer an easy to digest set of paragraphs and adopt the inverted pyramid structure. This allows you to put your information in descending order of importance, giving the most essential information first.
TIPS
- Keep it no longer then a page
- Include quotes and facts
- Always write in third person
- Use short sentences
- Keep in mind, its not your opinions being presented
EXAMPLE
CEO of Telsa, Elon Musk said: “(This is where you can include a quote from your spokesperson).”
The company’s design studio worked in collaboration with Lost Surfboards and Matt ‘Mayhem’ Biolos, surfboard shaper for World Surf League Championship athletes.
The boards will take 2-10 weeks to deliver.
Final paragraph
This involves the information that is least important to the reader and journalist but is still somewhat important to the overall story.
EXAMPLE
Consumers are turning to eBay to purchase one of these limited edition surfboards. Earlier this year, Musk’s Boring Company sold flamethrowers which sold out in five days.
Contact information
Add the sentence “For further media information contact:” and include a contact name, email and phone number.
EXAMPLE
For further media infomration contact;
Catriona Pollard
CP Communications
02 8969 6088
info(at)unknowntoexpert.com
Boiler plate
The boiler plate is a paragraph or two about the business, event or subject of the media release. This information will give the journalist an overview and isn’t necessarily needed in the release.
EXAMPLE
About Telsa
Tesla was founded in 2003 by a group of engineers who wanted to prove that people didn’t need to compromise to drive electric – that electric vehicles can be better, quicker and more fun to drive than petrol cars. Today, Tesla builds not only all-electric vehicles but also infinitely scalable clean energy generation and storage products. Tesla believes the faster the world stops relying on fossil fuels and moves towards a zero-emission future, the better.
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Sydney Public Relations Agency, CP Communications provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that get amazing results. Contact us today. For more great tips visit our website www.cpcommunications.com.au.
