Transcript Writing a press release - St John Ambulance in Wales

Writing a press release
2014
Aims of the session
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Is it really news?
Essential components of a press release
Writing a press release
Sending a press release
Practical exercise
Sample news release
• Please read for 5 mins
• Make a list of what is good / bad
• Summarise story in one paragraph
Some questions to begin with
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What do you want to achieve?
Is it really news?
Who will be interested?
What media are you going to tell?
Should we tell some people before it’s made
public?
• Who will be quoted in it? and
• Who will sign it off?
Is it really news?
• If it isn’t then it won’t get published.
• Non-newsworthy releases waste journalists’ time
and reflect badly on the company.
• If not newsworthy, options are:
– abandon the news release, or
– do something to make it interesting.
Making it newsworthy
Key elements for the media:
• Factual information that tells people what
they NEED to know, or would LIKE to know
• Human interest stories
• Stories supported by good quality pictures.
The essential components
• Does it answer the questions:
– Who?
– What?
– Why?
– When?
– Where?
– How?
Beginning to write
• Answering the 6 questions will help focus.
• Make a bullet point list of what you wish to
say.
• Turn bullet points into short and punchy
sentences.
• Begin the release with a summarising
sentence.
Top tip
When writing an intro...
• Think positive and be brief
– Explain the key point as you would to a friend, in as few
words as possible (ideally fewer than 30).
– Details will follow.
Your press release goals
• Get your key messages published
• Reach the right audiences
• Give the media print-ready copy
– If it’s not written well, they’ll likely spike it rather
than do a re-write.
What journalists like
• Copy that doesn’t need re-writing
– Simple construction
– Short sentences
– No jargon
– No extravagant claims ‘unique’ ‘best’ etc
– All the relevant info – so they don’t have to call
you
Choosing the best angle
Focus on the positive.
• You could write:
‘The St John Wales division in Clydach doesn’t have
enough members.’
• But more likely:
‘St John Wales is looking for volunteers to continue it’s
life-saving work in Clydach’.
• The angle needs to be of interest to your target
audience, as well as meeting the organisation’s needs.
Structure and presentation
Musts:
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Company name & logo.
Date.
Correct grammar and spelling.
Catchy headline to ‘sell’ story.
Answers who, what, why etc
Contains key messages
Structure and presentation cont.
Remember to:
• Insert the word ‘END’.
• If there are photos – say so and give captions.
• State the author / press officer’s name, title and
contact details
• Include links such as company website.
• Insert company information.
(Known as a ‘boilerplate’ or ‘standard paragrpahs’, these
can go at the very end under the title ‘Notes to Editors.’)
Top tips
Quotes:
• Try to avoid the obvious & predictable.
– “We are pleased/ delighted etc…”
• Say something meaningful.
– “We are creating a generation of lifesavers…”
• Aim to be a little different.
One we made earlier
One we made earlier (cont.)
Final draft
Draft & redraft until you have:
• Covered the key points of who, what, why, where,
when and how?
• Told your story clearly and succinctly.
(think of two A4 pages as a goal).
• Included a human interest angle.
• Explained the benefits and relevance to readers,
and
• Avoided unnecessary detail and jargon.
Approval process
• All press releases should be sent to Katie
[email protected] for
approval
• The release should also be shown to the
county commissioner and anyone quoted
• When issued, send a final copy to Katie
• You may also wish to send it around to the
other members in the county, for their
information
Sending your release
Correct targeting is essential
• Choose specialist / local reporter or newsdesk
• Ensure email has interesting headline
• Copy and paste the release into the body of the
email
• If you are sending to more than one journalist, blind
copy them all in
• Consider deadlines
Final check list
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Does the info deserve a news release?
Strong and positive news angle?
Got who, what, why, where, when and how?
Written it in the right style?
Concise with no waffle and jargon?
Quoted people?
Catchy headline?
Will a photo add value?
Got the right journalists / publications?
Now you try!
• Exercise one
Your local division is holding an open day for the
public, with the aim of recruiting more members
and the DOIC would like to publicise this in the
local paper
• Exercise two
The trainer in your local division is about to
celebrate 50 years of volunteering with St John
and the Commissioner thinks the local paper
might be interested
Any questions?
Lunch break
See you in an hour
Hand your press releases to
Katie/Suzanne to critique