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Five common mistakes to avoid when writing a press release

Writer's picture: Victoria  FaircloughVictoria Fairclough

Press releases are a very popular tool and there’s a misconception that communications or PR is entirely predicated on press release writing and distribution. In my view, this is a fallacy and a short-sighted view on the true value PR offers.


Press releases are often overused and labelled as being an ‘easy’ way to distribute news. My personal view is that a press release is one of many tools available to a communications professional.


Alongside background information, access to key spokespeople, credible resources and other key factors – press releases are a great tool to use to share a company update. But they shouldn’t ever be solely relied upon to raise awareness about your product or service. Journalists receive hundreds of press releases a day – often poorly written and incorrectly targeted. So, why should they read and report on yours?


Five common mistakes to avoid when writing a press release include:


1. Sending out a press release devoid of news


There are lots of things that annoy journalists – they’re not known for their easy-going nature after all – but sending them a load of rubbish which isn’t even close to being ‘news’ has got to be at the top of the list. News, by definition, is something that is new. Obvious yes, but you wouldn’t believe how many thousands of conversations I’ve had with people wanting to send out a press release which says nothing new in the slightest. No journalist worth their salt will write it up – so don’t waste your time or theirs.


2. Sending out a press release which is unintelligible


Another annoying experience for a journalist is to receive a press release which makes no sense, hasn’t been checked properly, includes grammatical and spelling mistakes, and is generally worthless to them. Being overly chatty and friendly is another one to avoid. You only have a small handful of opportunities to get noticed by a journalist – don’t squander them on poor workmanship. Always run it through the filter of: is this new and could a twelve-year-old understand it? If it’s a good enough reading age for the Financial Times, it’s good enough for you.


3. Constructing a press release by committee


Too often, larger organisations have an endless list of people who need to approve and comment on a draft press release. I’ve worked at organisations which have had over 30 people required to approve one press release – and there are instances of more. The challenge with this approach is that by the end of the process, the actual ‘news’ has been watered down and the tone has become unintelligible corporate-speak. If it doesn’t actually make sense anymore, don’t send it out.


4. Quoting every spokesperson and his dog


The other issue with a long approvals list is that everyone wants to be quoted in a press release. The challenge with this is that it makes the press release extraordinarily long. A journalist will always edit out the unnecessary detail to ensure they quickly get to the heart of the news – and any more than two quotes probably won’t be included in the final article. Brevity is your friend.


5. Forgetting to send pictures


In our modern digital era, the visual asset is almost more important than the copy that’s sent with it. Every online article includes a photograph or picture – so make sure it’s yours. It’s also a missed opportunity not to include a small logo somewhere on the picture. Print publications are, understandably, pickier about pictures but they still appreciate quality options.


There are many nuances to selling in a news story – which rarely relies on someone mass emailing a list of journalists. Make sure you understand the best way to ensure your news is received and written up in a reliable and positive way – or even better – hire a communications professional to do it for you.


Victoria Fairclough is a PR & Communications Consultant at Fair Communications. For more information, please visit: www.faircommunications.co.uk



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