Press Release Draft

A good PRESS RELEASE creates a multiplier effect, whereby your message is amplified by media outlets, reaching many more individuals than you could reach with your own personal efforts. Task  READ: Press release tipsPreview the document (3 pages from Making the News, a guide for activists and nonprofits, by Jason Salzman) and “Eight AP style mistakes frequently found in today’s press releases”Preview the document WRITE: 1. Your first DRAFT of your press release. Choose a specific event that you want to promote and write a release that provides reporters with enough information for them to make an informed decision about whether their audience will be interested in a story about the event. 2. Provide a distribution LIST that includes At least FIVE media outlets and the specific reporters’ names and email addresses to which you will send your release. Indicate how far in advance you will send the release to each recipient Describe the target segment you believe you will reach through each media outlet  Criteria for Success  Use the Press release tips as a guide to ensure you include all the necessary information. Write in 3rd person Write the body as a series of paragraphs of 1-3 sentences  that each cover ONE feature/benefit of your offering to allow the report to skim the release for items that are relevant for their audience. Include images or describe the kinds of images that you would include Just the facts, no flowery language or hyperbole Include a compelling quote (this is the only place where opinion is ok) Make text LINKS for reporters to find more information Separate out the WHAT WHERE WHEN