In today’s article we walk you through the different components of an effective press release format. So let’s get started!

1. Press RElease Format
Instructions & Easy
to Use Template
by FitSmallBusiness.com

2. What makes A Press
Release Newsworthy?

3. Good press releases grab the
attention of their intended audience
and avoid hyperbole. First, you need to
identify your audience and develop a
captivating story angle. Once you have
done this, you can present your story
in a factual tone that will appeal to
journalists.

4. Identify Your Audience
Some products and services have mass
appeal, while others have a more specific
audience. You should start by identifying
the media outlets that have an audience
similar to yours. Take a more thoughtful
approach to maximize your chances of being
heard. Remember, the newsworthiness of a
story will differ depending on the audience.

5. Story
You need to craft a compelling story
that isn’t overtly sales oriented. In
other words, you need to justify your
press release in a way that sets it
apart from an advertisement.
Remember, journalists are constantly
being bombarded with press releases,
and they can easily spot cheap sales
attempts.

6. Determining the story angle of your
press release is one of the most
important steps to success. Some
basic reasons to issue a press release
include a grand opening, a new
product, a record-setting sales year, a
new location or a special event.

7. Another approach to grabbing a
journalist’s attention is to actively
find an interesting story that is not
entirely about your business or
product, but is closely related to it. By
focusing your press release on the big
picture, you make the journalist’s job
easier by giving them an interesting
story to develop.
For more information check this article.

8. Stick to the Facts
Now it’s time to present this story to
journalists in an appealing tone.
Journalists can easily identify
hyperbole and exaggerated sales
pitches, so present your story in a
straightforward, facts-based manner.
If you’re trying to appeal to a
journalist, write like a journalist.
Avoid exclamation marks and words
such as “revolutionary”.

9. Press RElease Format and
how to write a press release

10. Logo
The first thing you should put on
your press release is your company
logo at the top center of the page.
If you are emailing your press
release, it’s a good idea to include a
high-resolution copy of your logo as
a separate file

11. Contact Information
Below the logo, you can put your contact
information along the left margin.
Contact: John Smith
Tel.: (123) 456-7890
Cell Phone: (123) 456-7890
Email: john.smith@email.com
Website: www.smithauto.com
You may also want to include certain
social media contact information such
as a twitter account or Facebook page.

12. Headline
The headline is your first chance to grab
your reader’s attention and inspire them
to keep reading. You should keep your
headline short and to the point. Try to
stay within the 80-170 characters range,
and use language that is clear and easy
to understand.
Check this article for more tips.

13. Sub-Headline
The sub-headline is an optional feature
that is written directly below the
headline. It gives you the opportunity
to further develop your story angle, but
should not repeat information already
presented in the headline.

14. 1st. Body Paragraph
The first body paragraph should present
the who, what, when, where, and why/
how of the press release. This should act
as a short summary that gives the
reader a general idea of what the whole
story is about.

15. Remainder of Body
They serve to complete the story you
have introduced in the headline and 1st
body paragraph. Be sure to write in a
journalistic style so that media outlets
can use your text as-is. You can use the
second paragraph to provide background
context for the article.

16. Remainder of Body
A. Media Content: Part of the body can
include different types of media content,
such as photos, videos, and audio clips.
Be sure to also include the original files
so that your media contacts can use
these clips if they wish.

17. Remainder of Body
A. Quotes: You can use separated block
quotes to highlight certain aspects of
your story. Quotes can help add another
perspective other than the writer’s.

18. Boilerplate:
The final paragraph in your press release
should be the boilerplate, which
presents information about your
company and what it does. This should
be a factual description, and it can be
used repeatedly in different press
releases.
For more information on how to write a
boilerplate, see this article.

19. En Notation:
If your press release uses two pages, the
first page should end in with “-more-“
centered at the bottom of the page. Your
final page should end with three pound
signs, like this:
###

20. Final Note:
Once you have ended the text of the
press release, it’s a good idea to put one
final note at the bottom that encourages
someone who would like more
information to reach out to you.
“If you would like more
information about this
topic, please call <Name>
at <Phone number>, or
email <email address>.”

21. how to format a Press release

22. When You Format A Press Release, Follow These Rules:
1. Keep the total length under 2 pages, ideally 400-500 words
2. Avoid using “I”, “we”, or “you”
3. Use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Calibri
4. Bolded, larger headline
5. Body text should be single spaced, with one line of space between paragraphs
6. Use standard 1 inch margins and white paper
You can find two more press release templates here and here.

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