Media Releases

Release writing tips

Okay, so you know your 'their' from 'they're' and 'there' and you feel you can write your own release. Here are a few tips that will help you. Remember the editor or journalist gets bombarded with these daily, so yours needs to cut through the masses and get attention.

what makes a great media release?

You will need it to be attention grabbing and well constructed. Most releases are normally one to two A4 pages of text and images. It needs to clearly communicate your key messages and be written as though you are speaking directly to your customer.

Make sure your writing tone is right for your target market and include a 'call to action' e.g. 'Go to www.mywebsite.com.au to see the full range' or 'Available now from X Retailer for $X.' Don't forget to include your contact details for media enquiries. This element is crucial to a great campaign.

how do I work out a good story angle?

It's pretty simple really. If you are starting out, then the fact that it is 'new' will often be enough of an angle for the media. Sometimes a great angle to use is how this product or service is going to 'help' your target market. Other ideas for media angles include:

• Is the way you run your business different to other companies?
• Have you created something that is the first of its type?
• Are you helping people make or save money?
• Is there an angle that suits the economic times?
• Have you given an old idea a modern twist/
• Is there a green/recycling/organic message/
• Can people improve an aspect of their lives by using your products?
• Is there an interesting international angle?
• Does the founder have an interesting life story?
• Are there any celebrities (local or international) involved? Customers?
• Is your product or service going to improve the lives of children?
• Is there an educational angle?
• Does your business relate to anything that has been in the news recently?

other release writing tips

• Work out what your key messages are. There should be no more than four or five.
• The first paragraph should introduce your product or service. Don't leave this to the third paragraph as the media could lose interest and not get there.
• Keep you sentences short and to the point. No one likes to read waffle.
• Choose an appropriate tone. Often a bit of humour will be the thing that highlights your release from the next persons.
• In the release talk directly to your customer, not the journo. Explain how your product or service will improve their lives. Don't just list the features, explain the benefits to them.
• Remember to include a 'call to action' for example, "to see the whole range go to www.mynewproduct.com.au" or provide details on how to buy it.
• Include pricing on your release.
• At the bottom of your release list any 'expert' that you have available for interview. That could be you.
• Remember to include your contact details.
• Include copies of your images at the bottom of your release. Make sure they are compressed (low resolution) because no one will be happy about you clogging up their inbox with huge email files. If you have several images number them so the journo can ask for them by number.
• Think of a clever headline that will pique a journo's interest. Humour often works well here. We recently prepared a release for a picture framer. The release contained ten tips for hanging artwork. The title 'Well Hung!' helped us garner lots of interest.
• Try to change the heading and possibly the first paragraph for different markets. We recently did a campaign for a type of trailer. The way we pitched it to car and camping magazines was very different to the headline that went out to the men's magazines - 'Pick up more chicks with a Pod Trailer'.

We can do it for you!

Not everyone feels confident enough in their writing ability to write their own media release. Sometimes you can be just too close to it to see the angles objectively. There is no good having some great, targeted media lists only to have the media release let you down.

If you would like us to help you to come up with story angles and write a release then contact us.

The fee for us to research your product or service, discuss the target markets with you and then write the release is AUD$500 (+GST) and will be invoiced separately. The fee includes up to two sets of changes and we are also happy to 'tweak it' for two different target markets.

what do I need to get together first?

Gather together as many of the following as possible:

• Gorgeous product shots (if you have a product)
• Professionally shot 'lifestyle photography' (images of your target market using the product or service)
• Your company logo
• Prices, service descriptions
• A clear idea of your target market/s
• Where/how do people buy?
• If you are going to offer someone for an interview, you will also need a picture of them and a good biography
• Testimonials or case studies from clients or customers
• Why did you come up with the idea? Company history