In this issue we look at best practice in interview techniques; how to put a stop to those night-time worries and writing press releases that get your business the promotional hit it needs.

• Editor's Desk
• Bite 1
• Bite 2
• Bite 3
• Working Web
• Last Word

Putting Together The Perfect Press Release

Much PR work in small businesses involves attempting to gain 'free' editorial coverage in newspapers and other media. By far the most common way of doing this is by means of a press release. A press release is a short article which (you hope) will be published by the newspaper or magazine concerned, or prompt one of their reporters to write a story based on it.Press releases are sent out by post, fax or (increasingly nowadays) by email.

Press releases must concern something newsworthy, as papers will not simply print a piece saying how wonderful a particular business is. Nevertheless, trade magazines and local newspapers in particular are often under-staffed and welcome good stories they can use, even if the news they contain is not particularly earth-shattering. Some events which would certainly justify a press release include:

• the opening of a new business
• the launch of a new product or service
• winning a big order
• export success
• winning a prize or award
• celebrating an anniversary
• appointing a new manager
• moving to larger premises
• installation of new plant or technology
• good financial results
• success of trainees or apprentices
• involvement with charities or other good works

How to Write a Press Release
There is one crucial thing you need to understand about a press release: it must be written in journalistic style and NOT in the style of an advertisement.

The idea of a press release is to achieve news coverage, so you should try to imitate the style used for features and news stories in your target publication/s. This will usually be balanced, concise and factual, avoiding any hint of advertising 'hype'.

Your aim in writing a press release should be to produce a story which could be used by the editor without requiring any changes. If your release is published more or less as you wrote it, you can congratulate yourself on a job well done! In most cases, however, the publication will use your release as the starting point for a story, and that's fine as well.

The main principles of press release writing are summarised below.

(1) All press releases for distribution by mail or fax should be printed on the company's headed paper. Use one side of the paper only, and double-spacing (alternating 'empty' lines).You should leave at least 2.5 cm left- and right-hand margins, and indent the first line of every new paragraph except the first.

(2) Under the company letterhead type the date and the heading PRESS RELEASE in block capitals. If you do not wish your story to be printed until a certain date you can write EMBARGO followed by the date on which you would like the story to go out. It is best to avoid doing this unless you have a very good reason, however. Newspapers do not like embargoes, although they will usually respect them. Otherwise, to give your release a sense of urgency, you can include the phrase FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

(3) Below this, write a heading for the release. This should explain in a nutshell what the release is about – for example, NEW RESTAURANT OPENS IN BRIGHTSEA or STAR MOTORS WINS NATIONAL AWARD. The heading should be centred and written in block capitals.

(4) Below this, write the text of your press release. This should be in news story rather than advertisement style. Aim to answer as concisely as possible the five Ws – WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and WHY. That is to say, WHO the release is about, WHAT they have done, WHEN they did it, WHERE they did it, and WHY they did it. Try to cover all the main points in the first couple of paragraphs, as the lower paragraphs may be cut if the editor is short of space. If possible, keep your press release to a single page. If you have to go on to a second page, write at the bottom of the first page 'more follows' and at the start of the next 'continued'. No press release should be longer than two pages.

(5) If possible, include a quote from your client or another senior person in the business. This can lighten the tone of the release and also make it look more like a 'proper' news story. If you want to include matters of opinion in a press release, they should always be put in quotations (e.g. 'We are now the best-known widget-making company in Europe,' said Managing Director Bill Smith). Matters of fact, as opposed to opinion, can be given straight without the need for quotes.

(6) It will help if you can include a photograph to accompany the release. Sharp, glossy prints with good contrast are preferred. Avoid dull mug-shots and formal group pictures – if at all possible, show something interesting and unusual taking place. Alternatively, if the press release concerns a special event, you could include a note at the end of your release that photographers will be welcome at the presentation at 12.30 pm, or whatever time is appropriate.

(7) At the end of the release, include a contact name and phone number where a reporter can get further information (an email address is also useful). This contact will usually be your client, but in some cases (by prior arrangement) it may be yourself.

Below is an example of a press release to give you an idea of what they look like.

PRESS RELEASE

July 27                                                                         For Immediate Release

NEW THAI RESTAURANT OPENS IN LITTLETOWN

A new restaurant serving Thai cuisine, The Summer Palace, opens on Tuesday 1st August in Bridge Street, Littletown. The Summer Palace is named after the ancient and beautiful building of that name in Thailand's capital, Bangkok.

         Among the attractions on the menu will be 'steamboat'. This is a traditional Thai dish, where diners cook strips of meat, fish and vegetables in stock on a small burner in the middle of the table, and eat them with rice and noodles.

         The proprietor of The Summer Palace, Anne Sereywath, says: 'At present the choice of places to eat out in Littletown is limited to Indian and Chinese. We aim to give people here a wider choice and introduce them to some new foods, and new ways of eating them!'

        The Summer Palace is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 11 am to 11 pm. Both fixed price menus and à la carte are available. Advance booking is not essential, but recommended at the weekend in particular.

As a special opening offer, every diner at The Summer Palace during the first week will be given a complimentary glass of red or white wine. Bookings are now being taken on 0302 87543.

----------------------------ENDS

Further information: Anne Sereywath

Tel: 0302 87543 (day/evening)

Email: A.Sereywath@thesummerpalace.co.uk

Note to Editor: Further information, including a sample menu, can also be found on the restaurant's website at www.thesummerpalace.co.uk.

There are a couple of additional points to note here. First, you may have noticed that the writer of this press release has included details of the restaurant's launch offer for customers in the last paragraph. This is a sales promotion, and there is no guarantee the paper will print it. However, there is no harm trying, and it also makes the story a little more newsworthy.

Second, at the end of the press release you will have seen a line beginning, 'Note to Editor'. The writer has used this to refer journalists to the restaurant's website. However, you can equally use this device to mention any supplementary information which would not fit into the release itself, e.g. about the availability of photographs, interview opportunities, and so on. There is no objection to including several lines of 'Notes to Editor' on your press release, although if you have a lot of such details to pass on, it may be better to produce a separate background sheet. You can enclose this with the press release but separate from it, so that anyone interested can find out more (and those who only want the basics can ignore it).

Another increasingly popular option is to copy the press release along with other background details on the company website, and in the printed release provide the URL for the relevant web page. This means you don't have to enclose the background information with the printed release, and has the additional advantage that journalists can copy and paste text from the website.

Next month we’re going to look at electronic press releases and how you should distribute a press release.