Monday, November 21, 2011

My First Press Release

This past week I experienced writing my first press release. We've all been there, that first time when you have absolutely NO idea what a press release entails, with the sure chance that your teacher or employer will flat out turn it down. Well, maybe you're not that dramatic, but I was! Fortunately, PRowl's Firm Director Niki Ianni helped me through every step of the process and gave me a solid foundation on how to write and pitch a press release. Below are some pointers I've learned so far:
  • Provide enough information so that the person you're pitching to won't have to go out of their way to research your event, but at the same time won't yawn at the sight of your 3 page long release.

  • Language matters, every word can carry a different meeting so tread carefully to ensure that you sound excited while at the same time professional.

  • Pitching, now this one had me kind of confused. What is pitching? Am I supposed to just reiterate what I said in the press release, because that's what the purpose of it is, right? To get someone to cover your story? Well, no, not exactly. A pitch is what you will include before your release, and basically entails why your story should be picked up and how it will be beneficial to whoever is receiving the release.
Hopefully, for you who have yet to write a press release, you will take these tips into account and rest assured that you're not alone! Do you have any additional tips for first-time press release writers? Let us know!

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