How to write a press release.

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• Who am I trying to reach?
• What is my message?
• What am I trying to accomplish by providing this message? (For example, are you trying to educate, motivate to take action, or persuade?)
• Why should the community care?

Once you've answered these questions, you are ready to begin crafting your new release. Below is a brief list of steps to take. We have also provided you a press release template and sample to assist you in building your own press release.

Basic Format of a News Release

• Print the release on your organization's letterhead.
• Place the phrase "For Immediate Release" and the date along the upper-left or upper-right margin.
• Directly across from “For Immediate Release,” include the label “Contact for Reporters” and place your contact person's name, phone number and e-mail address below.
• Next, clearly describe the news event with a short, compelling headline. Center your headline on the page and display it in bold font. Then, position a short sentence below the headline to summarize the release and write it in italics or bold using a smaller font size.
• Begin the first paragraph with your dateline. The dateline identifies where the news originated. Following the dateline, give a short, one or two sentence summary for your press or news release. Include the date, time and other time-critical information related to your activities. Concisely summarize the who, what, when, where and why. For example:

• In the second paragraph, provide a quote from a leader or key person within your organization. The leader quoted should be closely connected with the event and their role should be clearly identified.

• The third paragraph may contain additional details on the event or program, as well as information on its history. This is also the place to include contact information for those who are interested in learning more.
• The final paragraph(s) should contain information about your company or organization and the history of the event (if applicable.) You can also do the same for a partner or sponsor, however if you want to list more than two, avoid placing them here. Instead, include the list in a separate attachment. Your goal is to make the news release easy to read and digest for reporters and editors.
• If your release goes beyond one page, type "-more-" (without the quotation marks) at the bottom of the first page. Limit your news or press release to no more than two pages; one page is preferred.
• Finally, typing "###" or "-30-" (without the quotation marks) at the very end indicates the end of the copy.

• Use short, explanatory sentences.
• Avoid the use of jargon. Explain any acronyms at their first use, e.g. "Public service announcements (PSA's)."
• Avoid glorifying or demonizing within your release. Your goal is to report news without driving public opinion about your news. Avoid judgment words like "very," "thrilling," "massive," etc. Your descriptions should be as objective as the lens of a camera.
• Link the facts of the project or event to an important issue or need in your local community. Using real-life examples helps make the human connection. Highlight benefits of your work to the community.
• Review for clarity and flow, and ensure all words and names are spelled correctly.