Perfect Press Releases

Posted by Patricia Anderson

Rotary awareness and PR go hand in hand . . .

Rotary International emphasizes the importance of strong public relations (PR) and effective PR writing. The aim of PR writing is to provide clear, brief, and attention-grabbing information, to "hook" the media and general reader alike.

Here are RI's tips for writing perfect press releases every time:

Inverted Pyramid

Most press releases and other written communications for the media use an inverted-pyramid style, with the most important and relevant information at the top, followed by gradually less important information. The headline and the first sentence are the two most important parts of a press release. Make sure they're compelling enough to draw in the editor or reporter.

The Five Ws

Include the five Ws in your first paragraph, ideally in the first sentence:

Who? The main focus of your story; a person or group at the center of the story
What? The event or project with which your club is involved
Where? The location of the event, including a street address
When? The time, day, and date of an event, or the time period involved for a person or project
Why? The reason the event, person, or project is significant to the general public

In subsequent paragraphs, provide details about the event or project, or describe how the person or group achieved something extraordinary.

To learn more about communicating with the media, click here . . .

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