The new year is fast approaching and you, no doubt, have news to share about your business. A press release remains a solid and direct way to distribute this information to a large audience. But, with competition from social media channels and the endless influx of 24/7 news, making sure your press release actually gets read is increasingly difficult. But, not impossible.

Take a look at these three strategies to help you write a more powerful press release and increase your odds of reaching your audience.

Would You Read This?

Try to put yourself in the position of an overworked journalist, over-saturated (as most of us are) by an endless stream of content. Some of it is compelling, most of it is crap. You want your press release to fall into the former category.

So, take a minute after you’ve drafted your news to consider whether you would read this press release. Would you read past the first line? Is there any reason to? More importantly, can you read the first line and know what the rest of the release is about? As in, the who, what, why, where, when, how?

If not, or if you’re unsure, it’s back to the drawing board. You have about a nanosecond to, essentially, make your case and urge your reader to stick with you. Any confusion at the outset will dash that chance immediately.

Remember, readers like stories. Don’t commit to a format or structure at the expense of telling a good story that people can get behind. Yes, the point needs to be clear from the jump, but the reason anyone will read on is driven by the story you have to tell. Telling it well is the promise of the press release. Failure to deliver stops the story from spreading.

Strength in Numbers

Your voice should not be the only one present in this press release. You want to strengthen your hook with resonance from other personalities. Find quotes that capture your reader’s attention, but also support the reason for reading in the first place. The quality of the quote counts as much as the individual who is cited.

Consider this from PR News’, Tips from PR Pros for Writing Great Press Releases, “Never quote someone asserting shallow expressions such as “delighted,” “thrilled” or “excited.” More often than not journalists discard such quotes.”

So, if you see those red flag words when searching for key quotations, keep looking.  

Clarify the Relevance

News for the sake of news is akin to scrolling through social media and considering yourself “informed.” What is the relevance of the news you’re sharing, as far as your reader is concerned? Where is the CTA? What are your readers supposed to DO with this information? If you’re not sure, your readers won’t be either.

Remember, with a press release, clarity is key in order to share your story and inspire action.

If you’d rather not wrestle with your next press release, contact our team and let us structure and share your story.