There are three problems with most press releases issued by technology companies. The vast majority of these announcements:

1. Fail to clearly present the news and tell why it is important, or to identify and relate to the target audience for the news;
2. Bury the story under unexplained acronyms and technical references;
3. Resort to pompous verbal clutter to make the announcement sound important.

My immediate reaction to such releases is that the author doesn’t understand the topic, is too lazy or intimidated to learn, and doesn’t care. The problem: Reporters and editors receive hundreds of press releases every day. In order for journalists to run with your story, they must understand what you’re saying within the first 10 seconds of reading it.

To write an effective press release, follow the example of wire service reporters: Say more with less. It’s a discipline. There are five steps:

1. Start with a ½ page outline of your announcement.
2. Analyze your outline.
   1. News Nugget: Is your news unique, a first of its kind or of significant value to the market? If not, you may lack a compelling reason to do an announcement. Are you announcing a major contract win? Then state the contract value – otherwise your “news” is worthless to a reporter.
   2. “Quals”:Would your news benefit from industry statistics or a customer testimonial that back it up? If you make a claim, provide proof.
3. Write in simple English.
   1. The Wall Street Journal is written so clearly and simply that the average 15 year-old can understand it. Write your release the same way.
4. Be brief and to the point.
   1. Headline: A short, compelling statement of your news nugget.
   2. Sub-head: One sentence telling who benefits and how.
   3. Lead paragraph: One sentence that builds on your news nugget.
   4. Second paragraph: Explain why the news is significant and to whom.
   5. Third paragraph: The “Quals” – supporting stats or third party quote by analyst or customer, not your own executive.
   6. Company boilerplate: 1 or 2 hype-free sentences, followed by your url.
5. Review your draft release through the eyes of a journalist.
   1. Is the news value clearly stated?
   2. Does the story target the intended audience?
   3. Is the story weighed down with verbal clutter? Typical culprits:
      1. Appositives such as “XYZ Company, a leading blah blah blah. . .” Delete them. Appositives have an opposite effect to that intended: If you have to proclaim you’re a leader, the odds are you aren’t.
      2. Unexplained acronyms. Either explain ‘em or delete ‘em
      3. i.Executive quotes. Delete. Most say nothing and sound silly. Common example: “We are very pleased by this contract win. . .” Well, it would be news if they weren’t!

Total length of your press release: 1 – 2 pages. Follow the above tips to improve the odds your story will get noticed – and picked up by the media.

Related posts:

1. Coming Soon: The Anonymous Press Release
2. Check Lead Times on Web-Based Press Release Services
3. Press Releases: Soon as Passé as Print?
4. Tech PR — 7 Steps to Operating at Capacity
5. Tech PR: “Please Join Our Webinar” (Uh, I’ll Get Back to You)

Tags: Press Releases
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