A press release communicates newsworthy information about an event, situation or an individual.  It is usually written in consultation with the client and issued on their behalf by a Public Relations agency or consultant to relevant media outlets.  It should not be more than two pages long. The content must be newsworthy, interesting, and informative. If media organisations decide to publish details of the release, they will invariably re-write it as a news story. They DO NOT have to run it word for word.

Why write and issue a Press Release?

The main purpose of all press releases is to tell your story or that of your business or community. It should:

• Inform relevant media know about a forthcoming event

• Inform relevant media about your business for example, new jobs, contracts, etc

• Communicate your news story to as wide or narrow an audience as you desire through the relevant media outlets and digital channels.

• A press release is not a guaranteed marketing tool. It should not be used as a replacement for advertising or marketing strategies.

Reasons to Send a Press Release

A press release gives brief but relevant details of a news story.  Many news outlets rely on press releases for their daily news output. News editors, correspondents, producers and presenters will sometimes run details from the press release as a short story. They sometimes follow up later with an interview with a spokesperson. Getting your story into the mainstream media using traditional and digital media channels is vital.

Remember your press release should be issued to the relevant newspapers, local, regional and national, trade magazines or other publications, local or national broadcast media and online publications. It is up to you to decide which outlets to target.

Here are some of the most common reasons for sending a press release:

• Announcing a major news story – Nationally or locally

• Jobs announcement or redundancy

• New product launch/service

• Releasing a book or music album

• Publishing a study or whitepaper

• Business news/interviews/company announcements

• Commenting on an issue or event

• Hosting an event

• Highlighting a speech by an employee at a conference

• Supporting a charity or local community event

We are experts at writing and issuing press releases. We will identify the key messages/news angles and comments to include in the press release. We will identify key news outlets to target and the key dates and times to issue the ’release on your behalf.