29 Points to Creating an Effective Press Release
By Jeffrey Dobkin ©2004

A press release is a short, crisp one-page document you send to a
magazine or newspaper editor. If published, it appears as if the
magazine or newspaper editorial staff has written it. Here are 20
points to help you create a great release, increase your chances of
having it published - and of getting a better response from a more
highly qualified prospect.

29. Use 1" to 1-1/2" space at the top of the page as a header. The
header contains contact information and is not considered part of the
body of the release - the part that you would like to appear when the
press release is published.

28. In the header print "Press Release" in a large, bold typeface.
Alternate wording can be "News Release," "For Immediate Release," (my
personal favorite), "NEWS," and so on. As long as a busy editor can
see it’s a press release at first glance, it works.

27. In the header include contact information containing your name,
company name, phone number, fax number, email and the date. I also
usually put the name of the release (the industry and a one or two word
description of the release), and a "T" or "C" indicating if it’s a
trade or consumer release. (If it’s a trade press release we talk
about "fast turnover and high profit margins;" if it’s a consumer
release we talk about "customer benefits, product features and
availability.")

26. The header should include a "kill date," after which you no longer
wish the date to run. This information usually applies to events, the
kill date being the day after the event date. If there is no kill
date, state "No Kill Date."

25. If you need the release to coincide with other media, indicate a
"Start Date." For example, if you are releasing information about a
new product, and would like all your publicity to appear all at the
same time, let each publisher know. Otherwise, you’ll have newspapers -
who publish releases within 2 weeks - let the cat out of the bag, when
your magazine press releases won’t appear for a month, but more likely
three to six months later.

24. Create the strongest headline you can possibly imagine. Of all the
time you put into your release, spend the most on your headline. Spend
an hour or two just thinking up the one line that will 1. make the
editor think it will be a good story for their readers, 2. make the
publisher look good so they will be interested in publishing it in
their magazine or newspaper, 3. make every reader who might buy your
product or use your service put it on their "Must Read" list, and 4. if
possible, make it unattractive to those who will not buy your product
or service - so you will save on your literature costs and mailing
expense.



Here are three formula and examples to help you create great headlines.

23. Use the Headline formula, "FREE Booklet offers Valuable
Information!" For example, a moving company headline might say: "FREE
Booklet offers tips on packing valuables when you move." This booklet
is simply two pages folded in half to 8-1/2" x 5-1/2" and nested
together. It’s low in cost to print, and can even be made on a copier.
Result: very high interest from their target market (people who are
going to move), and no interest from people who are outside their
target market and are not going to move. So the moving company sends
the booklet with a nice letter to the inquirer, and saves literature
costs because people who aren’t really prospects don’t inquire.

22. Use the headline formula, "New Product Offers Benefit, Benefit,
Benefit!" For example, "New computer screams with blazing speed, has
enough storage room for 5,225,000 pages, yet fits in the palm of your
hand!" Or, "New Book Demonstrates How To Market Any Product - for
Under $500 - in Under 6 Months!" (It’s for the book, How To Market A
Product For Under $500!, by Jeff Dobkin. Best darn marketing book I’ve
ever read!)

21. Speaking of Jeff, use the Jeff Dobkin "100 to 1 Rule for creating
the best headlines." As found in the article of the same name on page
113 of the book, Uncommon Marketing Techniques: write 100 headlines,
go back and pick out your best one. Hey, I didn’t say you’d like it, I
just said it would help you create a strong headline. Well, now you
don’t have to buy the book, unless you want the excellent low cost
marketing tips and techniques - and bad jokes - that fill the other 269
pages.

20. Start your press release with the important elements first. Just
like a newspaper story, press releases are created with a pyramid style
of writing: the most important elements at the top. For example, a
newspaper story may have the headline "Fire Kills 3;" the story
starts, "three persons die, and seven more were injured in a 5
alarm..." and it goes on fact by fact in order of relevancy. Trailing
at the story’s end may be what the neighbors said or how many donuts
the firemen ate while putting out the blaze. Editors know to cut from
the bottom.

19. Don’t use fluffy words or lots of adjectives. If it sounds like an
ad, as opposed to sounding like a news story, it will be rejected by
the editor, and consequently not selected for publication.

18. Start your body copy with one or two of your biggest benefits.
This is an unusual style of release I originated and it’s an anomaly to
the above point 15. I call it the benefits-first release. Since
editors traditionally cut information from the bottom, if you are
smooth in sneaking in one or two benefits in the very first line of the
release they usually won’t be cut. Remember: benefits - what’s in it
for the reader - are why people buy your product or call you with an
inquiry.

17. Keep it to one page. You’re not writing the new version of "War
and Peace." Two-page press releases are much harder to get read let
alone get placed. There are, however, "Feature Releases" - which are
usually written for a specific magazine. If you think your storyline
is worth a feature story, call the editor first (or write a query
letter pitching the story proposal) to make sure you’re not wasting
your time writing a long press release that’s going nowhere.

16. Use courier style type, 12 point, and double space your body copy.
If it runs long - over a page, or you need more white space, go to 10
point. If you still need more room go to a more condensed face like
Bookman, Century Schoolbook or Times Roman which are much more
condensed typefaces. If you still need more space, take out a big red
pen and cross out half of what you’ve written - it’s too long.

15. Take out a big red pen and cross out half of what you’ve written
anyhow. Edit severely. The closer you can come to "This press release
contains no apparent bullshit, er... extraneous material," the more
likely it is to be published.

14. Proof your work carefully. If your work is filled with typos,
mistakes and poor grammar, the editor will think his or her readers
will get poorly written literature (if anything at all) or a lousy
product - either of which will reflect badly on his publication.
Result: your press release won’t run.

13. Include contact information in the body of the release. The last
paragraph of your release should contain your or your company name,
address, phone, fax and email. If your release is direct-selling and
you hope to get any direct sales, the price must be included. If your
price is really high, leave it out and ask readers to write or call for
more information.

Remember, the story appears as if written by the magazine or newspaper
- so write about your firm in the third person: "Contact them at..."
"Their address and phone number is..."

12. End with ### to show it’s the end. End newspaper releases with
-30-.

11. Call the editor. For the top 5 or 10 placements you’d really like
to have your released published (more if you like to use the phone),
call the editor FIRST and ask, "Are you the person I should send this
press release to?" This sets up a "Can you help me?" relationship in
under 30 seconds. If they say yes, give them your 30-second to
1-minute pitch, then send your release. If they say no, get the name
of the person who receives releases, and start this exact same
conversation all over again.

(Note: most editors are usually helpful, except around the closing date
of the magazine at the end of the month - then they’re usually cranky).
Find out if they’re "on deadline" before you ask for them.

10. If you get nervous after sening a release and in hindsight decide
to call the editor, never - and I mean never - say "Did you get my
release?" This makes editors angry: you’ll be the 10,000th person who
has asked them that very same question... this month. Instead, say "I’m
calling to see if I can give you any additional information on our
new..." and give your product. Then you can mention you sent a press
release a week ago that’s in a purple folder/envelope (so it’ll be easy
to find). If they like what you have to say, they’ll let you know that
they’ll be happy to find your release, or I’m sure you’ll be happy to
send another one.

9. How to estimate the value of the release. When your press release is
published, take the number of column inches of space your press release
consumes in the magazine, then figure out what that space would have
cost you if you bought it as ad space. Then add 25%, because the value
of editorial is much greater than ad space, because of the greater
credibility as it appears as editorial.

8. Select your press release list with care. You can find the
magazines, the newspapers and the editors’ names in some excellent,
easy to use directories. The directories we use here in our offices
are excellent choices: Bacon’s Magazine Directory and Bacon’s Newspaper
Directory (800-621-0561), Burrelle’s Media Directories which include
Burrelle’s Magazines and Newsletters, Burrelle’s Daily Newspapers and
Non-Daily Newspapers) (800-766-5114); and Oxbridge Communications
Standard Periodical Directory, and the Oxbridge Directory of
Newsletters (800-955-0231). These directories can also be found in
most libraries, and now also online, where you can buy a subscription
to the most up-to-the-minute editorial data.

7. Make an A and B list for each industry. The A list editors get a
phone call before sending them your release. The B list editors simply
get press releases with nice cover letters. For our press campaigns,
we usually send 80 to 100 releases for a minor release, and up to 500
press packages for a major release. How many you send will all depend
on the size of the industries or markets you are trying to reach.

6. Include a Photo. We usually send 5" x 7" black and white photos
with every release - it adds a visual hook to the story and most of the
time the photo gets printed. It also increases the perceived press
release package value (nice release, nice photo = additional
credibility for your firm).

5. Send press releases every few months. A single press release is not
a campaign. Grooming the press and getting consistent publicity is a
continual process.

4. Send a letter with every press release. If you called the editor as
mentioned above, start your letter with "Thanks for receiving my call.
It was a pleasure speaking with you," even if it wasn’t. This reminds
the editor that you were the one that called, how much the publication
of this release means to you, and can increase the chance of your press
release being published from 5% to 70%.

3. In the letter you send with your press release, don’t say "Enclosed
is a press release." They can see that. Produce a letter that gives
your firm and product additional credibility, and also gives a savvy
editor additional copy points they can pick up and use in your
publication write-up.

2. Remember the function of the press release is to sell products or
generate phone calls. I have a client who bragged to me that his PR
agency had gotten his firm a mention in The Wall Street Journal. "Did
you get any calls?" I always ask. "Did you get a lot of business from
it?" I continue before they can say "no."

Unless you simply want your ego stroked, a write-up is a waste of time
if it doesn’t generate a response. If you want your ego stroked, buy a
dog - it’s cheaper. If you want more business, write and correctly
present a well constructed press release.

1. If your press released is published, don’t forget to follow up with
a nice "thank you" letter. You’ve received excellent value for your
time and effort, and a thank you letter shows that you appreciate it.

The logical conclusion to a successful press campaign is the knowledge
base of which magazines bring in results and sales for you - so that
you can place ads in them. Place ads in the top drawing publications
that published your release. While most people look at ads as an
expense, we cherish magazines and papers that can deliver our focused
message to a responsive, target audience - time after time, month after
month - and bring us a profitable return. When we find a medium that’s
profitable for us, we run ads in it forever. We use press releases as
a low-cost testing vehicle to find these profitable magazines.
Word Count: 2,300


Jeffrey Dobkin, author of the incredible 400-page marketing manual, How
To Market A Product for Under $500 ($29.95), now has a second book,
Uncommon Marketing Techniques ($17.95) - 33 of his latest columns on
small business marketing, exactly like the one you just read. Both
books are available directly from the publisher - 800-234-IDEA. These
books are completely filled with tips and techniques to make your
marketing faster, cheaper, more effective - and fun. You never learned
this stuff in college! Mr. Dobkin cuts right through the theoretical
crap and demonstrates a wealth of practical how-to direct marketing
techniques. He is also a speaker, a direct mail copywriter, and a
marketing consultant. To place an order, or to speak with Mr. Dobkin
call 610/642-1000. Fax 610/642-6832. Phone orders welcome - Visa, M/C,
AMEX. From The Danielle Adams Publishing Company, Box 100, Merion
Station, PA 19066. Or visit him at www.dobkin.com. Satisfaction Always
Guaranteed.

Bio 2 Marketing Magazines -
Jeffrey Dobkin, author of How To Market A Product For Under $500!, and
Uncommon Marketing Techniques, is a specialist in direct response
copywriting. He can increase your response by writing powerful,
response-driven sales letters, persuasive catalog copy; and
exceptionally hard-hitting direct mail packages. He also analyzes
direct marketing packages, ads, catalogs, and campaigns. Mr. Dobkin is
a fun speaker and a direct marketing consultant. Call him directly at
610-642-1000 for free samples of his work. Vist www.dobkin.com.

THE DANIELLE ADAMS PUBLISHING COMPANY
---------------------------------- * ----------------------------------
~ Specialists in Direct Response Marketing ~
Box 100 * Merion Station, PA 19066
610/642-1000 * Fax 610/642-6832