Writing a press release

Introduction

Fundraisers are copywriters. Writing press releases needs copywriting skills. The following is taken from Patrick Quinn's Copywriting Manual. You can purchase your own hard copy of the book described by Patrick as 'a workbook'. It lays out the nuts and bolts of copywriting, and then shows you how to assemble them via tried-and-tested methods.

If you wish to receive a copy (135 pages) please telephone UK on 01721 730 350 and his address is One-to-One, Cowieslinn, Eddleston, Peebleshire, EH45 8QZ. Cost is approximately £30 at the time of going to press. Please tell him that you got the address from Alba Fundraising Ltd.

We all know that the job of an editor is to sort the wheat from the chaff and then print the chaff. That's what it often seems like, anyway. In truth, an editor prints what he thinks the purchasers of his publication want to read.

It therefore doesn't take a moment to recognise that every press release must, at one and the same time, satisfy two completely different criteria. The first is to discharge the editor's duty to his readers and legitimate advertisers, while the second is to fulfil the company's desire for free publicity.

The press release, which can do this, will find widespread acceptance. This is the not so secret of press release writing. Nonetheless, most editors will accept material from any source, but only so long as:

Next, the message. Were you the editor of a regional newspaper, imagine your reaction to a press release, which limply declares: Brisco's Opens New Store In Carlisle'. Big deal, you will murmur, as you rend the offending piece asunder. Alternatively, as a person with a well-honed social dimension, you might look positively upon the same story in a different guise: "New Carlisle Store Provides 150 Jobs".

Present your client company's endeavours in terms of the social, environmental, employment, educational - what have you ' as results.

Commonsense is the greatest aid to press release publication. Meaning the nous to make the sub-editors life as easy as possible.

Done properly, the release is one of the cheapest forms of publicity ever devised.
But, done properly, is the operative phrase. And done properly means:

Patrick Quinn runs a series of exercises each containing 3 projects for you to work on to firm up your skills. Our project is assessed in writing. One of the exercise topics is Press Releases. Contact him on the address in the introduction if you are interested (Price £35 per exercise).