Joan Stewart

Press Release Tip 6 Define your audience before you write You might have more than one audience for a press release. If you sell antique doorknobs, your two separate audiences might be hardware stores that buy your doorknobs wholesale and consumers who buy them from your website. You might want each of the two audiences… Read More

Press Release Tip 7 Keep your key press release message simple Don’t try to cram too much information into a press release. The key message must be very simple. Before you start writing the release, you should be able to summarize the key message in just one sentence so you can say it out loud.… Read More

Press Release Tip 8 Include complete contact information in your press releases You’re beginning Module 2, The 6 Parts of a Press Release. There are probably hundreds of different formats for releases.  In this module, I’m using a press release I wrote July 1, 2000, to show you the 6 parts of a press release.… Read More

Press Release Tip 9: Write a clear, helpful headline and subhead The second part of a press release, which I’ve highlighted for you in green, consists of the headline and subhead here. A well-written headline catches the reader’s attention. A well-written subhead makes the reader stay and keep reading. Many people who write press releases write… Read More

Press Release Tip 10 Include a dateline that shows when and where you wrote the release The third part of the press release, which I’ve highlighted in pink, is called the dateline and you can see it here. It offers perspective for the reader because it shows where the press release originated and the date it… Read More

Press Release Tip 11 Write the body copy and include links The fourth part of a press release, which I’ve highlighted in gray, is the body copy and you can see it here. It includes links and might constitute up to 90 percent of your entire press release, depending on how many words you’ve written. Notice… Read More

Press Release Tip 12 Include a call to action in your press releases The fifth part of a press release, which I’ve highlighted in blue,  is the call to action which you can see here, within the body copy. I’ve devoted an entire lesson to this topic because it’s so important. This is where you lead… Read More

Press Release Tip 13 Write a boilerplate paragraph in longer press releases The sixth part of a press release is the boilerplate but only in longer releases.. It’s a paragraph of information at the end, similar to an “About Us” paragraph at your website. It summarizes quickly what your company does.  Not all press release… Read More

Press Release Tip 14 Optional note to the media and the Safe Harbor Statement The sixth part of a press release is the optional note to the media. For public companies only, the seventh part is the Safe Harbor Statement. In my sample release, my note to the media is highlighted it in red here.… Read More