This post is the 4th in a series about press releases.  www.blogsurfer.us

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Get Free Media Coverage with Well Written Press Releases
Creating a Header for Your Press Release
Creating a Targeted Headline for your Press Release

There are two cardinal rules the media follows when reviewing press releases:  (1) never read more than a page, and (2) if the first paragraph doesn't "grab" you, throw it away.  These rules leave you, the press release writer, with the monumental task of describing your big, important, newsworthy idea in just a few paragraphs.

The first paragraph is fairly easy to write, as it has to cover the basics:  who, what, when, where, why, and how.  So, if your non-profit organization is having a bake sale to raise funds to build a new playground, your first paragraph might read something like this:

Tiny Tikes Center (who) is holding a bake sale (what) on Tuesday, July 17th from 1 - 3 pm (when) at the After-Schoolhouse, located at 123 Latchkey Road. (where)  Proceeds of the sale will benefit Tiny Tikes' capital drive to build a new playground which will allow all children, regardless of physical limitation, to participate in their latchkey program.  (why)

The second paragraph expands on the information from the first paragraph, telling why the project is important.  You might also include quotes from some of the key people involved in your project.

Currently, only children without disabilities can access the playground equipment.  According to Tiny Tikes Director of Operations June Cleaver, 30% of the children who attend latchkey programs at the center have at least one physical challenge.  "Our vision is to include all of our children in all of our programs, and this new playground equipment will enable us to reach at least one part of that goal."

If needed, you can add one or two more paragraphs, similar to the second one.

Jane Doe, the mother of program participant John Doe, wholeheartedly supports the fundraising effort.  "My son has cerebral palsy, and he has a tough time accessing the current equipment," she says.  "It will be great if the center can build some playground equipment that allows all the kids to play together, rather than leaving some of them sitting on the sidelines."

The next paragraph should include some general information about the organization, such as where it is based, when it was founded, how many customers it serves, and why it exists.

Tiny Tikes Center, founded in 1999, is a non-profit before- and after-school enrichment program for children aged 5 - 15 with developmental challenges of any kind.  Staffed by 7 volunteer teachers and 4 aides, the center currently provides tutoring and mentoring to 75 students.  Most of the students face learning challenges; many also have other special needs.

The last paragraph offers a call to action.  It describes what you want the public to do if your article gets published by the media.  It should also summarize your press release and give the contact information you want the public to have. 

To donate baked goods to the Tiny Tikes fundraiser, please call the center at 555-1234.  The public is invited to attend the sale on Tuesday, July 17th from 1 - 3 pm in the center's parking lot at 123 Latchkey Road, rain or shine.  For further details, please visit the Tiny Tikes Web site at TinyTikes.com.

The information in the last paragraph will be considered by the media as "for publication" so do not include your home phone number or address, unless that is how you want the general public to contact you.  In a previous posting, we talked about the header of your press release, which also contains contact information.  The information in the header is for the news media to contact you with any questions they may have about your event or to schedule a follow-up interview.  However, this may not be information you want the general public to have.  Journalists will consider the header information for their personal use and will not make it public.

Now that you have written a killer press release, you'll need the next two posts to tell you how to polish it and get it submitted .

For more information about press releases or for help marketing your business, contact me at bphilley@probizassoc.com.