[Marketing 101] – How to Write a Press Release

If you’re thinking about launching a product, chances are good you’ve considered putting out a press release – a simple little announcement intended for members of the press to pick up and use as the basis of a story. But unless you’ve got a background in marketing or journalism, chances are good that you have no idea how to write a press release. And, judging by the press releases I’ve seen from many small publishers out there, chances are also good that even if you have put out a press release, it wasn’t written properly.

Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place: I’ve been writing press releases for almost a decade, and I’ve developed a style that works very well. By the end of this article, you’ll have a good understanding of the mechanics of writing an effective press release. And if you don’t, don’t worry – you can always hire me on an affordable freelance basis to write your press releases for you. (Contact me for details!)

But first, it’s probably a good idea to explain what a press release is actually for.

Simply put, a press release is an official statement from a company releasing new information to the public. Traditionally, press releases have been used by corporations to announce news of interest to shareholders, but they have also been widely used by publicists and promoters who are trying to get media coverage for their clients. Over the last decade, many small companies have been taking advantage of the internet to put out their own press releases to promote niche products or services. While big announcements about new products were once reserved for trade shows and press junkets, companies can now issue press releases directly to the consumer media and niche publications. Some companies even send their press releases directly to their customers!

What’s great about press releases is that they have the appearance of a news article, but they’re entirely controlled by the company that’s issuing them. In a press release, company spokespersons can say anything they like. Quotes are never edited or taken out of context, and they can have a positive promotional tone. There’s no conflict, and no bad news; proper press releases are always about moving forward and looking ahead. They serve as a company record of fact down the road, and often are used as official sources by researchers and members of the media.

Here’s an example of a brief press release I wrote for Dabel Brothers Publishing:

DABEL BROTHERS BRING JIM BUTCHER’S DRESDEN FILES TO COMICS
Harry Dresden will begin his investigations into the world of the supernatural in the comic book medium in Spring 2008 as the Dabel Brothers adapt the first novel, ‘Storm Front,’ and publish all-new, original stories written specifically for comics by Butcher himself!

Dabel Brothers Publishing is going to make magic when it springs forward with its new line of books in Spring 2008.

In August, they announced that they have begun work on a graphic adaptation of the bestselling blockbuster Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Book One – Prodigal Son. And today, they officially announced the details behind their upcoming comic book adaptation of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files novels, as well as an original Dresden Files miniseries being written by Jim Butcher himself!

The Dresden Files is a series of novels about Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, a mysterious investigator of the supernatural named after several famous magicians. But this name fits him well, because Harry Dresden is also a wizard – a wielder of arcane powers that must remain hidden from society at the behest of the White Council, a group determined to enforce the “Seven Laws of Magic” and prevent magical users and creatures from running amok. Dresden uses his powers to aid the Chicago police when they investigate cases beyond their comprehension, but he is also being watched closely by the Council, due to a mysterious story in his past that resulted in Harry slaying his mentor.

Butcher has currently published nine novels (with a tenth due out in February, 2008). He also licensed the world of Harry Dresden for a popular television show on the Sci-Fi channel that aired earlier this year that is currently available on DVD.

But the comics will offer one thing the television show could not: a direct adaptation of the novels.

“I loved the show, but like any fan, I was disappointed to see the first novel distilled down into an hour-long episode,” said Les Dabel, Vice President of Dabel Brothers Productions. “Storm Front is a fantastic novel, and it features a lot of depth in the fantastic world that Mr. Butcher has created. In a comic book and graphic novel, we’re going to be able to tell the whole story, and that’s really exciting news!”

The adaptation of Storm Front will debut in mid 2008 as a monthly comic book series. But to get things started, the Dabel Brothers will release a four-part original story beginning in April, 2008 written exclusively for comics by Jim Butcher featuring an untold story of Harry Dresden!

“We did something similar with Laurell K. Hamilton on the Anita Blake series, and it was well-received by the fans,” said Dabel. “We enjoy adapting existing stories, but we love working with authors like Mr. Butcher to create all-new, original content as well.”

“I couldn’t be happier to see the Dresden Files hopping the gulf to a new medium–and to one where I think they’ll have the chance to really shine,” said Jim Butcher. “I’ve spent considerable portions of my life obsessed with comics. I like them, and they helped shape my imagination as I was growing up. The action in the Dresden Files has always been inspired by my favorite superhero titles–Spidey and the X-men–and several facets of Dresden himself were modeled on some of the same foundations as Peter Parker. For heaven’s sake, my online handle has been ‘Longshot,’ after the sometime X-man, since my very first email account.”

“We’ve been holding this news in for a long time, and we’re glad we can finally announce the details,” said Ernst Dabel, President of Dabel Brothers Productions. “We can’t wait to show people a preview of the first issue – it’s going to be astounding!”

For more information on the comic book adaptation of The Dresden Files, Dabel Brothers Publishing, its products and its partners, please visit http://www.dabelbrothers.com.

Can you feel the excitement in this release? Every word is infused with energy to make it stand out in the mind of the reader. Notice that the announcement itself could have been made in a single paragraph, but the release goes on to offer quotes from the author and the publisher as well as information on the history of the novel series being licensed. The release doesn’t focus on the tedious business details, either, such as the licensing arrangement or the production schedule. Instead, it highlights the final product and attempts to drive the reader straight to the store to pre-order the book.

It would be great if a consumer would read this and get excited, but generally, this news will be filtered through a media source. Often, the bloggers, writers and journalists who pick this news up will summarize it on their sites and just pick out the key details. That’s all good and well. But sometimes, if you’re lucky, they’ll print the whole press release verbatim. That’s ideal, because it looks like a normal news article, but it has your company’s exact wording and phrasing.

Let’s break down the release and look at each section. I began with a simple headline that imitates what one might see in a newspaper. Newspaper headlines are written in present tense and use as few words as possible – generally ten or fewer. Sometimes, they’re direct in their content, as this one is. Sometimes, they’re a little more creative; “Dabel Brothers Publishing Makes Magic With Jim Butcher’s Dresden This Spring” would have been acceptable, though I personally felt such a headline was trite in this case.

After the headline, follow up with a subhead that summarizes the article in a single sentence. A good subhead will give the meat of the story, but tease the details. The idea behind the subhead is that many of the people who are in the media get slammed with press releases, and don’t take the time to read them thoroughly. But they generally read the headline and the subhead so they know the gist of each release. A good subhead will draw them into the release and make them more inclined to remember the details. Notice that, in my example, I state that the author is writing an original story, but don’t give the details. The natural reaction for anyone interested in the story is to keep reading to find out more.

Now, it’s time to begin the article. A journalist would start with what’s called a “lead,” summarizing the story in one or two sentences. But we’ve already done that with our subhead, so instead, let’s focus on leading with a “hook,” a paragraph or two that are carefully constructed to grab the reader’s attention. In the example, I started by making the bold statement that the Dabel Brothers were going to “make magic” with their new Spring line, and then I went on to explain why. This was much more exciting than leading with the standard, “The Dabel Brothers announced today that Jim Butcher will be writing an original story for them this Spring.” It made the release feel less like an announcement and more like a news article.

Constructing a good “hook” in a press release is difficult to do, and you’ll probably spend more time writing and rewriting those first two paragraphs than you will anywhere else in the document. But it’s worth the trouble. My advice is to tell a quick story that brings the reader to the announcement the release is trying to make. Telling people that you’re about to release a book is one thing. But telling people that someone had an idea while sitting in Starbucks one day that led to a consuming quest to publish the novel they’re about to hear about is a lot more exciting.

The body text should get to the point quickly, announcing details about the product. Some of these details should include:

The product’s release date
The product’s price
The product’s format and/or packaging
The product’s order code, ISBN, or other identifier.
Where the product can be purchased
Where more information about the product itself can be found
What sort of promotional budget there is behind the product (if any)

These are all extremely important details, and while they’re not all relevant to each announcement, you should try to include as many of them as possible in the body text.

You’ll notice that I also threw in some quotes in my example that gave additional details. One of those quotes was engineered for my boss, written solely by me and submitted to him for approval. The rationale there is that because he approved it, he “said” it. The other quote, from Jim Butcher, is actually from the author. I solicited a quote while working on the release, and he supplied it for me. Both methods are acceptable for obtaining quotes in a press release; unlike the field of journalism, where quotes should not be altered, press release quotes can (and often should) be adjusted and massaged to fit the tone of the announcement.

I generally end my press releases with the statement, “For more information about this product, check out the publisher’s website at http://www.website.com.” It brings the release a sense of closure, and it spurs the reader to action.

Once your press release is finished, you’ll want to add in what’s called a “boilerplate.” This is essentially standard information about your company that should go at the end of every press release. Here’s an example of the boilerplate I developed for the Dabel Brothers:

About Dabel Brothers Publishing
Dabel Brothers Publishing, LLC is a comic book studio dedicated to bringing many of the best and most popular novels in the world of fantasy to the comic book medium. With a passion for authenticity and a firm respect for the original text, the Dabel Brothers work hard to ensure that their adaptations build upon and enhance the worlds of popular works in a manner that longtime fans and new readers alike can enjoy.

The Dabel Brothers first became known for their stunning adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight in 2003. Since then, they have produced over a dozen different titles that have adapted novels by major, bestselling authors, including Orson Scott Card, Raymond E. Feist, Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, Richard A. Knaak and Robert Silverberg. The Dabel Brothers also produced the first six issues of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, which they published through Marvel Comics. The hardcover graphic novel collecting these issues went on to become a bestselling graphic novel of 2007 with only a single month’s worth of sales.

In 2008, the Dabel Brothers will produce and publish several more comic book adaptations of novels by major bestselling authors, including Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein: Prodigal Son, George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards and Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files. All of these titles will be published in conjunction with Del Rey Books, an imprint of Ballantine Books.

More information about Dabel Brothers Productions can be found at http://www.dabelbrothers.com.

The idea of a boilerplate is that it should give the quick facts about a company and highlight some of its accomplishments, just in case the reader isn’t familiar with the company and needs some reference material. Boilerplates are rarely run when members of the media post up press releases, but it’s a good idea to include them, just in case.

Finally, I recommend ending your press release with some italicized copyright information and disclaimers at the bottom:

Copyright 2007, Dabel Brothers Publishing, LLC. All Rights reserved.
All trademarks and titles are the property of their respective owners.

The statements contained within this document are considered “forward-looking statements”
and may not reflect upon the actual future performance of Dabel Brothers Publishing, LLC.

And with that, you’ve got a press release! The only thing you still need to add is some contact information. That should go at the top of the page, above the headline, and include a contact name, phone number, and email address. I generally follow that with the date of the release.

Many press releases also contain a letterhead in the header and the words “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.” They do tend to make the release look more official, so I recommend them.

And there you have it – you’re ready to write a press release! But while you do that, please remember these five simple guidelines:

1. A press release should read like a news article as much as possible. I suggest picking up an Associated Press Style Manual and sticking to its guidelines.

2. When quoting someone, begin with a statement, and then follow that statement with the word “said,” then their name, and then their title. Then, continue their quote. Otherwise, it gets confusing. An example of this would be:

“I’m thrilled about writing press releases,” said Sean J. Jordan, the author of this article. “It’s a lot of fun!”

3. Exclamation points are great, but don’t use them unless they’re part of a quote. And even then, use them sparingly; too many exclamation points make the press release into an obvious piece of marketing material.

4. Product names should be set off in some way, whether it’s with capital letters, bold facing, or italics. If you mention other products, set them off differently than you do the product that you’re promoting.

5. Don’t try to embed graphics or photos into a press release’s body. Do, however, attach them with a separate page that provides captions, if necessary.

So, now that you have a press release… what can you do with it? Check out the next article in the series to find out!

Writing Scraps

by Sean J. Jordan