There are currently almost five public relations professionals for every reporter in the US alone. How many press releases do they receive each week, do you know?
Hundreds. And they spend less than a minute on each email they decide to open.
How can you ensure that your media contacts have your full attention? Your homework is done. You are familiar with the fundamentals of pitching to the media. You avoid press release blunders at all costs.
Everybody is entitled to an off day. However, some of these press releases should have never been written.
Example#1
Why Is This Press Release Bad?
For something unusual, the headline could have been more clever and exciting. This sounds like a generic remark taken from a practitioner’s business card. Concerning the body, the information about CEREC Technology offered here might have been accomplished in a single paragraph. The remaining details appear to be merely filler that don’t contribute anything to the discussion. Your writing ought to be motivated by an apparent reason. Don’t simply add lines to make the word count higher.
In addition, the copy lacks coherence. The discussion of technology abruptly shifts to Dr. Joseph’s accomplishments. Instead of hopping from one place to another, information should flow.
Don’t say the same thing twice. The boilerplate for the release is explicitly tailored for writing about the organization producing the press release. If the same information will be repeated in the boilerplate, do not specify the issuing authority in the release body unless you have something new to offer.
Example #2
What Is Wrong With This Press Release?
What role does a printer play in fostering innovation and agility? Really? It’s difficult to believe that this headline made it past the idea stage alone.
A respectable business, Ricoh creates decent printers. However, nobody considers print a ‘key strategic asset for growth’. It is a prime example of trying to make a splash without considering the value of what it says about your business.
It is a gold mine. The release in any way does not support the headline. Without more explanation, 3D printing is stated. Bizarre.
Make sure your facts are accurate and keep them short. Additionally, this press release is just much too wordy. In addition, the format can be more appealing.
Example #3
What is wrong with this news release?
Grammar mistakes in a press release suggest a lack of professionalism, and any writer will see you negatively. The journalist who posted this email online only highlighted the most flagrant mistakes. Just count how often you’ll encounter these in the text.
Check your press release’s spelling and punctuation multiple times. To check for spelling and grammar mistakes, have one of your teammates proofread it sentence by sentence. or use a qualified proofreader.
Grammar, use, or spelling errors are embarrassing for you, your employer, and the customer you represent. Include the person’s whole (and actual!) name when quoting them. In the real world, it operates in this manner.
Example #4
What Is Wrong With This Press Release?
This was a PR pitch that Prowly Magazine got. Why is this pitch flawed? The title is ambiguous to start with. Second, the author constantly brags about her accomplishments, connections, influences, etc. The media doesn’t want to know about you. They are interested in the benefits to them. Why should they publish your story or cover your pitch? What are they going to gain from it? Thinking like a journalist or the magazine you’re pitching to is a crucial press release writing tip.
Example #5
Why Are The Issues?
It appears to be a blog post rather than a press release narrative based on the release’s title. It needs to have specified that Chef Mina assembled ten variants of the traditional Mexican treat. The headline is disorganized and fails to inform the reader that the discovery of the ten different Chilaquiles varieties has been made.
In addition, only Chef Mina is mentioned in the story. Nothing about her restaurant, which was bragged about in the headline, is mentioned. The body should support and expand upon the headline rather than deviate from it.
Even the writing is disorganized and clumsy. Every paragraph needs to have a context, and it needs to come after the one before it.
Main Points
- Always follow the press release format. Being careless with the format demonstrates the writer’s lack of professionalism.
- The address should be on the right side of the copy, with the dateline at the top.
- Create a catchy headline that accurately summarizes the press release.
- Avoid using exclamation points and trite, overused words like “cutting edge,” “creative,” and “exciting” in your headline.
- Instead of making statements distinct from those in the headline, the body copy should support and expand on them.
- Before submitting an idea, determine whether the incident is newsworthy. Don’t make news out of anything unimportant. The façade is transparent to readers.
- Always finish with a well-written boilerplate or “about us” section that establishes the legitimacy of your business.
Bottom Line
It may seem not easy to write a press release. After all, it affects how much media attention you receive. Thankfully, it’s not a complicated science. Now that you’ve seen five of the worst press releases you have hopefully learned a thing or two about what NOT to do. Adhere to the fundamental components of a well-written press release, and you’ll be OK.
Featured Image: Megapixl © angelocordeschi
