Have you got your pencil case at the ready and your school shoes polished for a brand new term at our public relations academy? If so, let’s get started on how the UK’s leading B2B technology PR agency writes a headline grabbing B2B technology press release.
Regardless of the supersonic speed of breaking news tweets these days, the role of the humble press release has never been really usurped. It still remains one of the most important tools at your disposal as a marketing and public relations professional in B2B technology communications. Not only does it provide companies and clients with a strong format to present their news to the world, but it can also be used on their websites and various social media platforms.
When drafting a press release, there are four basic rules to follow.
1. KISS – Keep it short and snappy
When announcing something new in retail tech, telecoms, broadcast technology and many other niche sector titles, your press releases should be short and to the point. Use simple, straightforward language and be mindful when using industry jargon. Concise sentences will make it easy to read and understand – An ideal sentence length should only contain 8 to 10 words, anything more than 25 words and readers start to nod off.
2. All hail the headline
Make sure to grab the reader’s attention from the second they open their email. A strong headline (and, for that matter, an effective email subject line when you send out the pitch) will pull in journalists seeking good stories. Your headline should be as engaging as it is accurate. Keep the reader engaged with a captivating first paragraph and you are on to a winner.
3. Answer the right questions
When you write a press release, you need to answer the following questions: Who, what, why, where and when, and each one should be answered in the first paragraph. The how can be addressed in subsequent paragraphs.
Who – Who is involved (you, your customer, your partner etc.)? What – What is the news hook that is going to interest the reader? Why – Why is this important (to the rest of the world – not just your company or client)? Include hard numbers where possible to give weight to your story Where – Where is the news happening/taking place? When – When is this happening? Or has it already happened? How – How did this come about?
4. Write with your audience in mind
A press release should be written in the style of the target newspaper/radio station/social media/online channel, so it connects with the audience. The content should be accurate and not biased towards your company or client, product or particular point of view (it is not the job of the journalist to amplify your story – there should already be a legitimate news angle in the release itself).
For those that simply lack the time to put these tips into practice, where better to turn to than media relations agency, Whiteoaks, where our expert team of B2B content creators and writers have decades of experience in journalism and technical writing across B2B tech and consumer technologies, and across a huge variety of industries. For more information, please contact us and we would be happy to discuss your requirements.
Class dismissed!
