Some people say that writing a press release can apply the rules of descriptive writing. This is principally wrong. A press release is a statement written to be distributed to the media. Commercial organizations in the main issue these statements to announce acquisitions and mergers, or introduction of new products. Some points to consider include how to write a convincing headline, body text, and the tone of the press release.
In the main, a press release has a distinct part that gives information about the company which generates the statement. In this it is advisable to follow the rules of descriptive writing. Remember that the difference between promotional writing and descriptive writing is that the latter should be as objective as possible.
Make sure to put brief headline in which it should convey the key point of the statement. Journalists like headlines that ‘grab’ their attention, just like all other readers. So write the headlines in bold and use a font that is larger than the font of the body text. Headlines are written in the present tense and the ‘a’ and ‘the’ are excluded. It may be a good idea to use some of the most important keywords of the article in the headline because this will increase the chances of the news report getting visibility in search engines.
Present the information in such a way that the readers find it relevant. Merely following the rules of descriptive writing will make it a bland narration of facts and events. Mention facts about the projects, goals, services, events, and products in a fascinating manner. The easiest way to make sure that the press release has all the relevant information is to convey the H and the 5 Ws: how, and who, when, what, where, and why. Since editors and journalists are always overburdened, keep away from using jargon and never repeat anything in a press release.
Include the company’s name, the complete address, the email address, the telephone and fax numbers, the name of the contact person, and the company’s website since the journalists may wish to seek more information or interview the people involved when they are interested in the press release.