Writing Your Own Press Releases? How to Get In the Right Mindset
When writing a press release, it’s quite different than other forms of content. True, it’s a marketing piece. However, it’s also a news piece. And because you have a goal for the press release, there’s a bit of a copywriting mindset that’s required as well.
It’s a lot to manage, which is why press releases are considered one of the more difficult types of content to write. There are actually five mindsets and viewpoints to consider. Let’s take a look at them.
Audience Perspective – Why Should They Care?
Who are you writing your press release for? Presumably you have an audience in mind. It’s probably your prospective customers and target audience. Taking a look at your idea for a press release, and put yourself in your prospect’s shoes. Why should they care about the information in your release? What is the hook for them? Where is the value? Spend a few minutes considering your information from their perspective before you begin writing.
Journalist Perspective –What’s The Unique Angle?
Journalists have a job to do as well. If you want your release to get picked up by the media, make sure you’re considering it from their perspective as well. How are their readers? What about your information will they find interesting? What unique angle can you bring to the story to grab the attention of the media and provide value to your audience and theirs?
Goal Oriented
Don’t ever sit down to write a press release without a goal in mind. It sounds harsh but it’s the truth. If you’re not sure why you’re writing a release, don’t write it. Get clear on your goals first. Write them down and then approach your release with a direction.
Creativity
Writing a press release requires you to think outside the box, so to speak. You need to get a little creative and consider how your information can be presented in a new and different manner. If getting into a creative mindset is difficult for you, try going for a walk or listening to a bit of classical music first. Both have been shown to be effective for establishing a creative mindset.
Detail Oriented
While your first draft doesn’t need to be detail oriented, when you return to edit it’s important to be discerning. Look for spelling and grammar issues but don’t stop there. Look for ways to improve clarity, sentence structure, and flow. You may edit your release several times before you’re satisfied.
Before you sit down to write your release, make sure you’re able to focus. Clear your head and remove all potential distractions. Set aside a small amount of time, no more than an hour, to work on your release. Once you’ve finished, or your hour is up, walk away from it. Do something else before you go back to your release. You’ll be able to approach it with a clear head and a fresh perspective.
