Free Press Release Template

Writing a press release doesn’t have to be pain staking.

Here’s our free press release template in a Microsoft Word document.

Now that you have the template, here’s our advice on how to make the most of it:

Write for Your Audience

Press releases aren’t exclusively for your customers; they’re for bloggers, journalists and news reporting websites. Bearing this in mind, you’ll want your release to stand out and be engaging as you’re writing in the hope that someone will find it interesting and publish it. If your press release is written as a sales piece, it’s going to be ignored.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

The very first paragraph in your news release is the most important. It’s the one that sets the tone and informs the reader about your main news story. The first few sentences should be strong, communicating your message quickly and concisely. The rest of your press release should provide the finer details. Remember that bloggers and journalists can see dozens of press releases every week so you only have seconds to grab their attention.

Find Your Angle

The digital media are always looking for a good news story. Your press release has to be more than just fact, it needs to tell a story and be newsworthy. The key to writing a successful release is to put yourself in your audience’s shoes – what do they want to read? If you can tie your press release to a current trend or event, then all the better – your audience needs something to grab on to. Find a great hook and you’re already half way there.

Who, What, Where, When and Why

A good press release needs to address all of the “W” questions listed above and provide your audience with useful, engaging information about your company, product, service or event. As mentioned already, if your press release reads like a sales pitch, crumple it up and throw it in the bin.

Why Should Anyone Give Two Hoots?

Is the launch of your new company or new management structure really that interesting to Joe Public? Probably not. So you need to drive home the importance of why it’s unique. Pay attention to the uniqueness of your news and explain what makes it different.

Add the Personal Touch

Always relate your news to the real world. Explain exactly how your company identified a problem and came up with a solution. Write about how your new product or service fulfils a need or enhances productivity. Well-timed press releases are particularly engaging, especially if you can relate it to a current issue in your industry.

Give Jargon the Heave-Ho

The most effective way to communicate your news is to use simple, plain language. Of course, you’ll probably have to use industry jargon at some point, but try keeping it to a minimum. Industry related terms are only understood by other people in the same line of work as you – remember that your press release is aimed at a general readership.

Add Your Company’s Biography

Make sure you add a section detailing your company history or start up story. This is where you can explain what your company does and what services you offer. This section can be particularly useful for putting your press release story into context.

Don’t Forget Your Contact Information

Very often, once a blogger or journalist reads your release, they’ll want to talk to you about it. Only having your website URL as a contact just doesn’t cut the mustard. As a minimum, you need to add a contact name, an email address and a telephone number.

Just in case you missed it at the top of this post, here’s another chance to download our free press release template.

Need someone to write you press release for you? Check out our press release writing services.