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Lisa Shepherd

that readers will receive, not the features you can boast
about.

4. Use bullet points. Readers (and especially editors) have
to digest a lot of information quickly, and bullet point lists
help them absorb data faster.

5. Keep it short. A standard press release is no more than
two pages.

6. Have a standard company description. Create a
single, benefit-focused paragraph that describes what
your company actually does. For example, instead of:
“SecuriCo is a leading private security company”, try:
“SecuriCo provides professional, private security solutions
that help industrial companies protect their properties”. If
an editor doesn’t know what your company does by the
first sentence, they’re not interested.

7. Keep it time-sensitive. Before issuing a press release for
a product announcement, ensure that your company will
be able to offer the product/service within the identified
timeline. If you’re unsure, don’t send it out—a press
release that promises something you can’t deliver leaves
a terrible impression.

8. Post your press releases. They can be posted very
cost-effectively on sites like PRWeb, and of course, on
your company’s website. If you do this, make sure that
you put news up regularly—there’s nothing worse than
visiting a website and seeing their last news update was
in 2009.

9. Send to publications. Send press releases to relevant
trade publications or directly to the editors of online
sources. Make sure to follow up with a phone call—the

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd