Anatomy of a Press Release

Does the prospect of writing a press release bring you back to a scary time in high school English class? It shouldn’t! A press release is one of the more manageable pieces of business writing. Good releases are brief, to the point, and include one or two background facts. The below is the skeleton of a standard press release:

Press releases also serve a purpose beyond earning media. They are an excellent format for sharing organization news, applauding a donor or other partner, and announcing new hires. Create an archive on your website that is easy for those looking for old press releases to access. Sometimes a press release is the only living record of an organization’s significant milestone. This is helpful for staff writing annual reports, grant reports, appeal letters, etc. Press releases are also beneficial for would-be donors researching how effective your cause is — consider them the trophies on your trophy wall.