Press releases should be part of your overall communications strategy.
Is your business currently using a consistent press release template? Most businesses can generally be categorised into two groups: those that sell products and those that sell services. Though nowadays the lines are getting blurred between what is a product and what is a service.
Whether your business is a service provider or product producer, you need to inform your clients and potential clients of everything new that your business has to offer.
Writing and distributing a press release is one of the most efficient ways to announce your new product or service 
offering. With many different media – online, social media, bloggers, newspapers, magazines, specialty magazines and even newsletters, you can tap into several avenues and distribution networks for your press release.
Anatomy of a press release template
First, let’s have a look at the different elements of a press release (or any news announcement).
- Headline – This should summarise what you are announcing – whether it is a product or a service. It has to be interesting and attention-grabbing enough to make readers and the media notice your news. Remember, your press release will compete with hundreds of others. You have to make it stand out.
- Kicker – This is usually the phrase or text underneath the headline. This could be optional, but if you have an important idea or feature that will not fit into the headline, use a Kicker to highlight it upfront as well.
- Dateline – This is to identify the place and date where the news is happening or where the press release is being issued.
- Lead paragraph – Usually highlights the most important thing or feature of what you are announcing in the press release. It needs to be interesting and informative for the reader and the media. You can treat the lead paragraph as the summary of your announcement.
- Body of the release – This is where you write down all the relevant and major details of your announcement. You can write the benefits, features, how the product works, availability and other information about the product that will make the reader/buyer interested to buy it. You can also include background information, statistics, research findings and other items that will make your news release interesting and informative.
- Contact details – Include your contact details to make it easy for the readers or the media to get in touch with you in case they want to get more information about your announcement.
Sample Press Release
MoneyFit launches new finance monitoring app – HEADLINE
Mobile service tracks every cent you spend – KICKER
Sydney – DATE: (DATELINE) MoneyFit is launching its newest mobile app that will help users track their expenses down to the last cent. (LEAD PARAGRAPH)
The app, which runs on all smart phones and mobile devices, will make it easier for people to monitor and stick to their budget.
The finance monitoring app is being backed by many institutions including the big banks as part of their money and wealth education campaigns.
You can include details here about the problem many people have about sticking to their budget, over spending and the lack of planning regarding their finances. Then talk about how the money monitoring app can help them solve those problems.
Use statistics and data to show some budgeting trends or consumer spending patterns. These are always helpful in giving more weight to the story.
Include some quotes from the company that is launching the app or the developer behind the app.
You can also include some background information on how the app came about. What prompted the development of this app? Side stories can add to the ‘colour and flavour’ of the article.
Add more details here about the benefits of the apps.
Closing paragraph here
- ENDS –
Contact details:
For more information or additional details, please contact MoneyFit on:
Contact person
Email
Phone and mobile phone numbers
Other company details
This is only a basic template that you can use as a guide or to help you get started. Of course you can always improve on it by re-arranging items depending on their importance or whatever you want to highlight on your news announcement.
The thing to remember is to write your press release in a way that will capture the readers’ attention and will make them read further up to the end of the document. Also important to consider that whatever your service or product is, you are trying to solve a client or a buyer’s problem, so think about how your product or service can help your target audience.
If you need any help with press release writing or if you have any question on this article, feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help. We can explore press release ideas to highlight and to tell the story about your company, your products and services.
