Press Release? Don’t dismiss it please

A Press release is an announcement coming from a company or a service organization. While those who issue press releases should keep this in mind, those at the “receiving end” must (yes, must) also look at it in the same way.

Often Press releases serve as a kicker to a major story that can be unfolded in the near future. For instance, if a Press Releases says, a CEO forum has an cautious optimism over the slowing of Indian economy, it gives the journalist an opportunity to b rush up his knowledge bank. The release, with a host names of participants gives enough ideas to media persons to contact them for his or her future stories, participation in industry related stories and features for supplements.

I for one, when I was an active journalist, grab all the releases that would come to my agency, keep important contact numbers in my phone book. Many of my colleagues would often borrow my phone book for contacting people for reactions on major announcements, RBI surveys etc.,

Here are some tips for those who write Press Releases:

• Please remember that a Press Release is what one would like to read in print, in a newspaper.
• It is not meant to be used as an ego massager for your boss or client.
• Sometimes you can be a bit nasty, by showing similar ‘ego massager’ from competition and ask your boss/client if he would like to read the stuff in print! His reaction would be “bull shit”!
• As I have always been telling my clients the size of wastepaper baskets (you may call them dust bins!) is ever increasing. And if your target is those bins, then you may have a field day!
• A Press release should be brief, and to the point. Journalists do not have time to read through your research document, however well written it may be, just you do not have time to read through every news item in its entirety.
• State the most important point first.
• If you have to make an announcement about India winning at NSG, you do not have to begin the release by saying that the nuclear impasse in India began many years ago with the Left parties opposing the deal!
• Nobody would like to read your essay, not even your child!

So, be a reader before you become a writer!