Today we share some easy steps to create a press release, a constantly evolving but recurrent piece in the fashion communication field.
A press release serves to inform, persuade, or communicate something specific the brand needs to publicize to its audiences.
A press release is a common fashion communication material that Public Relations managers or Brand Communication Managers use frequently to keep the media updated about brand news, product launches, and relevant information.
Thanks to social media networks, information’s speed has increased lavishly through the internet; in this ever-changing context, the traditional format of the press release needs to adapt and be flexible to gain a wider reach.
What, for Who, and Why Is This Relevant?
The first aspect you need to be aware of is what type of information you want to communicate. Whether it is launching, a piece of breaking news, a new collaboration, or a position appointment, you need to know for sure what you are promoting.
Second, you must define the press release objective; what do we want to achieve with the spread of information? Sometimes the brand wants to get media coverage, other times just to give journalists a scoop. Your communication objectives must be aligned with the expected reaction you are looking for in media outlets.
The third aspect to consider is to think through the relevance of the information you are releasing. Journalists receive hundreds of emails in a week. We must evaluate if the information is worth the click or is it better to publish it on your social media account.
How to Write a Press Release
Press releases are used independently or as a part of a media kit available when a journalist requests brand information.
When mailing a news release, it is convenient that the document is presented on the brand’s stationery. The letterhead must have your company’s logo and contact information.
However, some communication managers place the contact information at the end of the page, including contact person, email, telephone number, and the mailing address, including the headline “FOR MORE INFORMATION”.
It is recommended that you find a specific graphic format for press releases; this way your audience will be aware immediately that the text is a corporate message. Margins for a news release should be one to one-and-a-half inches on all sides.
On the heading, type “NEWS RELEASE” or “PRESS RELEASE” in big letters -you can use 24-point boldface type- and include the date and location of the release. Below that, you should highlight the impact of the information; if it is urgent, you should type “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”.
You can leave about two inches between the headings and the headline. The headline in a press release is a statement, written in present, or in the recent past tense. The headline must generate media interest and summarize your story’s main point. Feel free to include your brand’s name in the headline and brand keywords if applicable.
After the headline comes to the full text. You can double-space it for better readability. The text should describe the information concisely in one page (the recommended structure) or at most two; more than two pages in a news release is considered off-format. If your press release is more than one page, type “more” or “over” at the bottom of the page. This indicates that more information follows.
A newsworthy story should convey the “who”, “what”, ”where”, and “when”, resembling the lead in a newspaper article. As for the recommended format, you should write your press release as an inverted pyramid. This written structure places the most important information at the beginning of the story,then,the less and least significant information follows.
As a communication manager, you must use past tense verbs to attribute quotes in a press release. Also, be precise, objective, and concise, avoid promotional language or vague statements.
Lastly, proofread to eliminate spelling and typing mistakes; now, you are ready to send your press release to your targeted audiences. Give the press release a follow-up, and always respond by email or by telephone quicker as you can. You would not want to miss an opportunity to be published.
Do you want to learn more about this topic? Find more in the Master in Fashion Marketing program.