Does Your Press Release Writer Matter?
Does Your Press Release Writer Matter?
Who you pick as your press release writer does matter. Just because someone is exceptional at web copy or even web articles does not make them a press release writer. There are a few writers, like myself, who are prepared and experienced in all areas of writing, but the majority of writers, however, are not. So when it comes to the spreading word about your business enterprise to the media you need an individual who thinks like the media.
Your first goal in finding a press release writer is to make sure they have years of solid experience. Ask for examples of past releases and look for particular facets within those releases.
For example, editors hate releases that sound like advertisements. I’ve worked in newsrooms and I know companies that post news that reads like a page long ad is immediately trashed.
A good press release writer will do their best to make your company fascinating so that editor reading it will do one of two things - run the feature as/is or contact you for an interview.
But you need to remember that editors are very subjective. An editor reading a press release from an owner named Bob might be in a bitter divorce with her husband of the same name. Poor Bob, the commercial enterprise owner, has little chance of getting his P.R. into that paper because Ms. Editor thinks anyone named Bob is a lying weasel like her ex. That sounds totally crazy, but it really can be THAT subjective.
As always, proficiency plays an influential role in a successful press release writer. Of course a writer needs good writing skills, and a remarkable hook but press releases should also be arranged decently. The media can be rather particular when it comes to how a press release is structured. So know the 5-Ws of journalism and prymiad structure and exercise them. If that sentence makes no sense, save yourself the time and trouble and just hire an experienced press release writer.