How to do a good business write in your Press Releases

A press release is often the best way of promoting your business. Well, you can't really call it promoting, because when you read guidelines to writing press releases, you will understand it is a different kind of a business write-up. The first thing you should know about a press release is - It is a kind of news releases, which is acted upon by journalists.

Straight to the point - In the past, I have seen some press releases, which are straight in-your-face kind of advertising material. On the other hand, I have seen some press releases being submitted to top PR directories like PR Newswire, that have tens to thousands of errors. Gets me to think - Do people even know how should they be writing press releases?

When the answer, I found was a vehement No, I get to write this. So read below, if you wish to write press releases, and good ones at that.
1. Start with a bang - Pay close attention to your headline and opening para. If the headline does not grab the reader's attention, probably your press release won't. Open strong and you win half the battle.
2. Cut the junk stuff - So, all you advertisers and hardcore sellers - Writing press releases may just not be your cup of tea after all. Don't write press releases with an eye to sell or promote your product. Your press release should talk only of news about your company and how it can benefit people, in general.
3. Watch the words - If you don't have time, journalists have even lesser, and trust me, when people read newspapers, they just don't read it fully either. In such a label-go-lucky world, you obviously want people to read what you wrote. Value your words. No point writing 1000 word fiction novels, as people would in all probabilities end up trashing it.
4. Exclamation points - People think it is fancy using ! in press releases. Definitely not, and what are you anyways getting excited about. Reserve this for the articles at best. Even if you wish to use them in your Press Release, use a single ! mark. Don't use (!!!!!!!) or something like that.
5. Finally have your company boilerplate at the bottom of the Press Release. Even if your release is good, it would go waste if you don't tell people how to contact you.

These really are the basics of writing press releases. In my next article on the subject, I will talk of a Sample press release template and the common mistakes you should avoid in a press release. Until then, happy press releasing!!!! (I can use this because it is an article, not a PR)