7th September 2008
Seomul Evans

Very little is more distracting and uninspiring than poorly-written press releases. After all, if a consumer is considering purchasing your product or service, he wants to know that you are competent and capable. If your press is sloppy or unorganized, you're probably not going inspire a lot of confidence in your ability to provide a stellar product. So here are 6 tips for writing top-notch press:

1. Grab 'Em At the Beginning

You heard it in fourth grade: a good report answers the 5 W's: who, what, when, where, and why. The same is true for a good lead. It should be able to stand alone as a news item that will grab the attention of a potential customer and make him want to read more. Tell them whatever they need to know in the first few sentences, but make it enticing enough that they'll want to continue on.

2. Read As Many News Stories As You Can:

You know what grabs your attention and makes you sit up and take notice. That's the kind of press you want to write: something flows well and that's going to make someone else take notice. The more you read good copy, the more you'll be able to imitate it in your own writing. Observe that good copy remains objective, states facts simply, and draws attention away from the writer and to the product.

3. Always Use Third Person

Even though you're writing about your own product, your copy should sound as though it was written by an objective third party. Using the third person makes the information sound more credible and unbiased.

4. Cite All Opinions

In the same way that you want to write copy that sounds as though it came from an objective third party, you also want to attribute all opinions to an expert. If your copy simply states that "XYZ company has created the most advanced widget of its kind," there's no reason for a person to believe you. But if you attribute the claim to a business outsider, or even to an expert within the company, you will sound more credible.

5. Make the Inverted Pyramid Your Friend

All budding marketers learn early on about the inverted pyramid, which basically says that all of the most vital information in the release should appear at the top. As you reach the bottom of the inverted pyramid, the information becomes less and less important. But shouldn't you keep your reader in suspense? Not always. If the editor has to cut your eight-paragraph story down to four paragraphs, the most important information will still be there. And if the editor is pressed for time and only gets to read the first few paragraphs of your press release, she'll still include the most important stuff.

6. Eliminate the Roadblocks

Nothing stops a journalist in her tracks like poorly written copy. She knows that your only intention in submitting a press release is to sell yourself and your company, no matter how objectively your copy is written. So don't ruin her willingness to suspend her disbelief by reminding her that your intentions are purely selfish. Here are the three most important roadblocks to be aware of:

? Using Trademarks: There's no better way to scream, "I'm not objective!"
? Flowery Language: Never confuse press releases with advertising. Never claim that you are the best, the brightest, the biggest, or the fastest. If you must, back up your statements with quotes from experts either within or without the company.
? Complicated Language: Use simple phrases, avoiding lots of commas and conjunctions. Only use words that you'd use when talking about your service or product with someone face to face.

Anyone can write a press release. But writing a good press release takes skill and practice. Maybe you're interested in honing those skills yourself, but if not, you can always use the services of a internet marketing expert to help you improve your copy writing capabilities and get the business you're looking for. 

Seomul Evans is an Internet marketing and SEO services expert: http://www.seo-1-marketing-services.com  http://www.internet-marketing-cafe.com   http://www.seo-marketing-guide.org