How to Write a Compelling Press Release for Your Event
Press releases still have a lot of sway in the PR communication field. So whether it's for an upcoming conference, a product launch, or a recently-held award ceremony, a press release can help generate that buzz around your event.
However, with countless press releases flooding journalists' inboxes daily, the only way to ensure you reap these benefits is by making your event press release stand out. In this article, I will offer guidelines on how to write a compelling press release for your event. Let’s dive right in!
1. Define Press Release Objectives
Before you start writing a press release for your event, it is crucial that you understand its purpose.
Your ultimate goal in writing a press release, of course, is to publicize your event. But you might have other objectives in mind. For instance, you might want to encourage event attendance or announce the success of your recently-held event. Maybe on the side, you also want to be featured in specific publications.
Your objectives will determine how you’ll write your press release. For instance, if you want to encourage event attendance, the core message of your press release will be the 5Ws and 1H of the event and the benefits participants can expect. If you want to be featured in mainstream publications like the New York Times, you’ll want to emulate their serious style of writing.
2. Include Key Elements and Follow Proper Structure
To fulfill your press release’s objective, you should be able to grab and retain readers’ attention to the end. One way to achieve this is through great structure and content that communicates the key highlights of your event.
Focus on the exciting details that hook readers and generate curiosity.
Check out the example below. Notice that the press release highlights the fact that the Kringle Market is the “first-ever” to be held by Flounder’s Brewery. That small detail is what will get people to continue reading the press release.
Also, include a brief but informative event description in your release.
Include the names of your guest speakers or performers as well. The mention of certain key event speakers could be enough to gain the reader's attention and even boost attendance if the event hasn’t been held just yet. See how this release incorporates those details:
The other key details that will add credibility and boost interest in your event are quotes and testimonials. For direct quotes, use statements from people with authority, like the CEO, CFO, or event organizer.
Finally, you should also provide your contact information to make it easy for journalists or media representatives to reach out if they have inquiries. Include the name of the designated press contact, their title, an official email address, and a working phone number.
Check out how you can do this below:
But how do you organize all these elements to ensure you grab journalists’ attention in the first place?
Your media contacts are more likely to take your release seriously if it adheres to a professional journalistic style. The style generally requires your content to follow the inverted pyramid structure, shown below.
The inverted pyramid structure outlines that you should start with the most important details, then gradually provide additional details gradually. By following this structure, readers can get the key message and event’s value immediately, compelling them to read through the entire content.
The truth is writing a press release can be difficult. This is where good PR services come in handy. Experienced professionals won’t only help you craft the perfect press release. They can also help you get published in the publications that matter. After all, they already have a PR network they can leverage.
3. Use the Correct Writing Style and Tone
Since the main target of an effective press release is journalists who will share the news of your recently-concluded event or your upcoming event, your writing style and tone need to follow their publications’ guidelines.
If one of your press release objectives is to be featured in a specific publication, just check out the publication. See how the published news articles there are written and follow the style and tone. Or check if they have specific PR guidelines in this area.
But if you have no specific publication in mind, the general rule is that your press release should be written in a professional writing style and tone.
That means that readers should be able to easily understand your event details. So, keep your language concise and engaging. Avoid technical jargon or industry-specific terms that may alienate some readers. If you really need to use technical language, just define the terms.
Finally, don’t resort to excessive self-promotion. Instead, maintain objectivity by sticking with facts and figures. For instance, if you want to publicize the success of your annual event, don’t just say it was a “huge success.” Back up your conclusion with facts. So you can mention the many event attendees you had and the positive reviews they gave, for example.
4. Edit and Finalize
You don’t want your press release getting attention for the wrong reasons. An error-free release actually speaks to your professionalism.
So before you share your release, read through it. Use Grammarly or other spell-check tools to check for grammatical errors and typos. Ensure your content flows smoothly, too, and that the structure follows a logical sequence. Also, check for any repetition and unnecessary details that could hinder clarity.
You’ll want to fact-check your press release as well. Take note of your event’s basic details. Is the event date correct? Did you write the correct address? Don’t forget to fact-check people’s names as well. Did you spell your speakers’ names correctly and write their proper designation?
If your goal is to get published in a specific publication, check that publication’s writing guidelines again. Make sure you have the right tone and writing style. Different news outlets may also have different guidelines on content formatting and file type. They may even specify what your press release’s word count should be.
Green Network, for instance, only considers press releases with a 400 to 600-word count.
You’ll want to check your press release against all these guidelines, too.
As a final tip, note that journalists appreciate a release with relevant media assets such as an event poster, high-quality photos, and videos because these make their work easier. So when sharing your event release, it’s good PR practice to include these attachments. Ensure they’re relevant to the event and match the general tone and purpose.
For instance, if your event is a product launch, include images of your product. If it’s an annual event, you can share photos from previous successful events and include captions or descriptions to provide context. Just make sure these captions are also accurate. You want to make sure you match the right caption with the right image as well.
Once you’ve proofread your release, you can now send it to your media contacts list. Use an email finder to look for the contact details of other media publications or journalists you don’t have.
In Closing
Crafting a compelling press release for your event is a key PR strategy. Whether you’re promoting an upcoming event or announcing the success of a recently held one, a press release can help generate that buzz around it.
But you still need to write your event press release the right way. You learned tips on how to do this in this article. Start by defining your press release objectives. Then, include relevant content and ensure it follows the inverted pyramid structure. Don’t forget to write in a professional style and tone, and, finally, proofread and edit your release. If you can, include visuals with the appropriate captions in your press release prior to sharing.
By following my tips, you’ll be able to write the perfect press release for your event that yields the best results. Good luck!
Author: Chris Norton
By Chris Norton, Founder of award-winning B2B specialist PR agency Prohibition, social media podcaster, former University lecturer, author of “Share This Too” and his social media training blog which is listed in the UK's top 10 PR and social media strategy blogs. For tons of digital PR tips, you can follow Chris here @chris_norton.
