LESERSERVICE Die 10 wichtigsten Dos und Don`ts für perfekte

LESERSERVICE
(Quelle English@Work 03/2008)
Die 10 wichtigsten Dos und Don’ts für perfekte Pressemitteilungen So wecken Sie das Interesse von Journalisten
Journalists get hundreds of press releases every day. Therefore it is extremely
important to write as professionally as possible– to attract their attention.
Below we have listed the key points for good press releases.
1. Write tomorrow’s story, not yesterday’s
Journalists are interested in the future, not the past.
2. Keep to the journalist’s deadline
Find out what the deadlines are and send your press release on time. Your chances
of publication are better if the journalist has enough time to do some research on your
subject.
3. Check the accuracy of your information
Journalists will take you more seriously if you prove you are a reliable source. So
check and double check all information you give out.
4. Be available
Since you want to encourage the journalist to write a story, make sure that he or she
can reach you for further details.
5. Use your target group’s language
Smaller local papers often publish press releases without changing anything. Find
out if that is so. If this is the case, modify your information and language.
6. Be as concise as possible
Considering the mass of press releases a journalist gets per day, yours should not be
longer then one DIN-A4 page (350 words or less)
7. Find an eye-catching headline
Your headline and the first paragraph (the lead) should give the bare bones of your
story.
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8. Add further information
On a second page called “Notes to Editors” you can add interesting but nonessential details.
9. Make a follow-up phone call
This way you can find out if the journalist has received your press release. You can
also encourage him or her to pay more attention to your story.
10. Don’t hype
Journalists are sensitive about superlatives. A press release is not an advertisement
Stick to the facts and don’t use too many adjectives or adverbs to add colour to your
facts.
Mustertext: Pressemitteilung
Press Release
Easter Tasting and lottery of the Bonn Jelly Bear Company (headline)
The Bonn Jelly Bear Company (who) is preparing for its 2008 Easter event (what): On
Saturday, 15th March, from 1:00 to 5:00 p. m. (when) the company’s team of monster-sized
Easter Bunnies will hop around on Muensterplatz (where) and offer their candy to all visitors
and their families. (lead)
Easter is the time of the year when the Bonn Jelly Bear Company presents its new line of
candy in the traditional shapes of rabbits, eggs and baskets, all filled with the newest tastes
of Jelly (why).
Families who stop by with their cameras and take pictures of their kids together with these
famous bunnies as an Easter present for the grandparents can try the brand new chocolate
and cream jelly eggs. Hidden in one of the candy wrappers is the number of the day’s
Jackpot: An Easter ride in a hot air balloon (how).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TIPP:
Der Hinweis FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE sollte nicht fehlen, ansonsten kann es passieren,
dass die Pressemitteilung auf dem Stapel “später erledigen” landet.
In one of our next issues we will show you how to write press releases for the internet and
how to optimise them for search engines.
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