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People usually thing of a press release as a bland announcement sent out to newspapers. Some people think it's simply a communication tool that is designed to hype things and consider it a mere formality. What a press release can do is boost traffic, create backlinks and get new customers if it's correctly handled.

The Basics of Writing an Effective Press Release

1. A press release is not a sales letter; it is an announcement about the launch of a new product or service. If there is no announcement to make, then you must consider pushing back your press release to a later date when you have something concrete to announce.

2. Hype in press releases is a no-no. A good press release gives the facts about the new product or service, nothing more. Avoid flowery language when writing a press release.

3. The headline is the hook of a press release. Without a good headline, a press release can have great content and be overlooked. There must be an element of drama created in the first paragraph that will cause the person reading to want to read the second paragraph. It must include the what, why, when, where and who in the first paragraph of the press release.

4. Content in a press release must always be newsworthy. It may be picked up the national media services and become part of a bigger story, so you need to write it like it is going to a large newspaper.

5. The press release should be informative and interesting. While you can focus on your product or service, it should be part of an overall newsworthy content and not an advertisement for a specific product. When looking at your final output, try to think of how it will be interpreted by the reader.

6. Keep all cliche statements out of the press release.

7. Avoid stale headlines such as "New Website Offers 10% Off"; instead work around the forte and USP of your product/service and hammer that message in.

8. A good press release explains how a product or a service satisfies a need, and then backs it up with testimonials.

9. Press releases are known for being factual, devoid of fluff and without any exaggeration. Keep the adjectives to a minimum when writing and state facts.

10. Use dynamic, peppy language, but don't use slang. The press release must be written in an active voice.

11. Don't make your press release too verbose, just KISS (Keep It Simple & Savvy).

12. Don't use upper case letters and follow the rules of grammar.

13. When writing your press release, keep in mind that you will need to summarize it. All PR websites publish press releases in total, but for their listings use your summary. Be very clear in the summary and push benefits for reading further.

14. Develop a strong resource box that talks about you or your website and carries a link back to it.

These were some guidelines for writing a good press release. Follow them, and you'll come up with a cracker that will get you hits, publicity and therefore more sales. Good luck!