A press release is a quick and easy way to gain more publicity. It’s an effective way for your local paper, TV or radio station to hear about your upcoming school project. Writing a press release for your school project shouldn’t be difficult. Once you realize there is a standard pattern you can follow, you’ll be spreading the word about your project in no time.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you’re writing a press release for your school project:
The Five W’s
The most important elements of your press release are the five W’s: What, when, where, who and why. It’s always best to put these W’s on your first and second paragraph. That way, people will instantly get the essence of your school project.
Here’s an example:
“St. Joseph’s Academy will be conducting a book drive from February 1 to February 21, 2017, at the school’s auditorium. The books collected through this drive will be given to the trauma-stricken kids of The Children’s Shelter.”
Once you’ve established the five W’s, you can further flesh out these details on your second and third paragraph. Expand how you intend to carry out your school project, who the key individuals involved are, and so forth.
A Killer Headline
Your headline is the first thing that people will read. You want to make it count by coming up with a brief yet compelling one-liner that will drive them to learn more about the project.
Write your press release like it will be the front-page article of a newspaper. You must make it sound newsworthy because that’s what journalists like. Moreover, use an active tone to engage your readers better. Avoid “be” verbs because they’re a lot less impactful.
Here’s an example:
“Student-Led Book Drive Helps Traumatized Children in Texas”
Remember: Even if the headline is the first item on your press release, we strongly advise that you write it last. Once you see your story as a whole, that’s the best time to come up with a newsworthy title.
K.I.S.S
When writing a press release, keep it short and simple. Those who are going to read it won’t have the time to indulge in long sentences or paragraphs. Getting straight to the point betters your chances of more news outlets to talk about it.
Come up with brief and clear statements. Try to keep your paragraphs short using only one to two sentences. This makes your press release easy to scan through and understand.
For example:
“Nearly 35 million Americans have experienced one or more types of trauma. The majority of these children are now suffering from various psychological conditions, like PTSD. The school’s book drive aims to help these children by keeping their spirits alive and hopeful.”
As for the length of your press release, try your best to put submit a one or a two-page article. Anything longer may make it less interesting to the media.
Include significant figures and quotations
It’s always helpful to give your press release a human touch. One way to do is to include significant figures and/or quotations. This evokes emotion as well as gets your message across in a much more powerful way.
For example:
“This annual book drive has given hope to children who’ve gone through the worst of experiences,” school principal Dr. Peter Jones said. “We couldn’t be more proud of our students who have committed to this cause.”
Don’t forget your contact information
An oversight among press releases is the absence of contact information. This is crucial, as this is how journalists will get back to you should they desire to learn more. Furthermore, this is how you will know whether your release was published or not.
Whether you or someone is the point of contact, be sure to include all the necessary details such as your name, email address, school address as well as a phone number. Be sure to place these details on the top or bottom of your press release.
Provide access to more details
Since we encourage you to write short press releases, you may find it difficult to share more information. The good news is you can always provide more details by including links to your school’s project.
Make it easy for the media to access more information about your school project. Keep that interest alive by guiding them quickly and efficiently. Never let them do their research themselves because chances are, they won’t.
A press release must provide both information and insight. Keep these tips in mind the next time you write a press release for your school project. We wish you the best of luck!
