5 (More) Tips for Writing Knife-sharp Press Releases

A few weeks back I wrote a guide on writing press releases, 5 Tricks for Writing a Killer Press Release, that ended up being a popular piece for the site. It's always exciting when I write something that catches with you all, and I'm glad to help improve your business (that is what I'm here for after all). I thought today would be a good time for a follow-up piece, so if you're (still) looking to improve your company's P.R., here are five more pointers for writing clean, pointed and effective press releases:

1. Use Direct, Simple Language as Much as Possible
In my last post I talked about trimming up your headlines so they're as clear and concise as possible. Still good advice, but really the rule should be applied to the whole of your release, not just the headline. Keep your sentences easy to read by using simple, short verbs and adjectives. Avoid using jargon and industry slang unless your intended readers use such terminology commonly. If a sentence seems too long and complicated, it probably is. Break it up into pieces, rewrite it, do whatever is necessary to make sure you're expressing yourself clearly and quickly. Example:

"Alagash Tennembaum, a particularly dapper and handsome-tastic sales wizard, has finally leapt on board Marketer Squad 6, bringing his sassy, sometimes-nonsense business acumen to our company's 13-star growth strategy."

... is awful.

"Alagash Tennembaum has recently joined the Marketer Squad Six Family. Fun-loving and experienced, Alagash will no doubt excel at fulfilling our company mission of serving our customers in a friendly, caring and intelligent manner."

... is much better.


2. Avoid Empty Adjectives and Phrases
"Important." "Interesting." "Vital." There are a handful of words and phrases out there that, while commonly used, mean almost nothing by themselves. Telling your reader that something is "important" means nothing unless you also explain the why of its importance. Compare these two sentences: