How do you begin writing a Press Release, what story should you tell to attract readers and journalists to keep talking about you?

It's time to put your creative hat on to think about angles you could use. The idea is you want to position yourself as an expert in your field, that you know what you are talking about and your business is worth writing about.

So, for example, let's take a company that produces swimwear for children. The company wants to increase awareness of their business. They produce swimming costumes for babies and young children which keep them warm, swim nappies, buoyancy aids within swimming costumes and the swimwear also includes a protective SPF50 in the material to protect against swimwear.

Taking this as an example, the company would want to have their product featured in:

• Baby and parenting magazines – there are at least 10 monthly titles on the market.
  
  
• Baby and parenting sections of the national newspapers – all papers run some sort of parenting section weekly.
  
  
• Parenting websites – countless.
  
  
• Regional press – there's a huge number of regional family orientated press available nationwide which welcomes news and products to feature.

Typical PR Angles for the Swimwear company:

Your Press Release is like an article for a journalist to use a basis for his work. You would be providing an angle for him to use. By showing him you know what you are talking about then positions you as an expert in your field. This may lead the journalist to then write a bigger feature on your subject area, but making it objective he may use different quotes from people within the industry. And hopefully you would be one of them! Here are some examples:

• Advice on why young children should wear protective swimwear with SPF50 in the material, why children's skin is so delicate, what could happen to children's skin without the protective layer, research on skin cancer, when it should be worn.

• When can babies start to swim? - using the swim nappy and protective warm layers in the swimming costumes, ensure that baby is warm and snug. Why is it important that babies need to be warm in the water? What happens if they don't keep warm? How do the swim nappies work? Your press release would look into these angles and give reasons why to provide information for the journalist. Perhaps you could add any research information or statistics.
  
  
• Buoyancy aids – you could angle the piece on why they are required in swimming, what is different about this product than others on the market, any awards the product has, any stats or research you have on children who have successfully swam with buoyancy aids – you could provide case studies for the journalist to use and feature.

Hopefully this article will give you the confidence to apply similar rules to your business model.    I find a good way to get started is a large glass of red and a doodle pad!!

If you'd like someone to manage your PR campaigns, or perhaps you'd like to undertake some PR Coaching, go to Get in the Press, or  contact Julie Sherwood julie@getinthepress.com.

"Julie Sherwood is extremely well-connected within the media and is tenacious and proactive in her pursuit of press coverage. She is also able to work and deliver to tight deadlines, and is always someone who can be relied upon"  - Antonia Wilkinson, Head of PR, Penguin Group.

“If professional PR is what you are looking for, then you have come to the right place by hiring Julie. Julie is warm, friendly, patient and took the time to familiarize herself with my business and the result was a very professional engaging PR. Thank you ever so much Julie” 
Sherene Murray, Tee's Caribbean Recipe Kits.