Types of Press Releases
If a tree falls in the forest but no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? The business equivalent of that brain teaser might be: “If my company launches a new product but no one knows, does it make any money?” The short answer to that second question is no, probably not. That’s where marketing and promotion come in. A successful public relations campaign often begins with a press release. Think of press releases as your brand’s megaphone to the world. Of course, there are many different uses for press releases, but the most frequently used ones are:
- Event Press Releases
- Product Launch Press Releases
- Awards and Honors Press Releases
- NonProfit Partnership Press Releases
- New Hire Press Releases
Event Press Release
As the name implies, you’ll use this type of press release to publicize an event that your company is holding or sponsoring. You may have a few goals for your event press release.
You may seek media coverage of your event, especially if your company is unveiling new technology that is especially relevant to the times. A good example of this might be a new telemedicine option for healthcare providers in 2020.
Be sure your press release explains exactly what is new and relevant. You’ll want to target your press release to the media outlets that are most likely to cover your event.
A word of caution here. Don’t inflate your event to get attention. It will backfire on you every time. If you can reasonably expect 10,000 people at the event, don’t try to impress a reporter by promising 50,000 attendees.
You may also want to let the public know if they can get involved with your event. Maybe you’re raising money for charity with a dunk tank at your office. Be sure to include that info in the release.
Secrets of Success for an Event Press Release:
- Lead with the most newsworthy aspect – is it the speakers? The cause? A special announcement?
- Include the 5 W’s in the first paragraph (who, what, where, when, why)
- Add clear RSVP/registration information
- Highlight any photo/interview opportunities for media
- Include any relevant hashtags or social media handles
- Add quotes from key organizers/speakers
- Mention past successes if it’s a recurring event
- List any major sponsors or partners
- Provide parking/transportation details if applicable
- Include a brief “About” section for context
Product Launch Press Release
You can effectively deploy a press release to unveil a cool new product. Be sure to emphasize the features of the product in the release to capture the attention and interest of reporters.
Include all the details like the date, time, and location. Mention a few expected activities. For example, you might let reporters know your CEO will personally demonstrate your company’s new treadmill.
You don’t want to bury your audience in too much detail, but you don’t want to leave out key information either. An event press release without a location won’t get you much media coverage. In fact, that’s one of the biggest mistakes companies make when sending out a press release.
Secrets of Success for a Product Launch Press Release:
- Start with the problem your product solves
- Use concrete stats and data to show market need
- Include specific pricing and availability info
- Add quotes from beta users or early adopters
- Highlight your most unique selling points first
- Include high-res image/video links
- Mention any patents or proprietary technology
- Compare to existing solutions (tactfully)
- Add relevant industry research/context
- Include clear call-to-action for purchases/demos
Awards and Honors Press Release
A press release can be a great way to let the public know about your company’s accomplishments. Recognition by an outside organization is immensely helpful in establishing your credibility.
If the award or honor is industry-specific and not something the general public will be aware of or understand, target your release to media organizations that cover your business.
Some awards are big enough to warrant general news coverage. The Oscars, the Tonys, and the Emmys are well-known and worth promoting to a larger audience.
Secrets of Success for an Awards and Honors Press Release:
- Lead with the award’s significance/prestige
- Include quotes from judges or award committee
- Provide context about the selection process
- Share specific reasons for winning
- Add stats showing company/individual impact
- Include past achievements for context
- Quote both leadership and team members
- Mention future goals/initiatives
- Add info about other notable winners
- Include ceremony/presentation details if applicable
Nonprofit Partnerships Press Release
This kind of press release allows you to showcase your involvement in the community or with an organization that is focused on the greater good. If your company has developed a Corporate Social Responsibility program, your press release can highlight some of your initiatives.
For example, perhaps your company has formed a team to join a local cancer walk and set a goal of raising $10,000 for the nonprofit organization. Or, maybe your CEO will join the national board of directors of a prominent charitable organization.
This kind of press release is also a wonderful opportunity to promote your employees’ involvement in community outreach. If your staff is collecting donations for a local food bank and then delivering everything to the charity, by all means, send a press release to let the public know about it.
Secrets of Success for a Nonprofit Partnerships Press Release:
- Start with the partnership’s community impact
- Include concrete goals and metrics
- Add quotes from both organizations’ leaders
- Share specific program details
- Highlight how others can get involved
- Include donation/volunteer information
- Add relevant success stories
- Mention similar successful partnerships
- Include both organizations’ missions
- Share timeline and key milestones
New Hire Press Release
This is another example of defining your audience before you send the press release. Let’s face it, most new hires simply don’t warrant media coverage or have any real interest for the general public.
However, most local business publications will be interested in the comings and goings of executive leaders, the so-called “C” suite. You can write and distribute a press release to announce the hiring of a new CEO, for example. This might be especially newsworthy if your new CEO comes from another well-known company.
In this type of press release, you can include background information on your new CEO, where she has worked, and what activities she’s involved with outside the office. Be sure to include her priorities for your company. You can include a quote from an executive at your company articulating why this new hire is noteworthy.
Secrets of Success for a New Hire Press Release:
- Lead with why the hire matters for company growth
- Share specific achievements from their past roles
- Include quotes from both the new hire and CEO
- Highlight their unique expertise/perspective
- Mention any industry recognition/awards
- Add context about the role’s importance
- Share their vision for the position
- Include relevant board positions/affiliations
- Add educational background if notable
- Mention if it’s a newly created position
Secrets of Success for any Type of Press Release
Now that we’ve shown you the secrets of success for each of the major types of press releases, it’s important that we give you a few more secrets that help any press release, no matter its type, succeed.- Keep paragraphs short (2-3 sentences max)
- Include multimedia whenever possible
- Add social media handles/hashtags
- Write a compelling headline
- Include boilerplate about your organization
- Add clear contact information
- Proofread multiple times
- Time the release strategically
- Follow AP style guidelines
- Keep overall length under 500 words
Timing and Targeting
The best types of news releases still won’t accomplish much if you’re not careful in who you target and when you send it out. Journalists are bombarded with press releases every day, so it’s important to make yours stand out and reach the right person.
If you’re launching a new navigation system, it doesn’t make sense to send your release to a reporter who only writes about cooking. Send your release to reporters who specialize in technology, the auto industry, or manufacturing.
You might consider using a newswire service to distribute your press release. These types of services can reach more people more quickly than you can. They can also target specific reporters or publications.
Believe it or not, the timing of your release is important too. For example, if you send a press release on a Saturday, it might not be seen until Monday. And by Monday, it’ll be buried under everything else that came in over the weekend.
What Are the Types of Press Releases? Now You Know!
As you write your press release, remember to write for the very real people who will be reading it. Stay away from corporate jargon and acronyms that people outside your company or industry won’t understand.
What are the types of press releases? We hope this article has provided some answers.
If you’re looking for support with distributing your press releases, then please contact us to learn more about the services we can offer you.