SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE
COMPANY LETTERHEAD
Contact: Your Name
Your Phone Number
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HEADLINE: HOW TO PREPARE AN EFFECTIVE NEWS RELEASE
YOUR CITY, STATE, Date – The most important element in a news release is the lead. Ideally,
the first sentence, or the lead, should explain who, what, where, when and sometimes why. The
lead sentence should be less than 25 words. It must contain the news. Supporting details and
additional information should follow in order of important, termed “inverted Pyramid,” but
should include all essential and supporting points.
Write in the active voice as opposed to the passive voice using, if possible, action-oriented
verbs. Short, simple, punchy sentences work best. The news release format is typically double-
spaced without hyphenating words at the end of a line or the bottom of a page. Use only one side
of the page and indent each paragraph. If your release is longer than one page, type “(more)” at the
bottom of each page, and place a page number at the top of each continuing page. At the end of the
release, insert and center the end marks: ###.
Present the information in a straightforward and factual manner. Avoid hype. Words such
as revolutionary, dramatic and starling are overused. A news release is not an ad or a marketing
flyer. If you wish to characterize the product or event, it should be done in the context of a quote.
Releases should have a contact and telephone number at the top of the page. The contact must be
available after the release is issued. If the release is issued late in the day, include an after-hours
number.
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