I’m bored. Zzzzzz.

Zzzzzz.

What is my motivation in this scene? You want publicity. I want an easy story. Let’s party.

You want publicity. I want an easy story. Let’s party.

You need a good media release media release Journalists like them.

Journalists like them.

Media releases should be about events What have you done that’s newsworthy? Don’t sell me your product. Sell me a story that will interest my readers and please my editor. We heart research.

What have you done that’s newsworthy?

Don’t sell me your product. Sell me a story that will interest my readers and please my editor.

We heart research.

Media releases follow a simple formula 1. Headline 2. Introduction 3. In-depth text 4. Quotes 5. Boilerplate

1. Headline 2. Introduction

3. In-depth text

4. Quotes

5. Boilerplate

Use a headline “Raptor.com claims top web search term of 2008” “Raptors want easy access to internet, meat: research”

“Raptor.com claims top web search term of 2008”

“Raptors want easy access to internet, meat: research”

One line Keep it to less than 10 words Don’t try and be too smart Summarise the story

One line

Keep it to less than 10 words

Don’t try and be too smart

Summarise the story

Introduction One quick paragraph that captures the imagination What is the point of your press release?

One quick paragraph that captures the imagination

What is the point of your press release?

Use quotes “This presentation is faultless and mind-bogglingly awesome,” said co-founder Kathryn Small.

“This presentation is faultless and mind-bogglingly awesome,” said co-founder Kathryn Small.

In-depth text Absolutely no more than four short paragraphs about the product and the technology behind it. Talk about the tech: we like to look smarter than we really are

Absolutely no more than four short paragraphs about the product and the technology behind it.

Talk about the tech: we like to look smarter than we really are

Be contactable “For more information, contact co-founder Kathryn Small on 0400 100 000 or [email_address] m ”

“For more information, contact co-founder Kathryn Small on 0400 100 000 or [email_address] m ”

Write in the third person “Raptor.com is a website for the modern raptor.”

“Raptor.com is a website for the modern raptor.”

No more than one page!

Spell-check It’s free.

It’s free.

Be memorable Use pictures, stories, invitations, gimmicks

Use pictures, stories, invitations, gimmicks

No fancy designs Simple and minimalist are the only valid styles.

Simple and minimalist are the only valid styles.

Send Word documents Lest ye be dragged into the Great Formatting War

Build up a list of media contacts Journalists, bloggers, key users

Journalists, bloggers, key users

Take these contacts out for coffee After you’ve sent a press release, invite some journalists out for coffee to talk about your product. Don’t be insulted if they didn’t read your press release.

After you’ve sent a press release, invite some journalists out for coffee to talk about your product.

Don’t be insulted if they didn’t read your press release.

Be warned. If you invite a journalist somewhere, they will expect you to pay.

Be warned. If you invite a journalist somewhere,

they will expect you to pay.

How can I help you promote yourself? What questions do you have?

What questions do you have?