Journalists are by their very nature highly skeptical people who are required by law (believe it or not) to ensure that what they report is factual. Every day hundreds, if not thousands, of press releases (PR for short) cross the desks of journalists from around the world.
Of the few that get more than a cursory glance, many are dismissed because they don’t answer six very basic questions. If your PR answers these six questions, you will find that journalists view you much more favorably.
Question 1: Who
This is a very important question because journalists need to know whose press release it is. They also need to know who did it. Any good PR will include a quote from someone within the company (ie you). Journalists are social creatures and they like to deal with people by name … so give them one!
Question 2: What
Whats the matter, then? What is your PR promoting? Why did you send it to him? Journalists need to understand what has happened that is newsworthy to understand how to use it within their organization.
Question 3: When
You have to tell people when what you are promoting in your PR happened (or is going to happen). You can also, if it is a big event, tell journalists when the PR will be published.
Question 4: Where
Where did it happen? A location always helps because then the local media can pick up your press release. Local media centers are always looking for something exciting and interesting with a local angle, and so the “where” can often mean that you get coverage from the local media, which is a good start!
Question 5: Why?
Why has it happened? Why is this newsworthy? Why should anyone else care? These are questions your press release must answer in order for it to be promoted and accepted.
Question 6: How
This is the big question that is important and this is how it happened.
These are six very important questions for public relations to answer. Whenever you write a PR, make sure all of these six questions are covered and answered in full and you have a much better chance of your PR being caught and driving you to massive amounts of traffic.