Free Sample Press Release Template
Free Sample Press Release Template and Press Release Writing Tips
This free sample press release template can help you with basic formatting issues as you learn how to write a press release.
When it comes to learning how to write a press release, two key points to work on are learning how to write "for the media," and learning how to properly format a press release. While there are many sample press releases with subtle differences, successful news releases share the same basic components. The free sample press release template below will show you those press release components, with instructions, descriptions, and press release writing tips.
Begin sample press release template
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Headline of Your Press Release Goes Here (Your headline should follow case title capitalization rules, and generally fall in the 80-120 character range, especially if you plan to distribute your news release online. Is should give the essence of the news contained in the release, without blatantly trying to act "cute" or "catchy." A solid news angle is catchy in and of itself.)
This is where you should include your press release summary, especially when using online press release distribution, as many distribution services require one. A press release summary should be approximately 1-3 sentences long, and should give the reader more details on the news, and at least a mention of the company or person distributing the release. If you opt for print distribution (such as via fax), you can substitute a subheading for the summary if you prefer. My preference in my PR firm is to italicize a press release summary, to differentiate it from the body text, although it's not required.
City, State - January 27, 2007 - After you've listed the release date and hometown in your dateline, you should begin the intro paragraph for the body of your press release. Press release paragraphs should be short, and no more than 3-4 sentences in most cases. Your intro paragraph should very basically answer the questions of who?, what?, when?, where?, and why?
You should try to add at least one solid quote into your news release, preferably from a company executive or the person actually sending the release. A quote can be broken down into multiple parts, and is often the most ideal way to mention the individual's expert status or credentials in the topic area of the news angle, as well as mentioning their company, website, and live URL for online distribution and PR SEO efforts. Only use quotes for information that needs to be quoted, such as needing the clout of an executive behind it.
As you continue writing the body of your press release, you should keep thinking like a journalist. Write with an inverted pyramid style, where you would present your most newsworthy information first, and work your way down to the less significant supporting facts. Remember that you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of a journalist. Any information that won't help you do that should be reserved for later areas in the press release body.
About Company XYZ
After you've given all of the necessary information pertaining to your news angle in the body of your news release, you should add an "about" paragraph commonly known as a boilerplate. A boilerplate is often identical on every release sent out by a company, and serves as a means of providing journalists with additional, and more generic, background information about the company or individual sending the press release.
For more information about Company XYZ, or this particular news angle, please contact Your Name at Your Phone Number. (If you distribute online, you might not want to include an email address here, as it can subject you to spam. Many distribution sites will protect your email address from harvesters, and some don't allow them at all in the body area of a press release.)
Contact Info:
Your Name
Your Title
Company Name
Phone: 555-555-5555
Email: your.name@yourcompany.com
Web: www.XYZcompany.com
(You can include your mailing address as well, but it's not often necessary.)
### (This mark, among others such as -30-, tells the journalist that they've reached the end of the press release, and there aren't any additional pages to come.)
For more information about press release writing, read Press Release Writing Tips.
