Writing a B2B press release isn’t rocket science, but writing a good one can be challenging. The average journalist or media outlet can get up to thousands of press releases a day. For this reason, a press release needs to be outstanding to get the proper media attention. If done correctly, a press release can open a business up to endless opportunities.
Some common objectives for using press releases include: getting media coverage, building a brand’s reputation, managing a crisis, building backlinks from trusted media sites, and having a cost-effective way to promote and market an organization. Whatever the reason, press releases are still a significant part of any company’s media outreach strategy.
Basic principles of a good press release
Before creating the different elements of a press release, companies need to do some research so that they have a clear idea of what they want their press release to look like.
1) Audience
Regardless of how the press release will be presented, it should target a specific audience. While the main target audience for a press release is journalists, it’s possible for potential clients to stumble upon it on their own. Companies should therefore create their press release with this knowledge in mind.
Content creators need to consider who reads the publication or website they are targeting for media coverage, how much they already know about the business, and how their story is relevant to their target audience. It is essential to visualize who could be interested in your story and highlight the relevant details.
2) Have an exciting story
Every company has a story about why it was born. Consumers tend to gravitate towards companies that have a solid brand message that resonates with them. When you’re writing a press release, you should know what your audience cares about most. This way, you can write your release in a way that retains their attention.
For people that do not have experience creating such content, it can seem like a daunting task. With the help of PR professionals, companies can produce unique, informative content that is concise and entertaining at the same time. PR agencies like Pressfarm help startups and entrepreneurs with all their public relations needs at a reasonable price.
With the information provided by the company, Pressfarm’s PR experts and writers create everything from email pitches to press releases and press kits. With their PR packages, they also provide access to their PR database of over 1 million journalists and media professionals so that companies can find their perfect media match. They also help increase release online visibility in relevant search results across major search engines.
3) News story with facts
While a press release can be considered at a company’s announcement to the world, it is technically considered a news story, and it should be treated as such. To achieve success, a press release should be written from the third-person perspective and kept objective. All the information presented should be verifiably accurate. If not, it can ruin both the company’s reputation and that of the journalist. Remember, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.” If a company cannot provide content that is unique, important, entertaining, and factual, they shouldn’t say anything.
4) Copy and paste
Copying and pasting is an absolute no-no when trying to pitch to a journalist or media outlets. However, it helps to provide information that can be easily copied and pasted when they are creating a story,
To help with that process, companies can copy the journalist’s style or the style of the publication they are writing for. They should pay particular attention to punctuation, vocabulary, and spelling to fit their target media’s professional style. Companies should also ensure that the information a journalist needs is easy to find and is short and sweet.
How to write a B2B press release
It’s true that content should be unique and creative to the specific brand. Even so, a B2B press release should follow this recommended structure in order to generate media coverage.
1) “For Immediate Release”
This should be the first call to action on a press release. When a press release gets distributed, there needs to be an exact date for release. Companies should indicate whether the media professional should distribute their content immediately or whether there a specific date would be more effective.
2) Headline
The headline is an essential part of any press release. It should tell the company’s story in just a few words in a way that is relevant to the target audience. It should be concise while also capturing the reader’s attention.
3) Introduction
The first paragraph of any press release is crucial. It should provide a summary of the rest of the press release. This paragraph can make the difference between a journalist stopping in their tracks or moving on to the next story in their inbox. It is highly recommended to provide solid facts without adding too much marketing or promotional information. To retain a journalist’s attention and prompt them to keep reading, the introduction should only communicate the most important points.
At this point, a journalist, media outlet, influencer, or target audience decides whether they want to take on the story. Remember that your story stands a higher chance of being published if it provides audiences with factual and entertaining content rather than merely promoting the products or services of your company.
The Inverted Pyramid is the best format to follow when trying to put the most critical information first. In this format, the most important information goes in the first paragraph and the rest of your paragraphs are arranged in order of decreasing information.
4) Body
The body is supposed to provide additional information and build on the introductory paragraph. The 2-3 paragraphs in this section should elaborate on the news story, and explain why the story is relevant to the readers. The body should also clearly state the purpose of the news release, and include information about the company providing the news.
5) Company Information
Any information about a company should be provided in the boilerplate section which comes after the body of your press release. This should be a brief, comprehensive overview of the company’s operations and policies.
6) Image captions
If companies opt to add images to their press release, they need to include captions for each image. Each separate caption should have a title and company copyright if necessary.
7) Useful quotes
Adding quotes from essential team members can help build authority and establish a company as a thought leader in their industry. It also makes it easier for journalists and reporters to pull content directly from the press release and use it in their stories.
8) Contact information
The contact information provided should be specific to the particular press release and the audience it is meant for. If a company already has a PR or marketing department, they should provide this information. If they are just starting out, they should give the contact information for the person who has assumed responsibility for communicating with the press.
The contact details should include: the company’s official name, local contact person’s name, contact person’s title, company’s office address, telephone numbers with proper country codes, mobile telephone number, email address, and company website.
Press release templates
Pressfarm has developed a variety of press release templates:
1) Standard Press Release
CONTACT INFORMATION:
[Company Name]
[Contact Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
RELEASE DATE:
[Date]
[MAIN PRESS RELEASE HEADLINE {*ALL CAPS*}]
[Optional Subhead {*Title Case / Italicized*}]
Dateline: [CITY, STATE, Month Date] — Lead: [Briefly and explicitly state the information you need to share. Include who, what, when, where, why, and how and lead with the essential information.]
Body paragraphs: [Background information, rich quotes, etc.]
[Boilerplate]
[Call to Action]
While all press release content should be unique to the brand, the standard press release template outlines all the essential information for a press release. This template also gives room to include relevant details and accommodate all the unique aspects of the company and their industry.
2) Launch Press Release
CONTACT INFORMATION:
[Company Name]
[Contact Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[{Company} Announces the Launch of {Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc.}]
[City, State] – [Company/Corporation] is excited to announce the launch of [Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc.], a [description of Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc.] that will [basics of what this Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc. will do]. The official launch date for [Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc.] is [Date].
[Company/Corporation] believes [Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc.] will [further details about the Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc.] impact functionality, etc.
[Product/Publication/Campaign/Etc. launch details: marketing, events, etc.]
[A rich, informative quote from someone related to this launch]
[Boilerplate]
This template offers companies an effective way to announce a launch formally. Whether they are launching the whole brand or a new product/service, the entire point of a launch press release is to attract new customers. For this reason, you should spend extra time doing your research so that you can understand your target audience. When writing a launch press release.
3) Email Press Release
CONTACT INFORMATION:
[Company/Individual]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Headline about Your News, Event, Product Launch, Etc.]
[City, State] – [Basic outline of what this news release covers]
[Provide more information on the previous paragraph, including links to any relevant websites or other pieces of content marketing.]
[Embed or include a link to a video or other multimedia related to your piece of news.]
[CTA, such as a free trial or request information]
[Boilerplate]
Conclusion
Press releases are an essential part of any company’s media outreach strategy. They have the potential to boost a company’s media outreach efforts and help them capture the attention of the press. It’s true that the content of a press release should be unique to each specific brand. Even so, there are specific things that must be included to provide all the essential information and make a media professional’s life easier.
Whether they decide to create content on their own or with PR professionals’ help, companies need to make sure that their press releases stand out from the competition and connect with their target audiences. By doing this, brands can earn media coverage and drive attention to their products/services.
How Pressfarm can help
For an entrepreneur, media coverage can determine your success or failure. At Pressfarm, we help companies define the right narrative in the media for their brand – either to improve their credibility or resolve a PR crisis. If you are an entrepreneur wondering how to improve your company’s publicity, get in touch with us. We can help you to craft and distribute your press releases, develop compelling guest posts and design eye-catching media kits for your brand.
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