How to Use a Press Release Template
The Press Release Worksheet that follows covers the general information that should be gathered before you attempt to write a press release. The Features Versus Benefits and Product Positioning worksheets you completed in Chapter 1 should provide some of the information you need here.
You now have the basis for writing comprehensive press releases. Gather your completed worksheets (Features Versus Benefits, Product Positioning, Company Positioning, and Press Release) and review the press release examples provided earlier in this chapter. Next, skim the press release models that follow and select the one that comes closest to your situation, then use your word-processor to open the file and customize it to meet your needs. Now that you’re informed and prepared, you can create your own effective press release.
Press Release Models and Templates
The following are samples of press releases for a variety of purposes. Each release file on the diskette includes both the “model” of the press release and the corresponding “template.” You can choose one of these samples to use as the foundation for your own press release, then use your word-processor to edit either the model or the template (whichever seems easier for you to work from).
Product Upgrade Press Releases
If you are announcing an upgrade to your product, that’s news. You should write a press release that announces the new features and benefits. When preparing to write a product upgrade press release, complete the Press Release Worksheet first, then answer the following additional questions:
o What is the major enhancement?
o How will this benefit the customer?
o What are the other new features and benefits of the upgrade?
o (If applicable) Can current users get the upgrade? If so, how and at what cost?
As you write your upgrade press release, be sure the headline and the first paragraph focus on what is new and how users will benefit. (If applicable, a subsequent paragraph should explain how current users can obtain the upgrade.)