Instant Interviews: 101 Ways to Get the Best Job of Your Life

Chapter 53. Writing a Press Release

You'll read it again in the most exciting places!

There are times when you need more than an instant bio (Do 52).

Those times are:

• When you're doing something newsworthy

• When the release is for a specific event

The press release is not just a general fact sheet. It's focused.

You send it to TV stations, radio stations, newspapers, and news-letters.

You can usually use your letterhead. However, if you want a third-party look, like it's from a publicity or press agent, print out a letterhead using only your initials. That makes you an exclusive agent for y-o-u.

Centered at the top, in caps:

PRESS RELEASE

Like your bio, your press release should be one page double-spaced. Unlike your bio, it needs a headline.

That's easy. Just consider your focus. A current speaking engagement? Your latest promotion or recent award? That's where you start.

Your headline, in bold, no period:

Tim Harland to Speak to Valley Chef Society

Leona Patterson to Coordinate Chamber Mixer

Then move on to your accomplishments. Here's how you might do that.

Mr. Harland has 10 years of experience working with some of the most highly rated chefs in Connecticut.

Leona has worked as an events coordinator for high-profile conventions in Dallas for five years.

Did you notice something here? Right there in the Leona release. Events coordinator is not upstyle (Events Coordinator) the way it would be in a resume. It's downstyle (events coordinator).

That's how publications like it. AP (Associated Press) ...