A press release needs to be newsworthy. It should be important news that grabs the attention of the reading public. Even though you want your press release to lead to more fans, that shouldn’t be your focus. The press release’s primary purpose is to deliver a newsworthy story about your band to readers.
The headline needs to be in bold to catch the reader’s attention. Simplicity and creativity are essential; they can make the difference between music lovers skimming the release and actually reading it. The headline should summarise the information in the press release, but in an exciting and dynamic way. It should be centred and in bold.
Don’t submit just background information. Don’t write an advertisement. If it turns out like an advertisement, rewrite it.
Choose an authentic angle for your press release.
New music is released every day. The public needs to know what makes your music worth listening to. What is different about your music? Whatever sets your music apart from the rest of the industry, keep it exciting and to the point.
The body of the press release should give further details about your event. Uniqueness grabs readers’ attention. The press release needs to stay positive, because it can significantly influence music lovers’ opinions. Use quotes to gain credibility, from band members and people associated with the band – but you must get their permission first. The press release should be no longer than one page; otherwise, you risk losing the reader’s attention.
A Good Press Release Answers These Five Questions
- Who
- What
- When
- Where
- Why
Who Are You Trying to Reach?
To write an effective press release, you must know your target audience. It is vital to target the media when writing your press release. Journalists will often use a press release as source material for a fuller feature. The journalist is not someone you’re initially trying to get to listen to or buy your music. A journalist is looking for news to fill a need. You need to target the media outlets that will give you maximum impact.
Things to Avoid
- Embellishment and stories that sound far-fetched. These can damage your credibility.
- Hype!!! The exclamation mark (!) is your enemy. Credibility can be damaged if you use lots of hype (ntsi.org).
- Clichés, redundancy and flowery language.
- The passive voice. Always use the active voice.
Press Release Presentation
- The headline should be written in title case. This means the first letter of each word should be capitalised, except for words of three letters or fewer. Don’t end headlines with full stops.
- Use mixed-case letters; otherwise, your press release is likely to be overlooked.
- Correct grammar is essential. If there are too many errors in your release, editors will reject it.
- Include a summary paragraph. Make sure this paragraph doesn’t repeat information you’ve already given.
- Don’t use logos or trademarked names unless you have permission to do so.
Include Your Contact Details
- Name
- Role (if not a band member)
- Web address
- Postal address (optional)
- Phone number (optional)
- Any information needed for liability reasons
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