The One Trick You Must Follow When Writing a Press-Release

If you just wrote a book, or have a new product, chances are that you want to put out a press-release. And chances are the reason you want to put out a press-release is because you want to generate sales for your new book or new product. But if you want people to pay any attention to your press-release, listen up! I have a secret to tell you. There is one trick you must follow if you want your press-release to get any attention.

The trick is, don’t let on in your press-release that you are after sales. Make your press-release sound like all you want to do is report the news about your new book or new product. Or new website, or some award your company just received, or whatever it is.

Why is this important? What’s so terrible if people realize that your press release is trying to drum up business? The answer is, everyone is sick and tired of advertisements! Everyone is sick and tired of hype! We’re all bombarded with it day and night. How do you feel when you see the likes of “New revolutionary product X-will help you lose 20 lbs a week!…”, and “Get our ebook for just 35 dollars and you’ll be on your way to riches…”? Well, all of your potential customers feel the same way. If you want to make your potential customers click X as soon as they take one look at your press-release, all you have to do is make your press-release look like an advertisement. The minute you sound like you’re saying “Buy my book,” you risk the effectiveness of your press-release.

Of course you want to convey in your press-release that your book or your product is good. But you must do that without sounding like a commercial.

How do you let everyone know what a great product you have without sounding like a commercial? Well, number one, avoid adjectives that yell ‘hype.’ Adjectives such as great, fantastic, one of a kind, and so forth. Also, avoid explanation marks or use them very sparingly. Certainly never use more than one exclamation mark at the end of a sentence, like this!!!

Instead, in a matter of fact tone, simply tell what benefits people may get from your product. And don’t make the whole press-release talk about benefits. Talk about other things in your press-release that readers would find interesting.

For example, suppose you wrote a book about how to lose weight in a healthy way. When you write your press-release, don’t say “This is the greatest book on earth-read it and you will lose weight in no time.” Instead, make it interesting by telling people why you wrote the book. Tell them how you were getting disgusted with all the unhealthy diets people are trying. Then go on to describe something about how your book is different. But when you do this, remember never use the word ‘I.’ Always write in the third person.

Let’s say your name is Larry Jones. Your press release might sound something like this:

…, but when Larry became weak and almost fainted after trying one of those fad diets, he got disgusted. He realized people need proper information about health and weight-loss. That’s when he began what became five years of intensive research into diet and exercise, resulting in his new book …

This is how you can keep people interested in your press-release, speak of the benefits, and sound like you’re just telling a story, without sounding like a commercial.


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