Designing a Press Release
Greetings! This is a collection of notes I made for personal reference, it seems so invaluable I thought I would share with you. (Unfortunately while not thinking clearly I didn’t catalog where I got all of this from, but am certain it was a more than one source, so if any of this is your intellectual property, feel free to contact me and I will adjust the blog post as needed, otherwise enjoy sharing the know-how) Kudos :-)
The music is ready for its public debut - now you just need to know how to write a press release. When you write a music press release, you need to "get in and get out" - in other words; you have to communicate all of the necessary information in a clear and engaging manner without overstaying your welcome with the reader.
Identify What You're Promoting
Focus is your friend when it comes to press releases, and it helps to have a clear goal in mind. What do you want the people reading your press release to do? Do you want them to write about your new release, your upcoming shows, your Battle of the Bands win...you get the picture? Choose a very specific promotion goal to build your press release around.
Beware being vague. Sure, essentially what you are always trying to promote is yourself - you want to get the word out about what you're doing now, so people will be interested in what you're doing in the future. However, even megastars don't JUST promote themselves. They are the subject of profiles and interviews when they have new projects coming out - and those new projects are the focal point.
In other words, sending out a "hey, I just started a band" press release isn't going to be very useful. You're looking for a "hey, I am playing five shows at these venues in support of my recent album" press release.
Find Your Hook
And you thought you were done narrowing your message. Not quite yet. Once you know what you're promoting, look for the hook that makes your project a good story.
So, you're releasing an album. That's excellent - but so are many, many, many other people. Why is your release (or tour or what have you) the one that should get the press love?
If you're thinking, "hmmm, well, I've got nothing" - you're wrong. You've just got to find it. Did someone on the album play on another release of note? What about the producer? Did you raise money to fund the release by mowing lawns? Did you write all the songs while training for the Iditarod? Did you quit a job at the IMF to record the album? Find your story, so you can then present it as a story worth telling.
Who: INDE
What:
Where:
When:
Why:
How:
Write Your Intro Paragraph
Much like the first paragraph of a news story, the first paragraph of your press release should cover the whos, whats, wheres, hows and maybe whys of whatever you're promoting. Look at it like this - you want someone who decides not to read past the first paragraph to still know the basic information they need to know about your project. Of course, your first paragraph should also give someone a reason to WANT to keep reading, but even if they don't, they should still walk away from this intro knowing who you are and what you are promoting.
Keep it short and sweet. Go for a few punchy sentences.
Write Your Second Paragraph
It is where the meat comes in. In your second paragraph, add some color to your project. Obviously, what you include in this paragraph depends very much on what you're promoting, but for instance, describe the music - comparisons are always a little tricky, but a few comparisons to other artists give the reader at least a frame of reference. Highlight the reason why your story is unique. List your tour dates. Use this paragraph to give information that a member of the media could use to tell your story. In other words, your first paragraph tells them "Artist X is doing Y." The second paragraph might give them "Artist X is doing Y because of Z."
Paragraph two will be longer than your intro, but remember to keep it tight and on point.
Write Your Closing
The final paragraph is the easiest part of your press release to write.
Tell the reader how they can get more information and promotional copies (if applicable). That means you should include the email address and phone number of the person in charge of handling press inquiries. Also, include links to the website and the social networking platform used most often by the artist (if applicable). That's it!
Browse Press Release Templates
To get more help formatting your press release, visit Press Releases 101. In this guide, you'll find templates for putting together press releases for albums, tours, and news as well as guides to writing band bios, one-sheets and advice for timing your press release.
Tips
Keep It Short
If at all possible - and in 99.99999% of cases, it IS possible - your press release should not exceed one page. If you seem to be going over while you're writing it, don't sweat it. Just keep writing until you get out all of the information in your head. Then, go back and start cutting.
Opt for Telling It Straight
Creativity in press releases is to be applauded. However, remember that a press release is essentially a sales pitch. Not only can trying to be too cutesy come off as cheesy to the max but getting caught up in the creative can sometimes obscure your message. If you have to choose between going all Kafka and going all news copy, go for the news copy. Be sure your main points are crystal clear before throwing in those obscure references and the like.
Dig Hard for Your Angle
If you had any idea how many people write about entertaining their parents by singing into a brush when they were kids in their press releases, you would be shocked. Spend some time thinking about what makes you unique. After all, you're competing for coverage with other musicians. Most of them love music, too, and most of them have a long history of loving music. Loving music is a beautiful thing, but it is not what sets you apart from the other musicians promoting projects. Instead, look for interesting things about the recording process, your work history, your tour plans and schedule[…]”
Congratulations on reading this! Feel free to share your info with me.
Sincerely,
~ Julianne