How To Write An Announcement

Your PLANetizen announcement can be anything you want to publicize -- a press release about your organization, a request for proposal (RFP) or request for qualification (RFQ), an event, an announcement about a new report, or a request for information. If you decide that you want to let the planning community know about your organization -- for example, an award, a new client, a new service or product -- you will likely be preparing a press release.

Some examples of typical press release topics:

• Announcements of new products or services, or of changes to existing ones
• Beginning a new and noteworthy planning project
• Receipt of an award, or presentation of an award to others
• Expert opinions about legislation or current events
• Good news about a company, such as an important new client
• Interesting tidbits of information or trivia, such as noteworthy statistics or unusual events
• Conferences, symposia, or other events

News releases can generate press coverage and provide meaningful results. To do so, news releases have to be well-written and provide real news. Here are some essential guidelines for writing press releases:

Structure

The best press releases follow this general structure:

Two-Sentence Summary: This is what editors use to evaluate the press release. The summary should clearly state the news and explain why it is important.

Detailed Explanation: Provide the details of the news, and explain the implications. If the news is hard to understand, offer your own interpretation. Explain how this compares to other events or issues in the field. Provide some history, if possible.

Background Information: Provide information that non-specialists need to know to understand the news. Remember, the press release may also eventually be presented to the general public.
Offer to provide more information, if you can. The easier it is to write about your news, the more likely it will be published.
Company Information: Give a brief description of your organization, and include background or history if it is available. This helps editors understand your business so they can write about it.

The first paragraph

Make sure the first paragraph answers most of the following basic journalistic questions.
Who, what, when, where, why, and how

Your release should be...

Concise - readers appreciate releases that are brief and to the point.

Well-written - make sure that you check the spelling, and grammar. Perhaps ask a colleague to read your release before you submit it to PLANetizen.

Factual - stick to logical and substantiated claims.

Timely - the best releases deal events that have just happened, or will happen in the future.

Questions to consider before you write

• What do you want readers to take away from your release?
• What is the support or justification for the information in your release?
• What is the tone of your release?
• What do you want to accomplish with your release: increase business, disseminate information, or both?