Okay—your big event is right around the corner.
Every least detail has been planned, everything’s ready to go, and you know it’s going to be incredible. Now it’s just a matter of promoting it.
This is where things get tricky. For you, planning and organizing an event is a cinch. You’re a natural at corralling caterers, snagging celebrities, and finding that once-in-a-lifetime venue.
But crafting an event press release that will attract media coverage is something else entirely. Most event planners are terrified of writing a press release.
You don’t have to sweat it. Keep in mind two considerations when writing a release: it should include all relevant particulars (date, time, website links, etc.), and it should conform to the standard press release format.
Now, let’s take a look at ten helpful tips for how to write a press release for an event.
1. Do Some Research
Your first step is to suss out the kind of press that you think will be interested in covering your event.
Writing a charity event press release? Research websites and local outlets that cover this sort of thing. How about a press release for a music event? Create a list of local arts reporters.
2. Tailor Your Message
Now that you’ve compiled a list of reporters and outlets that you want to target, you can begin to work on the actual event press release.
Since your aim is to attract the attention of a journalist or news outlet, you want your news release to play up to the particular angle that will interest them. So if you’re crafting a press release for a sports event, tailor your writing style and message to something a sports reporter would find engaging.
3. Make It Interesting!
This tip might seem obvious, but it bears repeating.
Look, if you can’t communicate the interest and excitement of your event to a prospective reporter, then it’s unlikely that reporter will want to cover it.
So do some homework, and familiarize yourself with examples of engaging reporting, and well-written press releases, to find out what works. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your event press release—remember, the object is to pique the reader’s curiosity.
4. Look for a Great Hook
Play up to your event’s strengths when writing the press release.
For instance, maybe your event will host a well-known local or national celebrity. Or maybe it features some topic or person of interest to the particular audience your news release is targeting.
By all means, draw attention to this when creating the hook for your press release.
5. Use Eye-Catching Headlines and Subheads
Once you’ve got your hook, go ahead and work that into a great headline that grabs the reader’s attention.
Remember, you have one chance to attract a reporter’s or news chief’s interest. So make sure your headline features the main attraction of your event. And don’t forget to use a catchy subhead underneath the headline; this can help further pique a reporter’s curiosity.
6. Craft an Engaging Story
This is where you draw in the reader, and seal the deal with an effective press release.
This is the body of the event press release, and this is where you have the opportunity to sell your event. Focus on the main draw: if it’s a celebrity of some kind, include quotes and a short bio; if it’s a sports event, describe the kind of excitement that attendees can expect.
7. Who, What, When, Where and Why
Sometimes it’s easy to get wrapped up in the cleverness of your press release.
But don’t forget your main object: to get attention for your event. Even the best press release will bomb if you don’t include the main details. Ensure that it answers the questions who, what, when, where and why.
That way, no one will be in any doubt as to what your event is all about, and when and where it will take place.
8. Wrap It Up
Finally, close your press release with a concluding paragraph that wraps everything up.
This is your chance to insert some information about your client. You can include their contact information, as well as something about what they do.
9. Social Media Campaign
Now that you’ve drafted the perfect event press release, it’s time to get the word out.
Choose the social networks that you think will most appeal to your target audience, and post images, advertisements, and even links to the press release (if it’s up on a website) to generate buzz.
10. Connect With Journalists
If you’re ambitious, you can try to connect with journalists, either through social media networks or through email.
Whether you message a journalist with a link to your press release, or email it to them, it’s at least another opportunity to pitch your event.
Of course, they might not respond—and that’s okay. The point is to get the word out by any means necessary, and if even just one responds, that could make all the difference for your event.
Make Your Event Press Release Shine
The first step to attracting media coverage for your event is to have the right kind of event press release. These tips can help you craft a news release that will make your event the talk of the town.
Look, crafting the perfect press release can be tough. Here at eReleases, we can do all the hard work for you. So contact us today to start your press release order.