How to write a press release and get the publicity you need.

• Author: Perry, Phillip M.

Consider this scenario: your business schedules an event you believe is noteworthy. Figuring the local newspaper would like to cover it, you write a press release and drop it in the mail.

The result: Nothing. No reporter calls. No story appears.

And your event comes and goes without getting the media attention that might have sparked more business.

What happened?

Your press release lacked certain vital characteristics required by editors. You are not alone: Public relations pros say editors toss most press releases after a brief look.

"Editors are swamped with hundreds of press releases every day," says Mark Wachs, head of the New York public relations firm of Mark Wachs and Associates. "They are looking for excuses to narrow the selection as quickly as they can."

Just what are the magic qualities that get editors hot and bothered about writing news on your business? Six public relations consultants from around the country answer that question. With an eye toward insuring your own success, let's see what they have to say:

1. Raise the curtain with a dramatic message.

   "You have 10 seconds to grab the attention of an editor who opens your press release," says Wachs. "You need to offer a story of real news value right away."

   The operative word here is news. And this is where most press releases fail: the story is not newsworthy enough. The media are not free forums for the same message you are using for your advertising.

   "Many news releases are sent out by people who are thinking, 'we have to get something in the press,'" says Jason Reynolds, president of Creative Factory, Portland, Oregon. "That's a mistake. You need to take the time to think out your message carefully."

   Here's an example. Suppose your regular advertising revolves around the idea that your employees offer customer service above and beyond the call of duty. That's a great unifying theme for an advertising campaign, but it will get you nowhere but the editor's trash can if you write a press release about it.

   So just how do you carefully think out your topic?

   "Start by reading the newspapers and watching your local televisions broadcasts for a week," suggests Terri Horvath, president of Publishing Resources, a public relations firm in Indianapolis. "As you review each news story, keep asking the following question: what is it about that story that caused the editor to run it? Then make sure your own news item accomplishes the same thing."

   You will likely find that each story satisfies the following:

   * It has a news angle.

   * It breaks ground different from other recent news stories.

   * It affects many people in the community.

   Some examples of genuinely newsy topics:

   * You launch a new series of customer seminars.

   * You publish a customer guide with smart buying techniques.

   * Your...