Press Release 101

Purpose of press release

A press release represents an invitation to the media to cover an event or announcement. The release is generally written in the third person and reports the details. You can include quotes and opinions from leaders and participants, but keep the narrative factual.

Always Include:

Label: “For Immediate Release” should appear at top of page
Press Contact: Name, email and title of the person that reporters should call for additional information. This should be at the top of the page, under the “For Immediate Release” label. The name and title generally appear to the side.
Headline: A headline is action oriented – includes a noun and a verb
Dateline: Appears in the first line of the story and includes the date and location from which the story is reported. Typical example would be
SCARBOROUGH, Maine (May 28,2015) – first line of press release

Example:

For Immediate Release:

Press Contact: Karen Martin SEDCO Executive Director
207‐883-4893
[email protected]

SEDCO Announces Outstanding Business Awards for 2014:
Businesses to be Recognized at Annual Meeting

SCARBOROUGH, Maine (September 29, 2014) – The Scarborough Economic Development Corporation’s (SEDCO’s) Board of Directors announced the recipients of this year’s Outstanding Scarborough Business awards today. The awards will be presented at the corporation’s 29th Annual Meeting taking place at the Black Point Inn on October 7, 2014 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

The 2014 Outstanding Scarborough Businesses include:

El Rayo Taqueria: Project of the Year
Heidi’s House Child Care Center: Outstanding Legacy Business
Broadturn Farm: Outstanding Hidden Gem
Rocco Risbara Jr: Outstanding Contribution to Community

“Identifying outstanding businesses in Scarborough is one of the Board’s favorite tasks. This year, the Board named three businesses and one individual that helped define Scarborough’s business landscape,” said Karen Martin, SEDCO executive director.

Kevin Freeman, chair of the SEDCO Board of Directors, said, “I want to congratulate these three companies and the Risbara family.

Freeman added, “Along with our Outstanding Businesses, we chose to honor an individual for his outstanding contribution to the community. Mr. Risbara, who passed away in March of this year, started the Risbara Construction Company in 1968. He believed in Scarborough and over the course of his career built some 750 homes.”