8 tips for writing press releases that journalists (and bloggers) read

Here are eight tips for writing press releases that don’t drive journalists to hit delete.

1. Attention-grabbing headline. You need a short, catchy headline that will grab somebody’s attention when they’re scanning dozens (or maybe hundreds) of e-mails. Not sure what that looks like? Look at the front page of The New York Times (or any major newspaper or magazine worth its salt) on any given day. You can tell when somebody takes the time to write a great headline. Your headline should sell the story—in this case, your news. If you can’t sell it in your headline, good luck with your pitch.