When your historic preservation group organizes an event, you'll want as many people to know about it as possible.

The best way to get the word out about a newsworthy item is to alert the news media with a press release. Ideally, the media will use your press release to publish a story about your event and your group's work.

If you want to invite members of the media to attend your event and report on it, you should send a media advisory instead of a press release.

Choosing a Press Release or a Media Advisory

The contents of a press release and media advisory are different.

A press release, also known as a news release, announces breaking news to the news media. It is meant to inform both the news media and the public. It should contain enough details for the media to report on the subject, even if they do not attend your event. The media may choose to report very little or a lot of the information in your release. Small-town newspapers may print a press release in its complete form.

A media advisory, also called a press advisory, is directed at only the news media. The goal is to get the news media to attend your event. It is more like an invitation or a "save the date" announcement.

Writing a Press Release

When you write a press release, write it like a breaking news story. Assume that your audience is broader than just the news media. Your press release could end up as content on a website or forwarded in an email message. Follow these guidelines to write your press release:

• Think about your headline first, but write it last. Your headline should be about 10 words long. You can add a sub-headline to expand on the headline. For example, "Lightning Strikes City's Heart: Historic Courthouse May Be Lost Forever."
• Grab the reader's attention. Communicate your news quickly and in a way that grabs the reader's attention. Include your most important point at the beginning of the press release. Place all other points in descending order of importance. If you are announcing a National Register listing in your community, connect the national listing to local preservation issues in a way that would be appealing to your local press.
• Don't bury your lead. Your press release's lead — that is, the first two-sentence paragraph — should indicate why your story is important. Don't bury your lead by putting your primary point anywhere other than the primary spot in the press release.
• Cover the basics. Your press release should answer the "Five W's and H": who, what, where, when, why, and how.
• Be straightforward. Write your news release like a breaking news story. Avoid using language in your press release that reads like a promotional announcement or a sales pitch. Editors are more likely to use a press release that does not need to be rewritten. Use third person (she, he, it). You can use first person (I, we) for quotes.
• Make it quotable. In the second paragraph of your press release, include a quote from someone who might be interviewed to expand on your story. The quote should be personal and relate this person's feelings about the project.

Preparing and Sending a Press Release

Tips for preparing a press release

• Limit your press release to one or two pages (about 500 words).
• Use plain formatting. Do not use tricks (fancy fonts, sizes, colors) to draw more attention to your message.
• Put the text of your release in the body of your email message. Do not attach your press release (or any other files) to your email message. You can provide additional information if/when a reporter responds to your message.
• Don't forget to include your contact information in the email message (email address and phone number).

Tips for sending a press release

• To send an email message to multiple reporters, address the "To" field to yourself and use the "Bcc" field for the reporters' email addressess. Save your sent message as a file copy.
• Enter your press release headline (shortened if necessary) in the subject line of your email.
• Email your press release to your news contacts between 10 a.m. and noon.
• Send the press release via both email and fax to the editors of print or broadcast media. Although fax is used less often than email, assignment editors and reporters still look through the faxes they receive. It's always possible that your recipient's email software or computer may not be working when you send your message.

Writing a Media Advisory

Media advisories should be no more than one page long and must include a date and contact name and phone number for reporters. If you email a media advisory more than a week before your event, you should follow up with another advisory email a day before the planned event. Also, a phone call to remind the reporter the day before the event is suggested.

When you write a media advisory, include the following key elements:

• A brief, direct, and informative headline announcing the event.
• A sub-headline to clarify or add more information about the event.
• Contact information (name, title, phone number, email address).
• A brief explanation of the event's purpose.
• The 5 W's: Who, What, When, Where, Why.
• Embargo date (this is a request that the information in the press advisory not become public until a specific date).
• Event sponsor information, such as an email address, logo, etc.

Learn More

Historic Preservation Advocacy Guide

Find more how-to articles about historic preservation advocacy.

Communications Consortium Media Center

Provides information about the difference between a press release and a media advisory.

8 Principles for Writing a Nonprofit Press Release

Learn more about writing a nonprofit press release for your event, online fundraising campaign, or  breakthrough impact story to help you raise awareness for a broad audience.

Nonprofit Press Releases: Three Top Tips

Avoid the three common mistakes that many nonprofits make when writing their press releases. Reporters will love you for it!

PR.com

See examples of philanthropy and nonprofit press releases.

PR Buzz

See examples of nonprofit press releases.

See a Sample Media Advisory

See a sample media advisory for a rally posted on the website of the American Library Association.