Press Release Skill
Writes press releases that journalists actually read — structured around the news angle, not the desire to promote.
Required Inputs
- The news (what is actually happening — be specific)
- Company name
- Date of announcement / embargo date
- Key quote (from which executive and approximately what they want to say)
- Why this matters (to the reader, not the company)
- Target media (trade / national / local / consumer / investor)
- Media contact details
Output Structure
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / EMBARGOED UNTIL: [Date and time]
[Headline — active verb, specific news, under 10 words]
[Subheadline — the so-what in one sentence, adds context not repetition]
[City, Date] — [Opening paragraph: Who, What, When, Where, Why in 2-3 sentences. A journalist should be able to run this paragraph alone. No background, no context, no company history.]
[Second paragraph: the significance. Why does this matter? What does it mean for customers or the industry?]
[Third paragraph: quote from executive. Human and specific. Not a restatement of the headline.]
"[Quote text — specific, adds something the facts do not say]," said [Name], [Title] at [Company]. "[Second sentence extending the thought]."
[Fourth paragraph: supporting detail — data, customer names with permission, additional context]
[Fifth paragraph optional: what happens next, when it goes live, what people can do]
ENDS
Notes to editors:
About [Company] [Boilerplate: 3-4 sentences. What the company does, when founded, where based, key facts. Factual not promotional.]
Media contact: [Name] | [Title] | [Email] | [Phone] | [Hours/timezone]
Headline Rules
- Active voice: "Company launches X" not "X is launched by Company"
- Specific: "raises 5M" not "secures significant investment"
- Under 10 words
- Never start with the company name — lead with the news
Journalist Test
Would a journalist care? Is the headline the full story? Is there a human angle? Is the quote something a human would say? Can the first paragraph stand alone?
Quality Checks
- Headline uses active voice and is under 10 words
- First paragraph stands alone as the complete story
- Quote adds something the facts don't say (not a restatement)
- Boilerplate is factual, not promotional
- Embargo date and media contact are included
Anti-Patterns
- Do not bury the news — the most important information must appear in the first paragraph (inverted pyramid)
- Do not use promotional language or superlatives — press releases must read as news, not advertising copy
- Do not omit the boilerplate — every press release needs the standard "About [Company]" paragraph at the end
- Do not forget the embargo date and media contact — journalists need both to use the release
- Do not write a headline longer than 12 words — it must be scannable and specific
Example Trigger Phrases
- "Write a press release announcing [news]"
- "Draft a media statement about [event]"
- "We are launching [product] — write the press release"
- "Turn this announcement into a press release: [paste notes]"