To begin, you will need to know the basics when it comes to structure, format and content. Click here to start your press release off on the right foot.

Top Three ways to get your release from Good to Great!

Now that you know the basics of writing a press release you're ready to kick it into high gear and make it really work for you!

1. Newsworthy

• Make sure your event in newsworthy and something that will interest the  media and the public.
• Be sure to include any press conference, photo or video opportunities.
• Remember your tone of voice – this is not an advertisement so avoid trying to "sell" your story. Avoid overused hype words like "breakthrough" and "unique".
• Send your story to the right media – an arts journalist won't find a sports story newsworthy. Tourism Toronto can save you time by providing you with current local media lists so you can quickly find out who should receive your story. 

2. Lead Paragraph: Inverted Pyramid

• You have one paragraph to seize the readers' attention.
• Use the inverted pyramid structure of the press release, which simply means you should put the most important or enticing information in the first few sentences of your press release, and then let the rest unfold in descending order of importance.
• This is where you need to include the Who, What, Why, Where, When
  and How of your event.
• Needs to be a tightly written summary.

3. Follow up, Stand out

• Follow up with a courtesy phone call to the editor to verify they've received your story and ask if they have any questions.
• Journalists literally get thousands of press releases a day, without a reminder yours might get lost in the shuffle.

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