PRESS RELEASES 101 Natalie Townsend Emily Wienberg July 14, 2015

WHAT IS A PRESS RELEASE 2

WHAT IS A PRESS RELEASE? An announcement issued to the media and other targeted publications for the purpose of letting the public know of company developments.

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WHY DO YOU WRITE A PRESS RELEASE? For non-profits, press release topics might cover: Campaign launches Fundraising initiatives New board members Events Growth / momentum Watch out for: Content (can it be a blog post instead?) Ego (what are competitors doing?) Flair (what’s unique?)

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THE ELEMENTS Headline – what is the news event? Subhead – why does it matter? The “Lede” – The news event, why it matters (with more context, detail) Data – supporting the news Quotes – supporting data/context + ego Boilerplate – the basics

THE ELEMENTS – HEADLINE AND SUBHEAD Headline – what is the news event? This is what you’ll see in the newspaper or online 140 character tweet Write it last Subhead – why does it matter? The “Supporting actress” of the headline Very rarely get published, but still important

THE ELEMENTS – LEDE The “Lede” – The news event, why it matters (with more context, detail) Order: Most-to-least important

THE ELEMENTS – QUOTES AND DATA Quotes – adds context from first/third party Allows you to add ego here Data – supports greater industry trend May not always have relevant data Use outreach to add color

THE ELEMENTS - BOILERPLATE Boilerplate – the basics about your organization About MassChallenge: MassChallenge runs startup accelerators designed to catalyze a global renaissance by connecting high-impact startups with the resources they need to launch and succeed. Anyone can apply to MassChallenge, with any early-stage startup, in any industry, from anywhere in the world. MassChallenge does not take equity or place any restrictions on the startups it supports. With programs in Boston, Israel and the UK, MassChallenge provides entrepreneurs with mentorship, office space, education, access to a vast network, and other resources during four months of acceleration. MassChallenge awards over $2 million in non-dilutive grants to the startups demonstrating the highest impact and highest potential. A nonprofit organization, MassChallenge is funded by corporate, public and foundation partners. To date, the 617 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $947 million in funding, generated $485 million in revenue and created 5,105 jobs. For more information, visit

About the Legal Aid Society The Legal Aid Society gives free civil legal aid to people who have nowhere else to turn. It serves 48 counties from offices in Clarksville, Columbia, Cookeville, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Oak Ridge, and Tullahoma. The Legal Aid Society is funded in part by United Way. THE ELEMENTS - BOILERPLATE

THE DO’S AND DON’TS DO: Honest language Short sentences Strong verbs Clear boilerplates Position yourself as an advocate in the industry DON’T: Avoid – “the best,” “the first,” “the leader” Bash competitors Repeat yourself – aim for 1.5 pages

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WHAT’S NEXT? Goal: Get your news in the media As you write the release, imagine the news in an article form Two approaches: Share “under embargo” A promise with a reporter Share the day the news breaks Send the release out to relevant reporters No coverage? No problem: Write a blog post, add to the newsletter, create a video

QUESTIONS? 216

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