Using a press release Content Style Structure Other publications options Getting your news out: Preparing your Press Release How to deal with queries An exemplar Press Release Company Registration No. 6953650 Registered Charity No: 1132122
Getting your news out: preparing your press release Setting up a Free School is a public process. There is likely to be some interest in the progress of your School, be that positive or negative. You need to ensure that the message you are getting across to the press and the public is accurate, of interest and casts you in a positive light. This note aims to help you draft a press release and offers some guidance as to how to deal with any feedback. This note can only give you a general idea of how to make public statements. If you need particular guidance relating to your situation please contact the NSN and an adviser can give you feedback on your plans or a draft press release or offer advice as to how to obtain more specific guidance. Using a press release There are a number of different ways in which you can get news about your School published. In this note we are focusing on press releases. These are some of the circumstances in which it would be appropriate to use a press release: When you want to introduce yourself and your plans: a press release would be a useful way for you to introduce yourself to your community, it will reach a wide audience and should be hard hitting. When you want to make a brief news announcement: a press release should be short and sweet and punchy. You should not be aiming to set out arguments or lots of evidence. On the whole, it should be no more than 1 A4 page. When you want to make a positive case for you and your School: a press release should give you the opportunity to make a positive point about your plans. You will be drafting it, so make the most of the platform. When you want to reach a target audience: you should think about who you want to reach, this will determine which publications you will target with your press release and how you address them. A press release will be appropriate to reach a certain type of audience who is likely to read your announcement either in the media or on your website. Other readers may be more easily reached by other means, we elaborate on other options below. Content Your target audience and chosen medium will help you determine what you include in a 2
release. Always consider who you are talking to and how you are talking to them before you decide what you are going to tell them. Generally, when drafting a press release you should consider the 5 W s (and the H)! The questions that a press release should answer are: Who? Who are the key players? Who does the news affect? E.g. you may be talking about a DfE decision, news from the Local Authority or reaction from parents. What? What is your news? What do people need to know? E.g. a stage in your progress may have been approved, or you may have had a positive response to an event. Why? Why is this news important? E.g. you may need further feedback from parents and pupils or you may need to set the record straight if there has been negative feedback. Where? Where is your School? Does this news have a particular geographical content? E.g. you may be announcing news regarding your proposed site or you may be inviting readers to a meeting at a particular place. When? What is the timing of your news? Do you need to make your readers aware of a date? Do you need to receive a response by a particular date? E.g. you may want to inform readers of a decision made on a particular date, a meeting to be held or a deadline for a response. And possibly How? How did this news come about? If you stick to all or some of these questions, you should not get bogged down in unnecessary information. Style You need to keep your audience informed and interested and they need to be able to remember all the necessary information. So here are some top tips to keep their attention: Keep it short: Remember this is a press release not an article, if your news goes beyond one page then consider whether it would be better to produce it in a different format. Use punchy sentences: Keep the sentences short and to the point. Try to keep each sentence to a maximum of 25 words. Summarise: Make sure the essence of your story is in the first paragraph. Even if you lose the interest of your reader, they will have at least grasped the important information. Also, journalists typically only read one paragraph before they decide whether they are interested or not. Use a catchy title: the title should summarise your story in a few words, you should not need to include linking words like and, the 3
Keep it relevant: unless it is appropriate for your story, it is probably best to avoid national politics and stick to local issues that directly impact you and your community. Keep it positive: if you want your readers to have a positive reaction keep your language active, avoid the passive form. Avoid being negative about others: emphasise what is so good about your School not what is bad about others. Avoid criticizing local or national policy, it will only come back to haunt you! Structure Obviously, the structure will depend on the medium you are using but if you are setting your news out in a traditional texted press release, we suggest the following: A catchy and informative title A first paragraph which includes all the necessary information for your story A second paragraph which expands on that information if necessary without being too long winded A third paragraph which includes a quote from a relevant and if possible impartial person: a quote from you praising yourself may not be as convincing as a glowing quote from a parent / pupil / local community member A fourth paragraph which includes any further action which the readers may be interested in. Finish off with contact details and other sources of information such as links to relevant web sites. Do feel free to use images or photos to illustrate your story but keep these interesting and relevant. A photo could be of a group or a person in an interesting scene rather than a head and shoulder shot. Always provide a caption to show that the picture is relevant. Graphs or tables should probably be avoided as they are too detailed for this type of publication, but if you do use one make sure it is clear, simple and easy to understand in a glance. If your press release cannot fit into this template, consider whether it really is a press release or whether it should be produced in a different format. Other publication options It is important that you apply the right tone and provide the right amount of information so that your news has full impact. A press release may not be the best format for you because it may not reach your target audience. For example, a younger audience may be better reached on social networking sites. You will need to alter your drafting style accordingly. Older members of the community may not be as familiar with the internet and you may want to reach them by post or through direct contact at meetings. 4
Alternatively, you could have so much information that your press release is becoming unwieldy. In which case, you could produce a snappy press release but refer the reader to further information which is available on your web site or another source. You will then impart your high impact news to all your readers but enable some to understand the situation better if they wish to follow up. Make sure that all the necessary news is included in the press release and that it is expressed in the right tone as some of your audience will not go any further. You could also consider writing a comment piece to be published in the media. This would be especially useful if you are trying to refute some negative press. If you want to present more arguments and evidence in your favour, an article would be more appropriate. Consider which publication would be best placed to reach your audience. Keep your arguments tight and relevant and keep your outlook positive. If you need further help on producing an article and how to place this in the media, do contact NSN. You could also consider giving an interview for either print or broadcast media. You could offer this when distributing your press release or as a standalone initiative. If you are going to give an interview make sure you are fully prepared. You will need to be able to answer questions on any and every aspect of your project. You might also be asked wider questions about Free Schools, so think through what your answers would be. Whichever route you choose, do consider very carefully which is the most appropriate and ensure that you communicate clearly and concisely. How to deal with queries Whatever form you publish your news in, you will occasionally have to deal with queries, be that from the press or from readers. You may be asking for a response or you may be hoping not to receive one. Either way, be ready for it. If you need a response, make sure that you state clearly how you wish the public to respond. Ensure that this is in an appropriate form for the audience you wish to reach. Some people may prefer to respond in writing, some online, some in person. If you want to steer their response in a certain direction there may be ways of doing this. You can devise a questionnaire so it is more likely to receive a positive response by putting the questions in a certain way. Even if you are not expecting any response, you may still receive one either from your readers or from the press. You can obtain further details on dealing with the press from NSN but the basic guidelines are as follows: Be prepared: You may be distributing your press release to both national and local journalists. Always be prepared for any questions from journalists or readers and viewers. 5
Consider all the questions that could arise from your announcement and then some more: be prepared for positive and negative responses and the unexpected! Pre-empt any objections by making interested third parties aware. For example, you may be announcing a decision by the Local Authority, make sure that they are aware you are publishing a statement, and if appropriate send them an advance copy. Being prepared will make your arguments stronger and you feel more confident. Be available: Make sure that there is always someone available to answer questions, however inconvenient these may be. It is advisable to choose one person in your group to be spokesperson to ensure consistency. Make sure that their contact details are included on the press release and ideally on your website too. A telephone number is preferable as a journalist may not be willing to wait for a response to an email. Be pro-active: Do not wait for negative press to come to you; fend off any potential stories by providing positive information before people have even asked for it. If you want your news to have more impact consider your timing carefully, your release will have more readers if it is made at a time when the subject is being spoken about nationally or locally, although try to surf a wave of positive news rather than a deluge of negativity. Be cooperative: Make sure you send your press release to the media in the most helpful format. For example, it is far preferable to include the text of the press release in the body of an email rather than attach it as a separate document. Always check how journalists would like to receive your news and who is best to receive it. Your news will just be put at the bottom of a pile or deleted if you send it to the wrong department. Follow up: It is not enough just to send out a press release and think your job is done. You need to build up a relationship with key journalists, particularly those who report on education locally. Once you have emailed your press release, call the journalist to check they received it and ask whether they have any questions. Please do consider your press releases very carefully. Good media coverage will help your school succeed as you will attract more interest from local families interested in applying for places. Be positive and upbeat about your progress but be prepared to deal with members of the press and the public who might not think like you and aim to convince them otherwise. An exemplar press release 6
New School for Freeleigh given Green Light to proceed Proposals for a new secondary school for Freeleigh have today been given a green light by the Department for Education. The Freeland Free School, proposed by a group of local parents and teachers had submitted an application for the new school earlier in the year, and today - along with twelve others in the North East region - received confirmation that it has been approved to open from September next year. [Chair] of the Freeland Free School welcomed the news: "We are absolutely delighted to have been approved to open; parents are crying out for more choice in the Freeleigh area, particularly when it comes to providing a more academic route post GCSEs. Over 300 families have already come forward to support our proposals and we look forward to working with them and the local community as we move towards next September, when we will open our gates for the first time to 150 Year 7s from the local area." The group behind the new school comprises local parents and six local teachers, all of whom are from the Government backed Teach First scheme. Over the coming weeks, the Freeland Free School will announce where the school will be located and will be hosting a series of public meetings for parents and residents interested in finding out more about the school. ENDS Media enquiries: Joe Bloggs on 04356 123567 NOTES TO EDITORS 1. The Freeland Free School will be a brand new state school, approved as part of the Government's Free Schools programme. 2. For more information visit: www.freelandschool.org 7