You’ve booked your space, sorted out the stand, staff, promotional materials etc. Now you’re ready to market your attendance at the exhibition. A good way to do this is by writing a press release to send to industry specific publications, but how do you go about doing this? Here we cover the essential points to writing a press release, what to include and how to structure it.
1. Headline
Try to get the reader’s attention with a catchy headline. Keep it short and include the name of the exhibition. Use Title Case and a standard font.
2. Lead Paragraph
This should be a summary of the press release and answer the 5 w’s – who, what, when, where and why? Keep the text simple and to the point and the paragraph should be short – up to 4 lines. Include the date you want the press release published.
3. Body
The body is where you expand on your attendance at the exhibition. Write 2 to 3 paragraphs with more details about the exhibition – what is taking place, key speakers, the type of attendees going etc. You can also include information about your stand, where it is, what you are offering and any demos or giveaways planned. Basically, why people should attend the exhibition. At the end include a call to action stating where passes can be reserved.
4. Boiler Plate
This is an ‘about us’ section which should include details about your company, what you do, your mission statement and maybe the names of some key executives.
5. Contact Info
Finally, a press release should include your contact information – website address, maybe your address, though this isn’t necessary, your email and telephone details.
These cover the sections of a press release, here are some basic dos and don’ts that you should consider when writing a press release:
Do
- Keep the tone professional but avoid jargon or slang – you want it to be easy to understand and come across well
- Include the contact details of a key member of staff to take enquiries
- Make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes
- Use an active voice, you want to make it as exciting as possible to encourage further reading
- Write it in the third person, avoid addressing the reader as ‘you’ or referring to yourself as ‘I’ or ‘we’
- Make it 500-800 words
- Send it out 2-3 weeks before the exhibition – any earlier and people will forget, any later and they might already be busy.
Don’t
- Make it sound like a sales pitch
- Go into excessive detail – readers can visit your website to find out more
- Use bullet points
- Include exclamation marks or capital letters for emphasis, this cheapens the copy.
FAQs
When should you send a PR for publication?
Lead times vary from publication to publication. If you’re targeting newspapers, it’s best to send your press release 2-3 weeks in advance, or up to 3-6 months in advance for magazines.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the best days to send a press release to the media. Avoid Mondays and Fridays! Be sure to send it between 10 am – 2 pm, which is the likeliest time editors and journalists will read their email.
How do I distribute my PR?
You can either email your press release directly to the publication or use a press release distribution service. These services will help you reach multiple media outlets and a wider audience than you would have by distributing the press release yourself.
Writing a press release to promote your attendance at an exhibition is one of the things you can include in your pre-show marketing. It is a way to reach new audiences and encourage them to visit you at the event. Follow these guidelines to create a professional looking press release for your exhibition.
Do you need help with your exhibition? We can help you! Get in touch with us here.