How To End Your Press Releases

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How to End a Press Release

The last part of a press release typically follows a standard format with specific components:

The key elements for ending a press release are:

1. Boilerplate section: A brief company description
2. Media contact information: All relevant details for press inquiries
3. End notation: Three hashtags (###) to indicate the end

A few tips for writing these sections:

• Keep the boilerplate concise but informative
• Include complete contact details for the media contact
• Make sure all information is current and accurate
• Double-check that phone numbers and email addresses are correct

Key Elements to Include in your Press Release Ending

Boilerplate

[Company Name] is [2-3 sentences describing your company, its mission, and key achievements. Include what makes your company unique in your industry.]

Media Contact

Name: [Full Name] Title: [Job Title] Company: [Company Name] Phone: [(XXX) XXX-XXXX] Email: [professional email address] Website: [company website]

End Notation

###
[Three hashtags centered on the last line, indicating the end of the press release]

Sample Press Release Ending

Now that we know what to include in your press release’s ending, let’s delve into each section more deeply to ensure you write them well.

A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Press Release Endings

1. The Boilerplate Section

Key Components

• Company overview
• Market position
• Key achievements
• Value proposition
• Geographic reach
• Industry relevance

Strong Examples

2. The Media Contact Section

Essential Elements to Include

• Primary contact information
• Backup contact for urgent matters
• Multiple contact methods
• Social media handles (when relevant)
• Time zone information for international companies

Sample Media Contact Section

(Note, yours can be significantly shorter and less detailed)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overcrowding
   ❌ Wrong: Cramming every company achievement into your boilerplate
   ✅ Right: Selecting 2-3 most impressive and relevant achievements
2. Outdated Information
   ❌ Wrong: “Founded in 2010, our startup…”
   ✅ Right: “Founded in 2010, our established technology firm…”
3. Vague Language
   ❌ Wrong: “One of the leading providers…”
   ✅ Right: “The #1 provider by market share…”
4. Contact Availability
   ❌ Wrong: Only listing office hours contact
   ✅ Right: Including after-hours contact for urgent media inquiries

But What do you Write Before the Ending?

In life there are two kinds of people: those who start things only to walk away, and those who finish what they began. And when it comes to writing a press release (or any form of copy, for that matter), it’s easy to get lumped in that first group. Why? Because when you sit down to write a press release, you have a good idea of what it’s going to be about, so getting started is easy. However, once you’re a paragraph or two in, it’s also easy to hit that wall and wonder how in the world you’re going to finish things up.

That means you need to know how to finish out your release.

Sum Up your Message

All types of non-fiction writing share one thing in common. Toward the end, you need to sum up the main points of your message so that the reader walks away with a good overall idea of what he’s just read. Such is the case with a press release. If Reporter Jane Doe reads through your entire release, but gets bogged down in the details half way through and you don’t provide a nice summary toward the end, she may get frustrated and decide that your story doesn’t really make sense. However, if you sum up the main points at the end, it helps her to recollect the important info and increase the odds that she’s going to give you coverage.

It’s Not Ad Copy, So Do I Put a Call to Action?

In short, yes. But don’t get to pitchy here. Remember, for the most part, a press release is written in third person. However, at the end, you want to provide the reporter with a means to contact you. So at this point, it’s okay to address them directly in one sentence. Something like, “For more information or to obtain an interview with Company X, call 555-5555 or visit www.companyname.com.”

Notice, I didn’t say “Use this release to create a compelling story. Contact us now!” My call to action was mild, giving just the right nudge and the necessary contact info.

What’s a Press Release Boilerplate?

A boilerplate is an old newspaper term for something used over and over. In this case, it’s information about your company. Remember, they might not know anything about you. The reporter will also probably want to include general information about your company in the article they put together. So in this section you just tell a bit of historical info about your company. It’s not only okay to use the same block of text over and over in your press releases, it’s expected, updating as necessary.

Have trouble ending your releases? What advice can you give?

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download a free copy of the PR Checklist – a 24 point list of Press Release Dos and Don’ts here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/pr-checklist/

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