So you need a press release. That’s great. Now, ask yourself: What and why?

These two questions must be answered BEFORE you do anything else. If you haven’t, it won’t matter how well your legal press release is written, how tight the headline is, or whether you distribute the release to all the right media contacts.

You have got to answer the question of what you are seeking publicity for and why you need it. Make sure you can clearly answer: WHAT am I seeking publicity for in my press release? Is it the fact that your product is a first of its kind, or rather a newer, better version? Why would the media care about your new hire? Is he/she already a newsmaker? What’s this person’s most important credential that he/she brings to your company?

In other words, ask yourself: Why is this newsworthy? You can help answer this by reading the newspaper and getting an idea of what the media is interested in. As the old saying goes, dog bites man isn’t news; man bites dog, now there’s a story!

One helpful way to answer both questions is to write your headline first. It should be single sentence written in plain English, active voice (avoid past tense) and, as with the content of the press release, written in third person. This will anchor your writing process, too.

By answering what and why, you will also help you determine how your press release should be distributed. Is this only of local interest, or is this national news? Be an honest and harsh critic toward your press release. If you don’t believe this is important news, why would a busy editor or reporter believe it is?

Once you have a clear vision for what and why you need a press release, it’s time to decide if you should write it or if someone else should handle the writing task. Whether you hire a PR firm to write your release or you have the skills to do it, get the best you can afford.