Listen, there’s no secret formula for writing a press release. The press releases worth reading are those you send to journalists who you’ve built a strong and valuable working relationship with; meaning, journalists who have found constant value in the information you provide them. But if you’re establishing a new working relationship with a journalist, here are my recommendations for writing a press release.

In conjunction with a launch, you’ll need a strategic communications plan that will guarantee effective, targeted messaging and media exposure. Your plan will lay out all of the pieces that will help you deliver your message to the appropriate audience. Here’s the structure that I like to use for developing a strategic communications plan.