“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”“It was a dark and stormy night.”A great piece of fiction only needs one line to set the tone of a story. Similarly, press releases need a great introduction to engage readers.Because anyone can publish anything online, your audience must quickly decide whether or not your content is credible, meaningful, and relevant to them.Our downloadable guide to crafting press releases that drive earned media shows how to plan a compelling press release strategy. Once you develop this strategy, you need to employ the same considerations in executing a compelling final product.If you’ve persuaded your audience to read past your headline (which should include a trigger, keyword, adjective, and promise), the introduction is where you must seal the deal to keep them reading.When writing a press release to promote your company’s news or marketing content, follow these tips to create a strong introduction that will hook the reader and give you the edge on discoverability.1. Get to the point. The introduction, or lead paragraph, is your chance to tell the 10-second version of your story. You’ll have the remainder of your news release to expand on the salient points.2. Don’t force the writing process. When do you write your introduction? Before you write the story or after? If you’re struggling with your introduction, try writing your introduction last. Tell the story and then tie it together with your introduction. Otherwise, if you have an irresistible idea for your intro, write it and lay out the rest of the release in order. 

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