--- name: press-release-draft description: Drafts a news release with a headline, dateline, a lead paragraph that answers who, what, when and why, one quote, boilerplate, and a media contact, and flags when the announcement isn't news. Use when someone asks for a press release, news release, media announcement, or "something we can send to journalists" about a launch, funding round, partnership, hire, or milestone. --- # Press release draft A good release lets a reporter write a 3-sentence story from the first paragraph alone. Lead with the fact, not the adjectives; if the fact isn't news to an outsider, say so before writing anything. ## When to use - A launch, funding round, partnership, key hire, acquisition, or public milestone that people outside the company could care about. - When a founder wants "a press release" and you need to check first whether it should be one. - Not for a product changelog, a blog post, or a customer email: those don't need a dateline or boilerplate. ## What you need - The news in one sentence: who did what, and when. - Why it matters to someone outside the company (a customer, an industry, a city). If missing, ask once; if still missing, flag it as the release's weakest point. - A quote source: name and title. If no quote was given, draft one and mark it "[draft quote: needs approval from name]". - Company boilerplate and a media contact. If missing, write "[boilerplate: to confirm]" and "[contact: to confirm]". - Embargo date or release date, and city for the dateline. ## Steps 1. **Run the news test (our default).** It's news if at least one is true: it's new (first, only, largest in a named group), it has a number an outsider can check, it affects a named group of people, or a known name is involved. If none is true, stop and say "This isn't news yet" with 2 options: a blog post, or what would make it news (a customer number, a partner, a date). 2. **Write the headline.** 100 characters or fewer (PR Newswire's guidance), factual, active verb, present tense, subject first, one concrete fact: "Northbeam raises 8 million to ..." not "Northbeam announces exciting funding". No exclamation marks, no "announces" unless nothing else fits. 3. **Write the dateline and lead.** The dateline opens the first paragraph: CITY in caps, date, then a dash. The lead is 1 to 2 sentences, about 25 to 30 words, answering who, what, when, where, and why, so a reader who stops there has the story. Details go in paragraph 2. 4. **Add 1 to 2 supporting paragraphs.** Numbers, the customer problem, availability and price if a product. Every claim checkable; mark anything not in the input "[check: source]". 5. **Write one quote.** Quotes carry opinion and context; facts and numbers belong in the body. The quote gives a reason, a belief, or a stake a reporter can't paraphrase from the facts. Cut quotes that restate the headline ("We're thrilled to announce"). 6. **Close with boilerplate and contact.** Boilerplate is the standard "About" paragraph, the same in every release: what the company does, for whom, where, and the website. Our default length: 2 to 3 sentences. Close the release with "###". 7. **Flag the risks.** List claims that need approval (superlatives, customer names, numbers, partner quotes) before it goes out. ## Output format ```markdown **News check:** [News / Weak news / Not news] — [one-line reason] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [or: EMBARGOED UNTIL date, time, timezone] # [Headline, 100 characters or fewer] ## [Optional subhead: one supporting fact] **[CITY], [Month Day, Year]** — [Lead: who, what, when, where, why, about 25 to 30 words.] [Paragraph 2: how, where, numbers, availability.] [Paragraph 3: context or customer evidence.] "[Quote with a reason or stake]," said [Name], [title] at [Company]. **About [Company]** [2–3 sentence boilerplate] **Media contact** [Name], [email], [phone] ### **Needs approval before sending** - [Claim, quote, or name] — [who approves] ``` ## Example **Input:** "We're Larkspur Labs, scheduling software for dental clinics. We just signed our 500th clinic and launched a no-show predictor. Write a press release. Founder is Dana Okafor. We're in Leeds." **Output:** ```markdown **News check:** Weak news — "500th clinic" is a milestone only you care about; the no-show predictor is the news. Lead with it. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE # Larkspur Labs predicts dental no-shows before they happen ## The scheduling tool used by 500 clinics now flags likely missed appointments in advance **LEEDS, [Month Day, Year]** — Larkspur Labs today launched a no-show predictor that flags dental appointments likely to be missed, giving clinics 48 hours [check: lead time, not in input] to refill the slot. It is available now to all Larkspur customers [check: availability]. The predictor scores each booking using the patient's past attendance and booking lead time [check: inputs used]. Clinics see flagged appointments on their daily schedule and can send a reminder or offer the slot to a waitlist [check: what clinics can do with a flag]. Larkspur is used by 500 clinics across the UK [check: all UK]. [Paragraph 3: one clinic's result, e.g. no-show rate before and after — check: needs a customer and a number.] "An empty chair costs a clinic the same whether the patient forgot or never meant to come," said Dana Okafor, founder of Larkspur Labs. "We'd rather clinics know the day before than find out at 9 a.m." [draft quote: needs approval from Dana Okafor] **About Larkspur Labs** Larkspur Labs makes scheduling software for dental clinics. Founded in [check: year] and based in Leeds, it is used by 500 clinics. **Media contact** [contact: to confirm] ### **Needs approval before sending** - "48 hours ahead", the inputs the model uses, availability, and what clinics can do with a flag — product lead - The 500-clinic figure as of release date — Dana Okafor - The quote — Dana Okafor ``` ## Checks before you send - [ ] The lead paragraph alone answers who, what, when, where, and why, in about 30 words. - [ ] The headline is 100 characters or fewer, has one concrete fact, and no "exciting", "innovative", or "leading". - [ ] Every number and superlative is in the input or marked "[check: ...]". - [ ] The quote gives a reason or stake, not a restatement of the headline. - [ ] Boilerplate, contact, and dateline are present or marked to confirm. - [ ] The news check result is stated at the top. ## Common mistakes - Burying the news in paragraph 3 behind company history. - Writing "the leading platform" with no source. Reporters delete it, and it can be a false claim. - Quoting 3 executives. One quote, two at most when a partner is involved.