99% of press releases are skippable corporate filler. They get filed but not covered. Claude can produce the 1% that actually get picked up — but only if you fight the default corporate-PR voice it wants to generate. Here is the workflow.
Most press releases follow a template that reporters can spot in 3 seconds and skip: corporate boilerplate intro, vague claims about transformation, executive quote with no actual insight, list of features no journalist cares about.
The releases that get picked up read like the journalist already wrote them: lead with the news in plain language, quote that sounds like a human said it, specific facts they can verify, clear "why this matters now" angle.
1. Headline + subhead. Specific, news-driven, under 12 words for the headline. The subhead provides one supporting fact.
2. Lead paragraph. Who, what, when, where, why — in plain language. No "is pleased to announce." Reporters skim the lead and decide.
3. Quote that adds something. The quote should have a point of view, not just confirm the news. If you can remove the quote and lose nothing, the quote is wrong.
4. Context + verifiable facts. Real numbers. Real names. Real comparisons. Background context that helps the reporter understand the significance.
Draft a press release for [COMPANY] about [NEWS]. The core news (in plain language): [WHAT IS HAPPENING] Why it matters: [SIGNIFICANCE] Who should care most: [TARGET AUDIENCE / INDUSTRY SEGMENT] Facts to include: [LIST] Available quotes from: [PERSON, ROLE] Structure: 1. Headline (under 12 words, news-first, no corporate jargon) 2. Subhead (one supporting fact) 3. Lead paragraph (who/what/when/where/why in plain language — NO "is pleased to announce" or "today announced") 4. Quote that has actual point of view (not "we are excited") 5. Context paragraph (background that helps the reader understand significance) 6. About [COMPANY] (boilerplate) Voice rules: - Active voice - Specific numbers, not "significant" - No "industry-leading", "best-in-class", "innovative", "transformative" - Quote sounds like a real human, not a press robot - Maximum 350 words total Goal: a journalist could lift this and run it. Make their job easy.
Read the quote aloud. Would a real human say this? If not, rewrite.
Check the lead. If a reporter only reads the first paragraph, did they get the news? If not, restructure.
Verify every number. Numbers in press releases get fact-checked. Make sure they hold up.
Cut adjectives. "Significant growth" is meaningless. "32% revenue growth" is news.