This is the actual template — built on what 3,000+ journalists told Cision they want, not on PR textbook theory. If you want to understand why press releases get deleted in the first place, start with Part 1. If you are figuring out whether to use a distribution service, that is Part 3.
What Journalists Actually Want — Cision 2025
Email explaining why you’re pitching them specifically
85%
Images included
70%
Exclusive story angles
57%
Original research or data
55%
The Template, Section by Section
SECTION 01
Subject Line
Formula: [Beat-Relevant Hook]: [Specific Number or Claim]
Keep it under 50 characters. Best timing: Thursday 10am–2pm in the journalist’s time zone.
EXAMPLE
“Calgary food-tech startup cuts restaurant waste 40% in 60-day pilot” — it tells the journalist the beat, the geography, and gives them a number they can verify. Three reasons to open it in nine words.
SECTION 02
Headline (51–75 characters)
Formula: [Company] [Does Specific Newsworthy Thing] [With Specific Result]
Front-load the news. Kill every instance of “pleased to announce.”
EXAMPLE
“FreshTrack Reduces Restaurant Food Waste 40% in 60-Day Pilot Program”
SECTION 03
Lead Paragraph (2–3 sentences)
Answer who, what, and why. Include one specific number. This is the only paragraph 70% of journalists will read.
EXAMPLE
“FreshTrack, a Calgary-based food waste analytics startup, reduced restaurant food waste by 40% across 12 pilot locations in Q4 2025. The company’s AI-powered inventory tracking system identified $2.3M in preventable waste during the 60-day pilot with restaurant group MealCo.”
SECTION 04
Supporting Paragraph
Context the journalist needs to understand why this matters now. Market data, industry trend, or the size of the problem your startup solves.
SECTION 05
Founder Quote
The quote should say something the press release cannot. An opinion. A prediction. A personal stake.
If your quote restates the lead paragraph in first person, delete it and try again.
SECTION 06
Data / Evidence
Traction metrics, third-party validation, or original research. 55% of journalists want original research included. Give them something nobody else has.
SECTION 07
Boilerplate (2–3 sentences)
Company name, founding year, location, what you do, one differentiator. This is not your About page.
SECTION 08
Media Contact
Name. Email. Phone number. If a journalist has to hunt for your contact info, you have already lost.
Customizing by Startup Stage
STAGE 01
Pre-Seed / Product Launch
→ Lead with the problem you solve, not who you are
→ Include user data if you have it — even beta numbers show traction
→ Target niche and trade media, not TechCrunch
STAGE 02
Seed / Early Traction
→ Lead with traction metrics: users, revenue, growth rate
→ Name-drop early customers or partnerships
→ Target beat reporters covering your vertical
STAGE 03
Series A+ / Funding
→ Lead with the round size and what it funds
→ Include investor quotes — VCs expect this
→ Target startup/VC reporters who have a specific format
Continue Reading: The Press Release Series
part 2
The Startup Press Release Template — The section-by-section template (this post)
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