Ideally, it will help equip individuals with the right tools to effectively and professionally deal with the media and also give a better understanding of how the media works. The end goal is to enhance collaboration with the media in order to strengthen relationships and encourage coverage for a story or press release.

It involves gaining an understanding of a news organizations’ needs in addition to methods to meeting them, being able to communicate in a time of a news crisis, and responding to the media in a way that is effective and succinct, improving communication skills and defining and improving strategic communications. The goal is to learn how the media works, what motivates them, and how you can get coverage for your news.

Just a few minutes ago I was debating what to write about this week — something interesting, perhaps, or maybe it was about time to give some credit to snails, I thought. Then, by some random stroke of luck, fate or writer’s lightning (a term I created just now), I received a phone call from a credit card company…

“We are all ready to complete your application,” the woman told me. “We just need to ask you a couple more questions.”

In theory this makes a lot of sense. I mean, hey — when someone applies for a credit card, it’s only logical that questions would follow. It’s like that snail I was going to compliment earlier, whereas I must give credit when — and only when — credit is due. But this theory should not apply to me, as I have not applied for a credit card within the past couple of years, not even to get a free mug or basketball with my favorite baseball team imprinted on it…

“I didn’t apply for a credit card,” I told the woman.

And this was true, of course, because who I am to lie to a person on the other end of the phone without being a politician?

“Well, you were recommended to us,” she told me.

Now, this is a nice gesture as well. I am normally honored when people recommend me for something, even when I am recommended to give up my place in line, or to give up my seat on the bus. But in this case I needed more information…

“Who recommended me?” I asked.

It was a question so succinctly worded that it could only produce an accurate and succinct answer…

“Ummm,” she said. “Well, we thought you would be a good fit.”

I can understand being a good fit for a college, a job or even a sweatshirt. But what exactly does it mean to be a good fit for a credit card? The fact that I have the desire to buy things and often must act upon those desires in order to live? I bring up this whole debacle in the column not only out of lack of other subjects to address, sans the snails, but more so because I think credit card companies need to learn from the phone call I just discussed, in the following three ways:

1. Never tell someone he or she is a good fit unless the person tries on the credit card beforehand, at which point the card is probably so stretched out that it no longer works. But then again, neither does this whole telemarketing plan regardless.

2. If you tell a person he or she was recommended by someone, make up a name of a person who served as the recommendation-giver. In times of creative lapses, use the name “Jason A. Creditcard.” This may seem incredibly fake, but the level of fakeness will never be surpassed by the false level of sincerity involved in this phone call.

3. Rather than telling a person that he or she has applied for a card but apparently didn’t realize it, use a snappy line such as “We’re trying to give you credit, dude!” This takes away from the professionalism of the phone call, but on the flip side, everyone likes to be called “dude.” And some of us even like credit.

Following these tips will probably destroy the purpose of marketing ploys, but then again, I guess that could be the point…

But I digress.

Greg Gagliardi is a teacher and writer. His stream-of-consciousness weekly humor column, “Progressive Revelations,” has been ongoing since 1998.

Article Source

Tags: ethics, marketing, research, strategy, communications

Any time you can be interviewed on a radio show, it puts you in the “expert” category. If you advertise your business, you are a “salesperson.” Going from on to another, in your customers’ eyes, is a huge leap in credibility for you.

It is important to be on a radio show that targets your market. Having said that, never, ever turn down the opportunity to be interviewed on any radio show when you are just starting out. The practice is invaluable.

Anyone preparing to be an interviewee must put together a Press Kit. This should be in a folder with pockets on both sides. Into those pockets you will place your:

Biography

One Sheet

List of Questions (for an interviewer to ask you)

Copy of your book (if you have a book).

Newsletter (if you have one)

Recent Press releases

Cover letter explaining what is in your Press Kit and customizing it for your recipient

There are many examples of Press Kits online. Study them and prepare several. Always have some on hand made up. Opportunity shows up for those who are prepared for it.

Several years ago, I was preparing to be interviewed on a National Health Radio Show. I was told to send the Host four questions I wanted to be asked, so I did. I rehearsed those four questions for weeks leading up to the interview. The first question the host asked me wasn’t on the list and I was dumbfounded. It was a simple question; one I knew the answer to and I fumbled it badly. The lesson: Don’t rehearse; relax!

Know the audience and know the host. Then take it all with a grain of salt! What I’ve discovered, with few exceptions, is that telling stories and being funny is universal. However, you must be appropriate. I had a Ph.D. on my radio show one time, a well-known researcher in the Seattle area. She was talking about cancer. She was very serious throughout the entire interview. Humor would have been very inappropriate. Get a feel for your host/guest and respond accordingly.

Katherine Evans has the online tax preparation company: Click here for information, It is a safe, secure and easy way to file your 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ as well as many state returns.

Article Source

Tags: radio, media, relations, marketing, communications

Press releases are great tools in creating publicity for your products and company. They are widely used by both offline and online businessmen to create product awareness among their target market. Here are the 5 ways to make more profit with press release writing:

1. Create a compelling, attention-grabbing title. Your headline must capture your readers’ interest, thus it must be intriguing and interesting. Pique your readers’ curiosity by using titles that communicate the benefits that the press release can offer. To make it even more compelling, make your title brief, concise, and it must answer the basic why, what, where, who, when, and how questions of your potential readers. Here’s is a great example of a press release; “Telecom company to offer broadband service to New Mexico in 2008″.

2. Create a short summary. Before you write your first paragraph, provide your readers with a brief summary (1-2 sentences) of the press release. Here’s a sample of a short summary; “Telecom Company responds to the growing demand of New Mexico residents for a stable broadband connection. Project will start on the first quarter of 2008″

3. Make your first paragraph explosive. Unveil the most important information in this area. Make sure that you present the juiciest part of your story to keep your readers interested.

4. Stick to the facts. Remember, you are not allowed to pitch in your opinion or your recommendation. As a press release writer, you must present facts and information as they are, never interpret them.

5. Insert a valuable statement from your company CEO or president. Let your readers know how your top management feels about the latest news by inserting their comments or statements.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide’

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

Do you want to learn how to build a big online subscriber list fast? Click here: Secrets of List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 9034 articles in print and 14 published ebooks.

Article Source

Tags: pr, jobs, firms, communications, marketing

A little advance preparation will help you get ready now for any marketing or public relations opportunity that comes along. Spending some time on these items before they are needed will ensure you can respond quickly and professionally when you get a media call, need to whip together a promotional package for an event or project, develop a proposal or speak at a conference.

• A key messages document – short 1-3 sentence statements on topics like mission, operations, key projects or services, history, recognition or honors, support from the community.

• Biographies – one-page biographies of the executive members, senior personnel, board members.

• Head shots – professional quality headshots of key personnel and well as board chairperson.

• Organization profiles – short (less than 200 words) and full-page profile on the organization, program and services and geographic area served.

• Fact sheet – a bulleted list of relevant statistics and historical information about the organization and key projects.

• Logos – organization logos, in black and white and colour, in a variety of formats, e.g. lower resolution .jpg for web use or online, higher resolution like .eps or .tif for print.

• Photos – a selection of good quality photos that illustrate the mission in action, with a corresponding caption and identification of people, if applicable.

• Lists – gather and update periodically lists of media, political representatives in your area, public service announcements and free community billboards.

• Testimonials – maintain a file of compliments and thanks.

• Allies and competitors – have a basic understanding of your partners and allied organizations, as well as your competitors.

• Contact lists – email, telephone, addresses for staff and board members. Print it out for the days your server goes down! This is guaranteed to happen when you need to get into your database in a hurry.

If you ensure you have these items you’ll never be caught unprepared. The next time an unexpected opportunity comes up, you can spend your time making the most of it instead of doing the eleventh hour dash.

Sherri Garrity is a consultant and coach who specializes in helping organizations achieve greater results through better communications from the inside out. She is the president of Make It Count Communications and author of the Ready, Aim, Inspire! blog for nonprofit organizations.

For more information visit this site

Article Source

Tags: online, pr, tools, keyword, communications

Write a good article and the world will beat a path to your door. Or is that build a better mousetrap? Either way, it’s the bait that makes the difference.

For some, referrals, advertising, cold calls and networking are tried and true ways to build business. But, when you write informative articles, you will come to be known as an expert in your field.
Consider these advantages:

• The printed word reaches your client in their offices and homes.

• Reprints make great handouts and mailers.

• Many readers clip articles from the paper, saving them for future reference. You may find people responding years later.

Convinced? Well, maybe. But keep reading. Better yet, start writing down some article ideas. For example, you may want to start with an article discussing the terminology used in your business. The next article may cover some inside information that would be useful to consumers. The next, some commonly asked questions with answers.

You get the idea. Ask yourself what questions your clients ask you most frequently and you will have the topics for your articles. By the way, to be effective as a business development tool, be prepared to write at least three to six articles. The more readers see your name, the more they will come to identify you as an expert in your specialty.

Now that you are all fired up and ready to start, consider where you are going to place your articles. Start by identifying your audience. Who is going to use your product, businesses or consumers?

Knowing your audience will help you select the publication where you want your article to appear. If you are trying to develop clients locally, the first choice would be a daily newspaper. These papers usually have special sections appropriate for your information. Some are fairly obvious. Weekly Business and real estate supplements sections are great for reaching potential borrowers. The personal finance pages are an obvious place for mortgage finance articles.

A second choice is a weekly newspaper that may be receptive to freelance material. Also consider business periodicals that provide excellent opportunities for publication. Most metropolitan areas have a “Business Journal” that records bankruptcies, foreclosure, divorce and other legal matters.
On a more focused level, look for state and national magazines directed to professionals. Ask friends in various professions to give you sample copies of their trade magazines or take a trip to the local library. If you are aiming at consumers on a national level, consider national publications targeted at your audience.

Consider publishing your article on a website article collection such as EzineArticles.com. Readers use these types of sites for research by subject matter and will be able to find your article plus information about your business and website.

A good source of information for national magazine markets is the annual “Writer’s Market” published by Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, Ohio. Once you have selected a target publication, look on the periodical’s masthead for the name of the appropriate editor. Some will be open to discussing your ideas on the telephone. Others will require a written query.

The editor can tell you if his or her publication needs the material you want to cover. The editor will also give you an idea of the length and style of articles their publication prefers. Ask for any available writer’s guidelines that can help direct your efforts.

Once you have decided your audience and a receptive publication suited to reach that audience, you will want to prepare a professional manuscript. Correct format is important to editors and establishes the author as a professional.

You should always start with a cover letter, summing up your conversation or correspondence with the editor and a review of the articles content. Also include a brief biography that will tell the editor why they qualify you to write your article.

As for the manuscript itself, start by reading a book about writing articles. The book should cover the mechanics and format of successful articles. Excellent books on the subject are Magazine Writing That Sells by Don McKinney, Writer’s Digest Books, Cincinnati, Ohio 1994 and Perry Wilbur’s How to Write Articles That Sell, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1981.

What if you do not have the time or inclination to write? Writing well can be time consuming and frustrating. Several alternatives can help you achieve the results you want without the frustration.

First, you can create a rough draft and then find someone to edit and polish the article for publication. Or you can find a “ghostwriter” that can take your ideas and write a draft for you. You can then add your changes and additions to the article before a final manuscript is prepared. The writer will charge you a fee for writing the article and give you a final copy for submission to your publication of choice.

Generally, writers expect a third of their fee up front, a third at first draft and final payment when you receive the completed manuscript. Since contract writers cannot guarantee publication, you will want to be quite sure of acceptance before going ahead.

Writing fees can be from $150 for a short newspaper article to $3,000 and up for magazine articles. Prices vary with the writer and the complexity of the subject. Fees are usually less if several articles are involved.

You can find names of editors and writers by contacting writing groups, such as the Florida Freelance Writers Association. Or contact your local library for the names of groups in your area. Ask the writer’s group for a list of freelance writers that might be appropriate for your subject.
Research articles on websites such as ezinearticles.com. Here you can find what has been written about your subject. You might also find an author who can write a similar article for you.

If you see a good article in your favorite trade journal you can contact the author through the editorial offices listed in the publication. Names and addresses of the publication and editors appear on the masthead page of all periodicals and most trade journals have websites.

While a free lance writer’s knowledge of your article subject can make your efforts easier, it is more important that the writer communicates effectively with your audience. You can provide the needed technical expertise through an interview or rough draft.

Remember, however you write your articles, your job is to provide useful information in an entertaining manner.

Experienced, nationally published writer with twenty five years of banking, mortgage banking, and real estate experience. Academic background as adjunct college instructor and course developer. BSBA, MBA. Former bank president and chairman of the State of Florida Investment Advisory Council.

Publication includes multiple articles in the Christian Science Monitor, Bank Director Magazine, American Banker,Credit Union Business, Independent Banker, Financial Freedom Quarterly, National Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Originator, Mississippi, Florida Realtor, Florida Times Union, the Miami Herald, the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel and a column in the Palm Beach Post called “Mortgage Plain Talk.” See my website for many more informative articles about mortgages: here

Article Source

Tags: communications, public, relations, crisis, tools

Squeeze a dollop of today’s society out onto a petri dish, stare at it for a while, and inevitably you’ll come to realize that most of those bright little colourful clusters flitting about in the slime are powered by a potent, barely visible urge to dominate. Crank up the lens another fold or two and you’ll notice that these same, multifariously motivated, now bigger-looking clusters, spend virtually all of their time trying to penetrate, twist and manipulate the minds of each of the millions of half-witted free floating cells contained in the self same great grey gelatinous slime that clouds the dish.

(Dispensing with metaphor for the sake of clarity: Interest groups, political parties and corporations, in order to influence legislation/obtain funding/attain power/generate revenue, need to package their positions and messages persuasively in order to attract public support/maintain customers loyalty).

Dial the time machine back 2500 years and you’ll observe that although the technology isn’t quite what it is today, most of the best penetrating, twisting ploys have, over the millennia, remained the same.

Which is why Aristotle’s Rhetoric should be required reading for all compleat modern professional communicators.

Introduction of a new-fangled way of running society – democracy – in Fifth Century BC placed political power within the grasp of all who could sway and slay juries and assemblies. Ergo, demand for media training – the art of speaking and presenting persuasively – exploded (as, I imagine, it did for sales training when humankind originally clued into the barter/commerce racket). Throughout the following century, textbooks on argumentation, methods of rousing the emotions, and choice figures of speech, flew off the shelves as fast as papyrus stems could be ripped out of the ground.

According to one-time University of Toronto classics professor G.M.A.Grube, many of these works, notably Rhetorica Ad Alexandrum, displayed completely cynical, amoral attitudes, concerning themselves only with how to use arguments and rhetorical devices to best effect, regardless of intent. It is as an attack against this amoral backdrop that Aristotle’s Rhetoric must be appreciated.

Plato, before Aristotle, said that if Rhetoric was to be an art, then its practitioners required knowledge both of the human soul and its different parts and functions, and of the different types of arguments and their appeal to different types of men. Aristotle delivers this in the first two books of the Rhetoric. In the third he deals with style, a most important topic, one upon which the remainder of this article will dwell, citing with some liberties, a series of choice examples from the advice proffered:

These three things should be aimed for: metaphor (i.e. the loss of the cities youth during the war was as if Spring had been taken out of the year); antithesis (i.e. by bridging the Hellesport and digging through Mount Athos, they sailed over the land and marched over the sea); and vividness.

Style and delivery, although really superfluous, must be deployed because of the depravity of the audience. The power of the written word depends on style rather than content.

The first principle of style is to use good Greek (English, French), also, to use specific rather than general terms, and to avoid ambiguity, unless one deliberately seeks it (i.e. you have nothing to say). What we write should be easy to read and easy to speak.

Speech is not fulfilling its function unless it is clear. Current nouns, adjectives and verbs make for clarity.

One must seem to be speaking in a natural and unstudied manner, for what is natural is convincing, what is studied is not. People distrust rhetorical tricks just as they distrust adulterated wine.

Epithets add something. They can emphasize the worse or shameful side of things, or their better aspect. Orestes, for example, can be called a matricide, or the avenger of his father.

An audience always shares the feelings of a passionate speaker, even when there is nothing in what he says.

Metaphors, antithesis, humour, parody, clarity (or the lack of it), style, epithets (‘Branding’), passion, action, movement, music, rhythm, repetition, name recognition, shaping your message for your audience, all play an important role in the persuasion business, all were originally identified by Aristotle. And, although he may not have anticipated how technology now enables us to create worlds of competing Boorstinean pseudo-realities, much of his wisdom on rhetoric is at play in the media culture we live in today.

Nigel Beale is a writer, broadcaster and literary critic. Please visit his webblog Here

Article Source

Tags: marketing, communications, public, relations, consultancy

PR networking is all the buzz right now and capturing a lot of media attention. If you had a famous friend, relative, or associate would you enlist them for public support? Do you even feel that it is appropriate to ask a friend for public support?

The main trendsetters for this new form of association are celebrities and politicians. A prime example of how PR networking is spreading among celebrities and politicians would be Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama. He is running for President, she has more than 8 million people watching her talk show and more than 2 million reading her magazine. Obama gets an endorsement from Oprah Winfrey and this allows him exposure to target audiences he otherwise may not be able to reach. How about that for a return on a friendship investment?

On the flip side of this type of practice you can also be penalized for not using connections. As did former Playmate of the Year Tiffany Fallon found herself in hot water with Donald Trump. In the return season of The Apprentice that featured celebrities, Tiffany was the first to go. Trump fired Fallon and told her that she should have called upon Hugh Hefner for financial support to help her team’s charity. Does being associated with someone rich and famous mean you have to contact them if you need public support?

Internet affiliations are being used in many different streams. Social media networks have made it easy to send messages to wide audiences and target specific age groups. Even major corporations are encouraging their employees to blog and join networks like MySpace, Facebook, Digg, YouTube, EzineArticles, Stumbleupon and others to reach hundreds to millions of audiences. Often clicks are formed among these groups that boost status association. In fact, these communities support bragging about how many hits on web page, friends, fans, and comments their members have. An attractive online friend is often measured by how many other online friends they have.

PR Building Recipe:

Put your face on Facebook

Find some space at MySpace

Dig the Digg articles

Stumble on Stumpleupon

Promote articles on EzineArticles

Get on the tube at YouTube

Really put on the RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

I guess it still holds true, it may not always be what you know but who you know. Now, it may even be who saves you as a friend.

“CR” Cataunya Ransom is the Co-founder of Mosnar Communications, INC. She developed a niche for Luxury PR & Global Marketing. Guiding clients on how to brand, market, and promote luxury products, events, and services. Highly respected as a luxury public relations expert! “CR” consults clients and speaks to audiences about luxury public relations and global marketing practices. Visit site.

Article Source

Tags: media, relations, communications, marketing, consultancy

Ever sit open-mouthed in amazement while reading a news story? Ever get so irritated that you hurl pillows at your television? If so, you’re not alone.

“We’re all tired of the teasers, of the stories that go nowhere,” says Gerard Braud of Gerard Braud Communications. “Reporters set up a situation, promise hard legwork but when you see the story, you get facts that are either loosely related or aren’t related at all. It’s a big letdown.”

For communicators, however, it can be much worse than a letdown. It can be a disaster. Reporters will act as judge and jury if you let them,” says Braud. “Too many reporters have only three things on their mind. ‘One, this story has to be great because I want to impress the boss. Two, I want to win an award. Three, I want to put this story on my resume so I can get a more prestigious, higher paying job.’”

Braud knows. Before starting his consulting firm, he worked for 15 years as a reporter in print, radio and television. “I left the business because stories were getting more and more superficial,” he says. “Reporters were also lumping all sorts of unrelated facts together to make it appear that something sinister was going on in corporate America. Where communicators see a company working in the best interests of its employees and customers, reporters connect the same dots to come up with a picture of the monster that lives under the bed.”

So Braud urges corporate America to be a “control freak.” That means executives must end their denial about the severity of negative news, while corporate communicators have to go above and beyond what they do now to protect their company. “A lot of communicators just go through the motions,” he says. “They write a crisis communications plan, but they don’t test it or review it annually. They conduct media training but don’t hold refreshers on a regular basis. They often don’t role play with executives before an interview. Like Tiger Woods, you must practice your technique constantly. That’s the only way to win.”

Communicators can also take the offensive – and penetrate the media’s psyche. “Corporate communicators are covered by the same first amendment rights as the media,” Braud explains, “and they have the right to inquire into reporters’ motives.” If communications professionals can penetrate the media’s psyche, they can predict the behavior of reporters, editors, and producers. They owe it to their organization to go that extra mile. Doing so will also enhance their reputation and increase their value.

“You have the right to control the way the press covers your organization,” says Braud. “Obviously, you don’t have control over the final edit or the final rewrite, but you have control of everything leading up to that.” You don’t have to guess what the media will do; you have the ability to find out ahead of time.

How? By asking lots of tough questions. Before agreeing to give the media access to your company and your management, conduct extensive interviews with the producer or the reporter to find out where the story is going. When you get your questions answered, you begin to discover what the reporter wants to do. Nine times out of 10, you will be able to isolate specific topics and explain them. The result: the reporter will have to start discarding information and speculation that would otherwise have gone into the story.

True, some members of the media will resist. After all, if they tell you everything they believe and you show them where their assumptions are incorrect, they will see their story start to evaporate right before their eyes. They don’t want to see that happen. To encourage them to talk to you, lay down some ground rules. “When you tell a reporter or a producer that you are willing to cooperate and be completely open – add that you expect the same from them,” Braud suggests. “Tell them that you will share information with them and in return you want them to share information with you. They usually agree.”

Still, many communicators balk at asking a long list of questions. They know reporters and producers don’t want to answer them all. They may also feel that their inquiries are intrusive, even rude, and that their persistence will anger the media. But their determination to get what they need will demonstrate their strength and intelligence, leading the media to be more careful checking their facts. “The media needs to know that you are going to hold them to such a high standard that there will be hell to pay if they don’t live up to it or get the facts wrong,” says Braud.

You will also be able to evaluate the situation. Why wait until after the fact to discover that the story angle was motivated by personal wants or needs? Braud remembers one network magazine producer who wanted to do a report on sexual dysfunction in females. Her hook was “Is there a female version of Viagra?” “My client was a sex therapist at a major teaching medical center and her research had to do with unlocking mental blocks to having good sex,” says Braud. “The producer kept trying to steer the story and get the therapist to discuss issues outside of her cutting-edge research.”

In preliminary conversations with the producer, Braud concluded that the producer suffered from the sexual dysfunction she was exploring in the story, that she was embarrassed about seeking help, and that she wanted to “force” the story so she could obtain information for herself. After meeting with the producer herself, the therapist agreed. In the end, she decided not to participate because her research did not fit the story angle. The last thing she wanted was to have her work misrepresented.

“Communicators must level the playing field,” says Braud. “You need to know that you have both the right and the responsibility to probe deeply into reporters’ psyches. Give yourself the license to flush out the media’s motives. If you don’t, your organization and its stakeholders will suffer for it.”

Copyright © Rose Communications, Inc.

Eve B. Rose, ABC, CIMA® is a writer and editor with more than 25 years of experience in marketing and organizational communications. In addition to marketing brochures and other collateral, she writes white papers, shareholder report commentaries, newsletter and magazine articles, and management communications – among other things. To learn more about Eve and her services, visit her site

Article Source

Tags: communications, relations, media, job, public

Using article writing as part of your business marketing can generate traffic to your website and increase your income and exposure for you and your business.

In this article I’m going to look at why article writing is one of the easiest ways in which to market your business and why it needs to form part of your ongoing marketing mix.

If your business has a website, a blog or an online shop then article writing is for you. You can have the best website in the world but without regular visitors and traffic to your site then it’s not really worth having on online presence at all. And there really is only 2 ways to get traffic to your site – you pay for it (pay per click, banner advertising, affiliate schemes, directory advertising etc) or you get free traffic (optimisation in the search engines natural or free listings being the main way).

Don’t get my wrong paying for traffic can really work and pay per click advertising is great as it gives you instant results and if you can convert visitors to sales then it can make you and your company money.

HOWEVER, you can get even better results by being listed high in the natural search engine listings (or SERPS) and article writing can really help with this.

When people use a search engine like Google they are presented with numerous listings based on what they are searching for. The sponsored (or paid) listings appearing at the top and down the right hand side and the free or natural listings appearing on the main page. Pretty straightforward yes? But what am I telling you that you don’t already know?

Well did you know about the 70/30 rule?

The 70/30 rule means that 70% of visitors to a search engine will click on a free listing rather than a paid for listing who just get 30% of total clicks. This means that even if you run highly successful pay per click campaigns over two thirds of people searching for your product/company/service could be going elsewhere unless you appear high in the free listings.

Now if you have a large marketing budget then I’d recommend investing in search engine optimization (be careful though as there’s thousands of so called SEO experts out there who make big promises without delivering).

However if you don’t have a large budget then article writing can really help you move up the rankings, establish you as an expert in your field and mean you get traffic, visitors and sales for little time and money.

Marketing done well can transform your business from an also ran to leaders in your particular field and size of your budget doesn’t have to hold you back. Be smart with your small business marketing and article writing and watch your business grow. What are you waiting for? JUST DO IT!

Mark Burdett is the owner of one of the UK’s Leading Marketing Consultancy firms, The Marketing Buzz.

With almost 2 decades of marketing experience Mark has worked on highly successful and profitable campaigns for companies including Norwich Union, Kia Motors and Zurich.

Now based in Newcastle upon Tyne, The Marketing Buzz help small and medium sized UK businesses grow and increase their profits by using highly effective Marketing techniques.

If you want to grow your business and increase your profits contact The Marketing Buzz Here

Article Source

Tags: media, relations, articles, marketing, communications

Sometimes, writing a press release can become a scary and intimidating job. But did you know that if you have written a well-polished press release, your exposure can become endless. You might be shown on television, be heard on radio or even be put in the front page of famous magazines. To achieve that exposure and marketing that you wanted, of course you need to write an effective release. Here are some of the big ways that you can do that.

1. It has been written many times and again that content is really the most important aspect of writing. And in press release, you need to keep in mind that you do not need a very long piece. You can be direct and concise and short with your message. The shorter the better. The information should also appear easy to the eyes so that your readers could actually browse through it with ease. Your first paragraph will play an important part here so make sure to make an impression as early as your first 5 words.

2. Do not exaggerate. If you will be writing press releases one big reminder: DO NOT exaggerate. As much as possible provide facts and make sure to provide references for these facts. You are writing a release to provide an unbiased opinion that would give credibility for what you are writing about.

3. Never ever commit grammatical errors on them. Who would believe a piece that has spelling and grammatical errors? It might convey a message to the readers that this is not a professional piece and that it is not a reliable fact.

4. If you want to get an exposure with a press release remember that you should limit your submission for about one to two times a month if you really have big news to tell the public. It should be noted that these releases should be used when there is really a big thing that you want to create a controversy.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide’

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

Do you want to learn how to build a big online subscriber list fast? Click here: Secrets of List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 9034 articles in print and 14 published ebooks.

Article Source

Tags: communications, media, relations, business, company

3 Simple Steps to Profitable Press Releases

Step #1 – Newsworthy Websites Generate Great Press

A successful publicity campaign using a press release requires a good story. You need to come up with something original about your site that will be interesting to the general public and not just to people involved in your niche subject.

Two ways to get interest in your press release are:

1. Relate your press release to a topical issue that has recently had a lot of media coverage. Tie it to anything – as long as it has relevance to your membership site.

2. Tie your press release into a particular event, exhibition or tradeshow that somehow relates to your niche subject.

Step #2 – Follow the Format

Title

Cover the most interesting aspect of your press release in as few words as possible. Make it punchy and attention grabbing, with maximum impact.

Subheading

This is your chance to add some detail about what your press release is about without spoiling the effect of your forceful heading.

Lead paragraph

This will be a factual paragraph giving all the details of your story. It will answer the questions who, what, where, when and how. If the editor has read further that your title, this paragraph will make up his or her mind about whether to use your press release.

Main body of text

The rest of your text will give information to support the story you told in the lead paragraph. Including quotes from your members is often an effective technique in this section, but remember to respect their privacy.

Boilerplate

The final paragraph, known as the boilerplate, will be a few sentences about your membership site, what it is about and what you offer.

End your press release with the word “End”, add your contact information after so the editor can contact you easily to clarify information.

Essential tips for writing your next great press release:

1. Always write in the third person.

2. Keep your press release as short as possible. Edit ruthlessly and get rid of any unnecessary words and phrases.

3. Avoid hype phrases to describe your membership site such as ‘one of a kind’ or ‘out of this world’. Your press release is not a sales pitch.

Step 3. – The path to profitable publication.

If you want to get your press release published offline, here are a few pointers:

Research your publication

Choose a publication that is suitable for your niche subject, and which will be read by your target audience. Read that publication regularly, and get an idea of the kind of articles they print as well as the tone used. Find out who the most appropriate journalist or editor would be for you to approach with your press release.

Make the call

When contacting the editor, your approach will be polite and professional. Always call before you send them your press release; busy people tend to delete unsolicited e-mail.

If you get their voicemail, don’t be afraid to leave a concise message with the main angle of your story and your contact details. Call again if you don’t get a response for a couple of days.

If you speak to them in person, introduce yourself briefly and then check if you are calling at a good time. Offer to call back at a more convenient time if necessary.

Don’t launch into a sales pitch about your membership site. Briefly give the editor the details of your story in a straightforward way.

Follow up – quickly

Have a press pack ready before you contact the editor and send this as soon as possible after you have spoken to them. This will consist of your press release and any appropriate photos etc.

Give the editor a couple of days and call again to follow up.

Jeremy Gislason is a leading expert on membership sites, marketing and online business. Do you want to market and sell all of your products faster? Free how to business and marketing courses Here.

Article Source: Source

Tags: media, relations, guide, marketing, communications

You have a newsworthy story that you want to release to the world in the form of a press release. It is well written and you are expecting it to bring you and your company free exposure. It is formatted correctly and it really says what you want it to say.

So then if you’ve done all of these things there is a good chance of your press release being acted upon right?

NO

Well, not yet anyway.

You see you can have the best press release in the World but unless it is sent to the right person then there is still every chance it will not be dealt with (or at least dealt with in the way you want it to be).

This article is therefore all about making sure you contact the right person. There are many ways to do this and these include.

1. Buy a Media Guide

Publications such as the Guardian Media Guide or BRAD will contain useful information about who to contact in the press.

2. Get someone to do it for you

You can subscribe to a media contact service or use online press release agencies.

Both are perfectly valid options to making sure your press release reaches the right person but surely the best thing about PR is that it is free. Therefore to make sure it remains free how about option number 3?

3. Do it Yourself

In the UK during the 80s and 90s we went through a DIY explosion (not literally) with people wanting to do things themselves. This usually involved walking around Homebase or B&Q at a weekend buying things like shelves and drills, taking them home and then drilling through a cable and having no electric until Monday morning (or was that just me?)

Anyway, the Norties has produced a different breed of person. DIY has been replaced with GSI (or the get someone in generation). I mean why should you do it yourself when someone else can do it for you?

Well when it comes to PR and your business because it is cheaper, it is not as hard as your think, it is better in the long run and it gives you an amazing sense of achievement.

So then let us start with the basics. How exactly can you do it yourself?

You can use the internet to find publications or types of media you want to target (these could be magazines, local papers, television channels, websites and many more)

The internet is great as many of the media will have websites of their own containing useful information about who works there and who you need to contact. This could be list of journalists, editors or support staff. Basically find out their contact information and contact them.

You can do this by emailing your Press Release and making a phone call to make sure they have it. You can call them and ask for their e-mail address, then follow that up once sent.

You can send them your Press Release in the post and follow it up with an email or telephone call

You have to be persistent but once you’ve made contact and established they are the right person you can keep in touch with them.

What is vital when it comes to PR and small business marketing in general is that we prefer to deal with people we like. If you make a good first impression with the media getting future PR published will be so much easier. Your contact may actually come to you for stories. Remember, the media need you more than you need them. No stories equal No sales.

The Top Tips when it comes to contacting the right person are therefore:

1. Make it personal. Get your key contacts name and use it.

2. Be persistent. Phone them, email them, fax them and send them post. Keep doing this until you get a definite NO. What might not be news worthy today could be just what they are looking for tomorrow.

3. What is in it for them? People who work in the media don’t have time to waste so when you are speaking to them get to the point and tell them the benefits of dealing with you.

4. Ask questions. If they aren’t interested ask them if they know who will be. Journalists and people in the media have many contacts and one of them could be just the person to help you (and you to help them).

5. It might be a numbers game. Don’t just send your press release to one person at a publication. Until you’ve established your ma contact send it to anyone who might be interested – editor, journalists, deputy editor etc

6. Stay in touch. When you’ve established a good contact stay in touch and become their expert in your field. That way when they need something for your industry they will come to you. Send them a birthday or Christmas email. You would be amazed how the little things make the most difference.

7. Be remembered. The media love people with passion, with something to stay, people who are controversial, who are tenacious and who have opinions. Don’t be boring as you will be instantly forgettable. Be remembered and be published.

Make contacts with the right people in the media and PR can become your best means of Marketing. Remember an article published by the media will generally produce much better results than an advert in the same publication as PR acts as a third party endorsement. It is the media almost recommending or endorsing your services or products.

If you want to know to know the answer to the question What is Marketing? You want to make sure PR and Press Release form part of your Marketing Mix. Get great at PR and watch your profits increase and your business grow.

Mark Burdett is the owner of one of the UK’s Leading Marketing Consultancy firms, The Marketing Buzz.

With almost 2 decades of marketing experience Mark has worked on highly successful and profitable campaigns for companies including Norwich Union, Kia Motors and Zurich.

Now based in Newcastle upon Tyne, The Marketing Buzz help small and medium sized UK businesses grow and increase their profits by using highly effective Marketing techniques.

If you want to grow your business and increase your profits contact The Marketing Buzz here

Article Source

Tags: about, media, relations, marketing, communications

So you really want to be known in your organization as the PR guy. The job may be prestigious but be ready to work no end to achieve every milestone in your schedule. Anyway, you’ll fit right in you think, because you’ve been in advertising for quite some time now and you know they’re the same.

NOT.

Most of us probably believe that both are the same. Maybe even the powers-that-be in our organization may also think this way. Not quite, actually. There’s a totally big difference between promotion and public relations. If promotions apply a lot of unique and more than the usual strategies to get attention, PR is the tamer version of the two. When you want to dabble in public relations, you need to have restraint in your actions.

Part of the attraction for advertising is its radical code of being bale to do and say anything you want to. Your company is paying for the ad space so you’d rather take advantage of that.

Not with public relations. You get to be the nice guy to everyone because basically, you get media attention for free. You don’t pay for it and you most surely have to get the company’s name out without all that jazz and pizzazz usually associated with advertising. Don’t get me wrong. Both worlds are actually very challenging. In fact, there’s no limit with what you can do with public relations. And once you start to know the rhythm and all the routines, you might just want to stay in PR.

So what do you actually do in PR? For one thing, you’ll write press releases – a lot. You’ll organize and plan press conferences, and produce company promotional materials like the newsletters and flyers. You’ll practically be the link between your company and the press.

You’ll also have a lot of PR functions which include public speaking, attending seminars and conferences, getting media interviews, exhibiting at trade shows, organizing press conferences, arranging such events like opening day, special visit to the company site, managing photo sessions either in or out of the studio, and most importantly, acting as the company’s spokesperson. All in all, I can say that you’re the ‘it’ guy for the company when it comes to creating a great image to the public. So if you think you can do all that, and become a jack-of-all-trades, able to jump and skip rope all at the same time, then public relations is definitely for you.

What characteristics do you need to have to make it in public relations, you ask?

Number 1, you need to be a sponge that absorbs everything that you come across with your seminars, workshops, on-the-job trainings. You need to learn everything.

Number 2, you need to learn to multi task. You’ll be managing more than one project at once so make sure you can focus on each one without neglecting the others.

Number 3, you have to like people because you’ll be dealing with them with every waking hour you have.

Number 4, be able to adapt to any situation like a chameleon, and be open to many things and situations.

Lastly, you need to have the stamina and endurance to be able to dance, entertain, and always be fresh with ideas even if you’re tired and barely able to stand up. PR is probably the busiest and the most intense work in marketing. But when you get started and got your feet wet, you probably won’t want to go back.

Janice Jenkins is a writer for a marketing company in Chicago, IL. Mostly into marketing research, Janice started writing articles early 2007 to impart her knowledge to individuals new to the marketing industry.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit: Flyer Printing

Article source.

Tags: public relations, promotion, public, communications, marketing

What do you need to do before you even put pen to paper and start writing a press release?

Although writing a successful press release is pretty straightforward, unless you do it correctly your hard work will be rewarded with the STB technique. That is your press release will be Screwed up into a tiny ball and it will be Thrown into the nearest Bin by the person you sent it to. And whilst the STB technique is seldom discussed I am afraid the vast majority of press releases fall foul to its nasty end. However, yours will not.

So let us start with some things you need to think about and so before writing your press release.

To begin with you need to think about why you are actually writing the release in the first place. Is it to tell the world about something amazing that has happened that you simply have to share with them? Is it to update your customers (or potential customers) with news of a new product or service you have? Or is it to increase business? A wise man (I think it was big chinned Football guru Jimmy Hill) once said “You cannot get to where you are going until you know where you are”. Wise words indeed and words that should be listened to if you want your press release to be acted upon.

The second thing you need to consider is who are you going to send it to? Before you even consider putting pen to paper you have to know who the release is going to be sent to as this will have a vital impact on what you say and how you say it. I mean do you really think Richard Attenborough would have sent the same press release about Jurassic Park to the National History Museum as he would have to a tabloid newspaper? No he most certainly would not have. Instead the headline to one might have been “Tyrannosaurus Rex makes triumphant return in the land of the lost giants” whereas the other headline might have been “Do you think he Dino Saw Us? Mad Professor opens new theme park”. Basically you need to make sure you know where your release will be sent so it can be tailored to that audience.

Please also make your press release interesting and newsworthy to the people you are sending it to. If you dont you know what will happen (see STB above).

The final thing you have to do before writing your press release is to know that the person you are sending it to does not care about you and does not care about your business. All they care about is does what you are writing about interest them and more importantly will it be of interest and useful to their readers, listeners, viewers or site visitors. And whilst this may seem a harsh thing to say it is true. If you don’t believe me send out a press release not taking this into account and watch the results. Oh yes, and listen hard enough and you might hear the STB!

So there you go just a few things you should be doing before writing your press release. And here are a few things you most definitely should not do:

Do not ramble. Journalists dislike press releases that don’t get to the point. If you can get to the point and do not ramble on, your release has a much better chance of being published. If however you are about to sit down and write war and peace then go walk the dog, make a cup of tea or do whatever it takes to get you out of this mindset.

Do not lie. Remember this is not your CV! Keep the contents of your release factual, correct and do not be tempted to tell anything but the truth.

Do not make mistakes. If journalists hate one thing more than rambling its errors, spelling mistakes and releases that are not grammatically correct. With spell check there is no excuse nowadays.

And one final thought, (very Jerry Springer) STBs will no longer be an option for you and your business we will leave them for your competitors. Business Marketing and Small Business Marketing done well can help increase your profits and grow your business. Get great at Public Relations and watch your business grow.

Mark Burdett is the owner of one of the UK’s Leading Marketing Consultancy firms, The Marketing Buzz.

With almost 2 decades of marketing experience Mark has worked on highly successful and profitable campaigns for companies including Norwich Union, Kia Motors and Zurich.

Now based in Newcastle upon Tyne, The Marketing Buzz help small and medium sized UK businesses grow and increase their profits by using highly effective Marketing techniques.

If you want to grow your business and increase your profits contact The Marketing Buzz

Article Source

Tags: pr, communications, jobs, tools, memo

New and established companies need constant exposure in order for people to keep the products or services of the company in mind. Writing a press release about the company will not only bolster further interest but it also allows the public a chance to know the company’s progress and undertakings.

A press release should convey vital information on a topic such as what is it about, why is the subject being written, and if an event or new product is being launched-when and where will this take place and who will be attending. Also, a brief summary or explanation of how the process will take place or how something happened, for instance, should be included. These details provide key information that will provide readers with a thorough understanding of the company. However, not all of these questions can be answered because each issue may not contain all of the information mentioned.

Another form of press release that can be issued is an interview with a prominent figure in the company. Distinguished persons spur interest and show that the company is exceptional to have remarkable people standing behind its name. Success stories or advice can entice readers to take note of a press release.

However, if your company does not have writers to generate information then outsource news press release is the solution for this. The writer just has to be informed about the mission, goals, inner workings and developments in the company in order to create an article that will best suit the needs of the company.

The author is a staff member at AgentsofValue, a webmaster outsourcing company. Check out the services available on the website here

Article Source

Tags: company, promote, communications, public relations, press release

You have some news about your product or company that you want the world to know. How do you issue a press release that will get noticed and more important, get printed? Is this your first time issuing a release and you aren’t sure what to put? Have you issued press releases before, but without the results you wanted?

Your press release does not depend so much on the content, or the area of business you are in. Remember that there are hundreds of editors out there combing through hundreds of thousands of press releases looking for a story. Content is what gets printed, but how you present that content is what will get your press release selected. Here are some Do’s and Do Not’s to consider that can make your release stand out.

1. Your Importance

Let’s face facts. Most likely, your company or your product is not known to most of your target market. What does that mean? It means, unless your company is a major “mover and shaker”, — i.e. Fortune 500, traded publicly, etc. — not many people are going to care that you’ve relocated, or hired a new CFO. If it’s a new product, or new changes to a product that is the focus of your press release, again not many people will care. Realize and accept these two facts and act accordingly.

2. It’s All About the News

A press release is for the press. The press prints news. Make your press release NEWS! You need to find the news slant for your press release. What is it about your company or product that you want the world to know? Unofficially, I’m sure you just want the word out so that people will buy your products. Officially, you need to find the news content and push that, not your product.

Here’s an example:

BAD: “Product Y, Made by company X, was used to do operation A. The doctors were pleased with Product Y’s performance.”

GOOD: “At hospital B, a common procedure was performed in a different way by doctors F, H, and I. Instead of… Then they… At one point, Product Y was used to do… Because of this… instead of…”

The main difference between the “GOOD” and “BAD” is one release was about the product and company and the other was about the news.

3. The Title Says it All

Your title is extremely important. A lot of the time, editors only look at a list of press release titles to save time. They reject thousands of potential articles because the titles of non-news articles have non-news titles. Remember, the editors want news, so let them know your press release can deliver with a good title.

Example:

BAD: Revolutionary Product Y, Made By Company X, Performs Above Expectations

GOOD: A Common Procedure Performed Uncommonly

The “GOOD” title makes them think there is actual news in there.

4. Solid Structure in the First Paragraph

Your sentence structure sometimes stands out more than content. The very common, standard press release format that is skimmed and rejected by editors goes something like this:

“Company X, a leader in innovative W production, is proud to announce the introduction of the new and improved Product Y, the best solution for G in the industry with its M feature and L tolerances.”

Avoid that sentence structure like the plague!

Begin your press release with the news. Tell the editors WHY they — and eventually their readers – should care about what you have to say. What happened? What was unique? What is the news?

5. No Buzz Words!

Even if your product is “revolutionary”, or you are an “industry leader,” don’t say it. Those kinds of words are trite and overused in the business world. Editors don’t appreciate buzz words, and neither will their readers, even if your article is newsworthy.

Just so you know, if your press release is chosen, editors will still remove all the buzz words from the entire article. The reason? They are not going to research in depth the validity of your claims that you’re “a leading innovator”, etc. Most often those claims are untrue, or only applicable in a very narrow, unimpressive way that is not mentioned.

If your product is truly revolutionary, then anyone who reads the news part of your article will say, “wow, that’s a revolutionary product!”

6. No Low Self-esteem for Your Company

What this means is you don’t have to remind the readers that Product Y is made by Company X (“The leader in M type products!”) Don’t mention your company in the title, or in the first paragraph, or the first time you mention Product Y. This article isn’t about the company — and is not supposed to be obviously about the product – it’s about the news.

A paragraph telling the history of how Product Y was developed and made by Company X is all you need. Resist the temptation to put in those buzz word sentences, (“Leader in this or that”) even at the bottom. Now, if your press release is unofficially about your company, then simply substitute “Company X” for “Product Y” in the advice above.

You would be surprised how few potential news articles there are among all the press releases. Editors appreciate news and good writing. They will notice if they keep getting quality news from a particular source and will keep an eye out for more material. Make your press release shine and give them what they want.

Always remember: a press release is about the news!

Amy Linley gives practical and usable advice regarding communication and meetings at AccuConference.

Find out more about our conference call, web conferencing and video conferencing services from AccuConference.

Article Source

Tags: communications, strategies, business, good, effective

If you never explored the possibilities of adding public relations to your business practices, the year of 2008 will challenge your thoughts. Public relations will become a necessity for almost virtually any and every business, no matter how big or small.

The art of public relations is simple. Public relations involve how you communicate with the public and what is the public perception of you. If you run a business, the public has an image of your business and you should be communicating with the public to make sure that this image is a positive one. In order to communicate with your target audience you have to understand how to reach them first. This is why it is vitally important to utilize the best public relations practices to be effective and gain the most exposure for your business.

Here is how you can stay above the PR curve for 2008:

PR What’s Out, What’s In, What’s New 2008?

1. What’s Out? Expensive Wire Distributions – The days of paying for expensive press release wire distribution services are out. Today many free wire distribution services offer the same exposure as paid for press release distribution services. Try PR-Inside.com, PR.com, or PRLog.org all of these services offer free press release wire distribution services.

2. What’s In? Social Media Networking – It has now become just as important to create a name for yourself online as well as offline. Writing promotional articles, joining online communities (YouTube, Facebook, MySpace) etc.

3. What’s Out? Faking Hype – Adding fake hype to a news story or tip to receive publicity is out. Find a true newsworthy storyline oppose to adding fake hype.

4. What’s In? Stronger Media Relationships – It will be more important than ever to secure and build stronger media relationships.

5. What’s New? PR Industry Co-opting – Form alliances with others that add value and help you to gain stronger media exposure.

6. What’s New? DotMobi Mobile PR – Utilize mobile communications to connect and gain exposure. Implement mobile websites for cell phones and mobile email communications.

“CR” Cataunya Ransom is the Co-founder of Mosnar Communications, INC. She developed a niche for Luxury PR & Global Marketing. Guiding clients on how to brand, market, and promote luxury products, events, and services. Highly respected as a luxury public relations expert! “CR” consults clients and speaks to audiences about luxury public relations and global marketing practices.
Visit this site.

Article Source

CR Ransom – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: marketing, communications, public, relations, consultancy

Branding is one of the things that will set you apart from your contemporaries. This may be in terms of your logo, slogan, company name, or your website. You can also establish the image of your company through writing press releases. Here are key ways to make more profit through press release writing and build credibility for your business:

Initially describe your press release in a few words. Just as if you are in the process of writing a news article, give all details in very first paragraph. This will definitely stimulate your customers to go ahead with your article and read it fully to get complete information to satisfy their curious minds.

You must know and understand your audience. The viewers must not only read, but truly comprehend the value of your press releases. It might be beneficial if you have a preexisting relationship with the audience for whom you are creating the work. You can then write the release as if it were specifically for that group, tailoring the language and level of formalism to those individuals.

Always be sure to focus on your first words. Human beings have a limited attention spectrum. They are unable to stand anything boring. In this way you must remember that the first few words generated from your article are most compelling and intriguing.

Stick to the hard facts when writing. Your press releases are meant to build your business’s reputation, so if you convey false data about your products or embellish too much, you’ll undermine your own credibility. Create a positive press release that is supported by third-person testimonials or third-party research studies.

Always make sure to include your complete contact information. This would include your company’s physical address, a contact e-mail, and various telephone numbers. The main point of a press release is to spark your reader’s attention and entice them to seek more information.

Finally, write only what is worth discussing. Don’t create scenarios or exaggerate a simple situation just so you can release a company article. Make sure that the news is substantial enough to merit attention from your readers.

You can get more information about Marketing Plan at this site. Sean Milea writes about Search Engine Marketing Firms and other topics.

Article Source

Tags: building, communications, consultancy, marketing, public

Do you have a crisis management or crisis communications plan for your business or organization? Do you believe your business or organization is too small to need a crisis communications plan? Or do you believe that crises only happen to others?

If you are like the majority of businesses and organizations today, especially small to medium sized ones, you answered NO to the first question and probably YES to the second question. And I hope you answered NO to the third question.

Well, I cannot emphasize too strongly that no matter how big or small you are, every organization should have a crisis management and crisis communications plan.

If you read the newspapers or watch the news on TV or hear the news on the radio, you know that crises happen every day. No person or organization is immune from crises. Think about such recent crises as fires, bank robberies, corporate scandals, sexual harassment, product recalls, death of top executives, closing a facility, etc.

So what should you do? The answer: develop a crisis management plan in 2 parts. The first part is the crisis management plan (how your company or organization will deal with the crisis at hand to minimize negative impacts). The second part is the crisis communications plan (how you will communicate with the media and the public about the crisis).

Too many companies prepare one without the other. Both are critically important. Your goal needs to be that most crises will never get reported in the media because you handled the situation skillfully enough that it never became visible to the media. And the development and implementation of a good crisis communications plan will help make sure of that.

Some great tips and techniques for your crisis management program can be found on the Public Relations Society of America website. General principles that can positively affect your actions and communication in a crisis situation.

Crisis communication planning can help you deal effectively with those unexpected disasters, emergencies or other unusual events that may cause unfavorable publicity for your organization.

Before the crisis, successful communication will depend, in large part, on the preparations you make long before the emergency occurs.

During the crisis, your focus is to deal with the situation, gather accurate information and communicate quickly.

Reporters provide few surprises in a crisis situation.

Your spokesperson should be forthright in dealing with media questions. There are, however, some questions he or she simply cannot and should not answer.

Your spokesperson should not respond to media questions with “no comment” because this answer can imply a lack of cooperation, an attempt to hide something or a lack of concern. There are more appropriate responses when he or she either doesn’t have one or is not at liberty to give certain information after the crisis.

My goal with this article is to cause you to think about taking some initial steps to prepare yourself and your organization to start the development of a crisis management and communications plan. Don’t wait until “it hits the fan” to start your planning.

Crisis Communications Planning or What To Do Before, During Or After It Hits The Fan By: J. Glenn Ebersole, Jr., Chief Executive of J. G. Ebersole Associates and The Renaissance Group

Article Source

Tags: crisis communication, planning, public relations, strategies, communications

Public relations are about communication as a whole. In order to get positive publicity out of a televised opportunity, one should consider every detail from the first to last impression. The publicity’s outcome can spin in any direction– and it all depends on the show’s viewers. Winning an audience is not just about being entertaining or informative. The guest needs to establish a bond with the host, the audience and the viewers. The situation is largely psychological.

Here are some factors that go into a good TV interview:

•You need to be yourself—and show genuine emotion. If you are acting fake, it is very likely to come through to the audience. If people see you as fake, you lose credibility and the publicity is deemed useless.

•Body language is huge. You cannot look too relaxed or stiff. Since you are usually seated on a big chair or couch, you need to make sure you don’t lurch or fall too far back. Sit up straight but facing slightly forward. It helps keep you alert and you look more relaxed.

•Cross your legs at the knee and not the ankle.

•Speak clearly and use laymen’s terms. Don’t expect your audience or even your host to know as much about your topic as you do. Using specific terminology will not make you look respectable—you can lose your audience.

•Eye contact is crucial when you are on television. It can get confusing when you’re around so many cameras, so you should always look into the eyes of the person you’re talking to at the moment.

•If you use gestures when speaking, practicing speaking while keeping your movements below your chest level. It is distracting to watch someone gesture to high up towards their face.

•If the discussion is boring, consider adding a bit of controversy in what you say. Be bold and take a position.

•Make sure that you know what you are taking about– if you get stuck with a question you don’t have the answer to, lead into another subject by saying, “I am not too sure about that but I do know that…” Then lead into something you want to promote.

•Find out about the show’s topic. Be sure to have a clear understanding about the topic at hand. Whether it is about your band’s new record, your book’s new tour or your new movie—you should know some details.

•If possible, be sure to show your lighter side at least once or twice through humor or words of kindness. A good time to do so is at the end of the interview. The impression sticks with the audience.

•Remember to smile once in a while.

•Shake the host’s hand. Sometimes people forget.

•Practice makes perfect. Go over some notes and speak out loud as often as you can about the subject to prepare for the interview.

•Thank them for having you.

Mona Loring is the president of M. Loring Communications PR. MLC PR provides quality public relations for businesses, entertainment industry individuals and literary industries. Visit her at: site Copyright 2006 Mona Loring

Article Source

Tag: public relations, media, interview, media tips, communications

Many people find the thought of preparing a media release a daunting project. They are intimidated by journalists or have no idea where to start. Many others approach media-release writing with a great deal of admirable courage and gusto, but little forethought or skill.

By following a simple formula, and sticking to a handful of rules, you can write a clear and effective media release that has the best opportunity possible of being picked up and published, and ensures the long-term integrity and media interest of the organisation you represent.

1. A MEDIA RELEASE IS NOT AN ARTICLE

One of the first mistakes when preparing a media release is to write as though it will be printed as an actual article. Almost nobody will print your media release as it stands, unless they are a seriously understaffed small publication, like a local newspaper, or else, frankly, extremely unprofessional.

When you are writing a media release you need to bear in mind that you must cater for two very different, often complementary but sometimes competing, needs. On one side, you have a great product or you’ve done a great deed, and you want to get the news out. On the other, the journalist wants a fresh, new story to tell, one that will have a broad appeal to their audience.

Essentially what this means is that you should not write a media release for the public, you should write it for one person: the journalist on whose desk it will land.

Your aim with a media release is to try to step into the shoes of the journalist; figure out what they want, then give it to them. This, in turn, will maximise your chances of that journalist using your media release as the basis for their story, and of them giving it the spin that you want to see.

If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry: I used to be a journalist and read scores of media releases before lunch every day, so I’ll lend you my shoes for the duration of this article.

2. GIVE THE JOURNALIST A STORY TO TELL

A journalist’s job is to tell stories, and it’s not always easy to come up with fresh, interesting stories every week or every day. So if something’s going on at your organisation that is potentially “newsworthy”, you have a valuable commodity to offer.

Remember: this is not about writing the release in such a way that you believe the story should be written; instead, it is about having something newsworthy to say in the first place. So your cat won first place in a show? Big deal: a lot of cats win prizes. Your cat won for the 10th year in a row? That’s a little more interesting, and some of the pet magazines might be interested. Your cat won first place in a dog show? Now that’s newsworthy, and you might even get a feel-good piece on one of the morning news channels.

Make sure you give the journalist the facts about your story that will make it worth telling. The golden rule? A piece of information is likely to be newsworthy if it is either:

a) New: nobody has ever heard of or done it before
b) A fresh, new angle on an old story

3. PITCH TO THE RIGHT PUBLICATIONS

Think about our cat show example above. If your cat won first place in a show, it might rate a mention in the newsletter of your breeders’ club. If your cat won for the 10th year in a row, one of the nation’s pet magazines might be interested in doing a little story about your talented cat. If your cat took out top honours in a dog show, then not only the newsletters and industry magazines may be interested – you might get a piece in some of the national newspapers and television news shows.

Choosing the publications to which you send your press release is very important. Think about the type of story you have to tell, then strategically select the publications that best suit your story. You may be wanting the front page of the Herald, but let’s face it, even a prize-winning cat in a dog show is not likely to be front page news. So don’t send the release to the news editor, look for the “lifestyle” sections, and pitch your release to a journalist or editor of that section. Being smart (and realistic) about where your story could be published will greatly increase the likelihood of you receiving that all-important ‘phone call or email from a journalist.

There are many media tomes available to help you target your publications wisely. In Australia, the Australian Writers’ Marketplace is a great tool for writers and public relations professionals alike, listing every publication in Australia and New Zealand. It shouldn’t have to be said, but it is also very important that you carefully read the publications to which you send your press release, so that you are aware of their styles and the types of stories they usually publish.

4. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT

This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people think they can “fudge” their way through a press release, providing poorly-informed information or exaggerating the facts in an attempt to catch the journalist’s eye.

Any half-decent journalist will always check their facts. They know that you have a personal or business agenda for wanting your story published, so they’re going to do their best to make sure what they print is the truth, rather than just your version of the truth. If you have lied, exaggerated or failed to check your own facts, this will reflect very poorly on you and your organisation. Not only is this release likely to be tossed in the bin, it is extremely unlikely that the journalist will ever trust a press release sent by you again – or bother to read it.

On the other hand, clear facts that can be supported will lend integrity to your press release – and therefore to you and your organisation so future releases are likely to be viewed more favourably.

5. PROVIDE BACKGROUND INFORMATION

It’s best to keep a press release short – go over a page, and you’ll diminish the likelihood that a journalist will read on. This shouldn’t be difficult, since the media release is merely intended to provide all the key information that will pique a journalist’s interest.

However, sometimes it may be of value to provide background information to help the journalist support their story. This will save them a lot of research time, and may tip the scales in your favour when they are weighing up whether or not to write the story. In the case of the “cat & dog” scenario given earlier, this might be access to judging criteria in dog shows, for example.

Background information can be provided as appendices to the release itself, or published on your website and clearly marked on the release so that the journalist can easily find it.

6. STICK TO THE FORMULA

Once you have a good story to tell, got your facts straight, gathered your background information and identified the publications most likely to respond positively, writing a media release is a fairly straightforward exercise. That’s because you can pretty well follow a standard formula each time.

Carrying forward with our silly cat-dog story, we’ll outline a five-point formula and illustrate it with the cat-dog details, building a press release as we go. Let’s assume the release is being sent by the fictitious National Canine Institute, which has a simple agenda of gaining media exposure.

Put all the details in the first sentence or two

That is, what is happening / happened, when and where, who is involved, and why it is interesting or important. This is quite different to the start of an actual article, because it is heavy in information that general readers might not want to know. But remember: your audience in this case is just one person, the journalist, and you need to give them all the information they need to decide whether your story is worth telling.

A blue-point Burmese cat shocked crowds and enraged dog-owners by not only entering – but winning – Best of Show in the nation’s most prestigious dog show: the National Canine Institute (NCI) Awards, held in the Canberra Chamber of Commerce on Friday (March 12).

• What is happening: a cat won a dog show

• When and where: on Friday March 12, at the Canberra Chamber of Commerce

• Who is involved: the cat, the crowds, other pet owners, the Institute

• Why is it interesting: it shocked crowds and scandalised pet owners

Expand on the above introduction

Provide a little more information and, if appropriate, add details as to how the event happened or will happen.

Having entered Betty the Burmese via a legal loophole in the NCI’s charter, the cat’s owners, Margaret and Richard Dalrymple, say they are unperturbed by the scandal surrounding the award, stating simply that Betty was held up to the same scrutiny as all the dogs, and was clearly found to be superior. Their opinion is shared by the judges.

Follow up with a “quotable quote”

Ensure that any quotes in your media release are attributed to a person (ie. identify the person giving the quote), and if that person has a job title etc, include that. Only include quotes that add to either the information or value of your media release, and only quote people who are relevant to the story.

“Betty’s entry in this competition was a legal matter over which we had no say,” explained NCI President and chief judge, Peter Davies, “so we simply applied the same rigorous standards of judgement across the board. Betty was a clear winner.”

Continue with any other important facts or issues

You may also wish to back these up with another “quotable quote” if it is appropriate.

However, many of the show’s dog owners are not so philosophical, stating that it is scandalous for a cat to win a dog show, and that the entry should never have been allowed in the first place. A group appeal has been launched.

“This farce reinforces the ridiculous limits to which the legal system can be stretched,” insists Eloise Nichols, owner of two-time champion chocolate Labrador, Royal Jim. In a statement immediately following the award announcement, she said, “Dogs and cats have completely different physiological make-up and this is as insane as comparing a daisy to a rose. The Labrador, Poodle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breeders’ associations have each launched separate appeals to the decision, and we expect other groups to join in this action shortly.”

Davies dismisses the breeders’ objections as sour grapes. “Betty won fair and square. The fact is, she was simply the better animal,” he says. Institute leaders are also thrilled with the interest the controversy has brought to their organisation. “We are having more pet owners – of dogs and cats alike – expressing interest in joining our organisation and participating in events, than ever before. This is great news for future competitions.”

Reinforce the facts

Make sure that all important times, dates, places and contact names and details are clear.

The matter will appear before the Canberra District Court on April 21. The National Canine Institute will begin preliminary rounds of its annual awards in July, with dates and locations to be published on the official website, www.nci-awards.net [not a real address]. Interviews can be arranged with Institute President Peter Davies, Betty’s owners Margaret and Richard Dalrymple.

Media contact: Joanne Prosczech, NCI

7. BE READY AND AVAILABLE

Finally, ensure you are available to take journalists’ calls. Be prepared for them to call at all kinds of odd hours, even late at night and early in the morning. If you have promised interviews with anyone else, ensure that they are thoroughly briefed on what is appropriate and inappropriate for them to say in an interview. Before you name them as potential interviewees, make sure that they also are available to take calls at odd times. You should vet calls from journalists then act as a “go-between”, setting up interview times with your interviewees and any journalists.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author Naomi Hulbert is founder and managing director of Urashima Writing Services, an Australian company that provides writing, editing, translation and training services to clients in the corporate sector. Naomi is an experienced journalist, author, radio broadcaster, ghost writer, corporate writer and educational writer, and teaches at the majority of Urashima’s writing workshops. Visit this site

Copyright 2006 – Naomi Hulbert. Reprint rights: you may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name and credit, and follow all of the EzineArticle terms of service for publishers.

Article Source

Tags: media, relations, communications, release, news

One of the most powerful things you can do to promote your business or project to the general public is to secure publicity at the local, regional and national level. Very few people know how to get publicity, how to write a press release, where to send it to get the right decision-maker looking at it to book an interview. Getting publicity is not that difficult if you know how to write a professional press release and where to send it for coverage.

The reason people get publicity is that they have done something worthwhile, something beneficial to people, something that will improve people’s health and well being or provide information that will make them smarter, better consumers. Getting coverage by the media is simply a way of telling the world you did something worthwhile or great. And if your story/topic benefits people, newspapers, radio and TV stations will cover you. Why? The media wants to benefit their audience with informative, sensational or controversial news and information and they are always looking for story ideas!

Many people fail to realize that the media must fill up print and airtime with topics that interest their readers, listeners and viewers. Without people, the media would just be static on the TV. What most don’t realize is that the media is always looking for people to interview for newspaper articles, radio talk shows and TV appearances. In fact, they need you and your story almost as much as you need them. This is especially true during the summer months when many media staff are on vacation and audiences are lower due to good weather. Even during the summer months, publicity can put you, your business and your product in front of millions of people who may be interested in your offering, service or special cause.

There are 30 major cities in the U.S. known as the TOP-30 media markets. Areas like New York, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, etc. These population centers have in excess of one million people and getting publicity in them is like hitting a home run considering that paying for the same exposure through advertising would costs tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Publicity is not free because it requires your time to develop the press releases, contact the media, send out the releases, follow up and perform the interview. But that is small change compared to the effect publicity can have on your cause.

Because publicity is so important to almost everyone and especially small businesses I will be writing the Smart Media Communications series in the coming days. This series will cover the fundamental issues you need to know to get the publicity you are seeking and will cover the areas of the media markets, writing press releases, contacting the media, how to schedule talk show interviews, how to do national radio talk show interviews from home and much, much more. So if this is something of interest to you, keep your eyes on my articles because I intend to release the series throughout week December 18-23. There will be lots of good information to help you.

To your success! Copyright © 2006 James W. Hart, IV All Rights Reserved

Quick View All Hart’s Articles

Top 10 Business Tips

Be Smart, Visit SBS. click this link

SBS, Where Smart People Get Smarter Faster…

SBS is an online information resource for people. Our focus is real estate and business solutions through books, kits and ebooks. We also have free access to dedicated research center with some of the best government and business links you will find to help you get key information fast. Check us out now and learn how SBS can help you.

Don’t forget to rate this article below! By rating this article you can help Jim Hart better serve your needs for quality article content. Thank you!

Article Source

Tags: media, communications, public relations, tv, publicity