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Every single industry has “secrets” that the public is interested in and the financial service industry is no different. I understand that the longer you have been in the industry, the more “normal” the jargon and thinking may become, but for the general public, there are plenty of things that you and I may take for granted that could be turned into a killer press release.

I wanted to talk briefly about the press release style about having a secret to tell. Of all the different types of press releases, this is perhaps the best way to generate interest and, in my opinion, should be used regularly.

Have you put your goals and publicity plan together? Have you put processes into place that will make the submission of press releases easy and automatic? Have you gathered a list of local media and are ready to go? If so, then now comes the fun part.

Writing the Release -First Comes Structure. There are a few very important things to keep in mind when you write your press release. First a couple basic points that you need to remember about the structure of the press release:

* Top of the Page – 2 things about the header
o On the top left hand corner of the, in UPPERCASE LETTERS, you want to write “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” if you want it to released now or anytime in the future (yeah it may be a month or two until they use it)
o On the upper right hand corner of the page, write (again in UPPERCASE): FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: YOUR NAME, (123)444-5555.

Making the Headline Interesting

The headline has one purpose only, to be interesting enough to catch the reporters interest so that they continue reading the body copy. You want to use interesting, catchy, and in this case “secrets” that will interest the reporters readers. Keep in mind that the reporter has a reputation to uphold. They are not going to just throw a story together that isn’t interesting in the press release. If you can wrote an effective release, you will do a lot of the reporters job for them. Failure to express your story idea in an interesting headline is certain doom for your publicity campaign.

The headline should be written to bring out the personal side of the financial industry. In other words, people are selfish and if you can tell them why they are potentially doing the wrong thing then you have their attention. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is with a “secret”.

Everyone wants to be in on the secret, and expressing your secret in the headline is key. Reporters love secrets and if they can crack it, they have the making of a good story.

Now what is a “secret”? It is simply just something that you know that everyone else doesn’t.

Here is a headline that I used successfully for a workshop on college funding that I conducted:

Why Few Parents Have The Right College Funding Plan

- And How To Tell If You’re One Of Them!

It is pretty basic, but if a parent were to read it, do you think they would be interested? Of course!

Feel free to adapt it to your own niche. Simply substitute “College Funding Plan” maybe you could say “Investment Strategy” or “Retirement Plan” or “Mutual Fund Allocation”. The options are endless.

Most people tend to believe that they are doing things the right way and may not put a lot of thought into their savings, or investment plan, but if you can bring it to the front of their mind then they will be interested in finding out what you have to say. Here are some other ideas for headlines that you an adapt to your niche or liking.

Why You And Your IRA May Not Be A Match

How Changing Mutual Fund Allocations Could Save You Thousands, An Secure Your Future

Best-Kept Secrets of How To Get The Maximum Money For Your Child’s College Education

Discover the 10 Biggest Inside Secrets That Could Save You A Fortune During Your Golden Years

Discover the Unheard of Secrets of How To Choose the Mutual Fund Investment Right For You

These headlines draw in the reader and prompt a desire to learn more. I bet that as you read the headlines you asked yourself, what some of the secrets were. The list is endless and with a little practice, you will soon be writing your own attention grabbing headlines. The easiest way for me to write effective headlines is to look through the newspaper and magazines that you subscribe to and adapt the headlines to you. Some headlines that I have used have been borrowed from other industry magazines and from random stories from the newspaper. Use your imagination and have fun, it is not that hard to create an effective headline.

Brandon Hansen is the owner of MarketYourPractice.net He has been in the financial industry for over 10 years and is focused on teaching other financial professionals how to market their business more effectively. He offers a free marketing CD at his website that talks about how a struggling rookie agent went on to tremendous success that you can get for free by visiting his website.

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Tags: financial, public, relations, services, firms

It is not important to just know how to distribute a press release, but the timing and the content of the news release must be top priority. This is one of the least understood aspects of how to distribute a press release. Press releases are great marketing tools when they are done correctly. A public relations company can typically handle press releases for businesses, but it is also possible to prepare and release this item on your own. Knowing how to distribute a press release can save you tons of time and money if you do it correctly.

It is important to make sure that the press release contains all of the appropriate contact information. Items like headline, contact person and the name of the company should all be very quickly found when it is initially sent out. Make these items prominent on the document.

Get a list together of the medial outlets that you plan to send the press document. Take the time now to make sure that the contact information is current and that the list is accurate. Make sure the list contains only the outlets that will most likely have an interest in the press release. Don’t waste time sending the document to those outlets that are not likely going to be interested in your release.

The method of delivery must also be determined. Will you be faxing or emailing your press release? Most news outlets require you to fax the document, but some will also want an email follow-up, while most others will require an online submission. Check with each media outlet to find their preferred method. When sending a fax it is always a good idea to test the quality of the fax. You can avoid a lot of headaches or missed opportunities if you correct any legibility problems before you send it out.

Plan your timing very carefully. If you send your press release during a major event you will not get anyone to look at it. It is best to try and release your document in the middle of the week. There is no way to tell when it will be a slow enough news day to give your press release the attention it needs, but with a little attention you should be able to tell when it is not a good time to send it.

Be ready for some questions. Get a list together of potential questions that could be asked about your announcement. This will help you to be prepared and ready with your answer no matter the question that is asked. There is no way to predict every question that will be asked, but it is possible to be prepared for the most likely ones.

Rod C. Beckwith, co-creator of the Press Equalizer software, has made hundreds of media contacts and distributed thousands of press releases online. If you need to distribute press releases online, then check out his software package.

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Tags: financial, public, relations, services, firms

Who doesn’t want to get the word out about their company, service, or product? As a publicity expert with more than twenty years experience in the field, I have encountered hundreds of companies who have wanted the same thing. My answer is to appear as a guest on local radio, TV news shows and/or gain editorial coverage in print which will enable you to get the word out to thousands (and possibly millions) of consumers.

From my experience, here are some tips that will help anyone get started in the race to attract attention from the broadcast media – radio and TV.

How To Know if You Are a Good Candidate for Radio and TV.

Almost anyone can be a candidate for radio and TV, but if you are a company with consumer-oriented products you are a perfect fit! If you are a professional firm with legal, financial or consumer related services this would work for you too. With specialty radio and TV programs on law, relationships, lifestyles, health, gardening and more, there are definitely shows out there that can be a perfect match for your message.

Does Practice Make Perfect?

Oh, definitely. The professionals who are in the media all the time make it look very easy, but actually it’s a skill. The more interviews you do, the better you get at defining your message and honing your presentation skills. And once you do a few radio call-in shows and speak to a few hosts, you’ll find that the questions you get are similar. Usually, there’s one area of your message that’s really interesting to people and you can start to craft your answers to respond about that area.

Where To Focus Your Pitches.

Local radio shows on the 250-watt or 1,000-watt AM stations are a great place to start. There’s also internet radio, which is becoming more popular and could be another good way to get started. With more radio shows going to national programming the weekend programs are also the best place to find radio shows that are looking for guests.

For TV go after your local morning news programs or weekend lifestyle segments.And there’s also community-access cable, which can be relatively easy to get on and can provide wonderful experience and a way to build up your confidence on camera.

How to Spark Producer Interest.

Well, first, stay up on the news. Listen to the radio, read newspapers, watch TV. That helps you figure out what’s in the news and how your message might tie in with it. Once you have an angle or tie-in to a current news story, put together a press release that positions you as an expert on this issue and sells them on why they should have you as a guest. Remember, pitch your expertise as a solution to a problem that’s making news – don’t go in with a sales angle!

Getting Prepared for the Interview.

Make sure you’re fully prepared with facts, figures, and anecdotes to talk about when you’re on the air. Make up a cheat sheet or note cards loaded with your best information and key points. Most TV interviews are going to be very short — three to five minutes at most — so you really must know your message before you go on the air.

Do some dry runs with a friend or business associate acting as the host, so you get your answers down. The audience can easily detect the difference between a guest bursting with knowledge and one whose knowledge well is drying up. If you don’t have much to say, you’ll lose the audience’s attention and any credibility that you were building with them.

Do As Many Interviews as Possible.

There is no such thing as overexposure; you want to conduct as many media interviews as you can. The more interviews that you do, the more buzz you will build about your company, product or service. And you should make yourself available at a moment’s notice, if need be. Talk radio interviews are typically done from your home or office, so that makes it very easy.

Think of media appearances as instant promotional opportunities, and be available day or night. Anytime you’re on the air, you’re going to boost your company, product or service’s visibility and sales.

How To Get Invited Back.

You need to sparkle on air. Enthusiasm speaks loud and clear, so in order to keep the audience attentive you need to maintain a high level of interest throughout the interview.

Remember, media is about entertainment. So you want to be both informative and entertaining, not boring. Do that and you’ll find the host jumping in to help you promote your message.

How to Give a Good Interview: Eat, Sleep and Turn Off Your Phone!

It sounds obvious, but the first thing is make sure you’re really well-rested and well-fed. Your attention isn’t going to be focused if you’re hungry or tired.

Also, if you’re doing a radio interview from your home or office, close yourself off in a room where there are as few distractions as possible. Get your cell phone out of there! Then, try and relax and be yourself. Nobody knows your message like you do — so you really are an expert. Have fun with it!

And don’t be too hard on yourself after your first appearance. No one goes out and bats a home run the first time at the plate. So try to be as comfortable as possible and as prepared as you can be, and then enjoy yourself.

Marsha Friedman, CEO of publicity firm EMSI, is a radio personality, speaker and publicity expert. If you would like to receive a free copy of her EBOOK “50 Tips To Becoming a Great Guest On Talk Radio” please visit our website at http://www.emsincorporated.com

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Tags: marketing, financial, relations, agency, advertising

There are many things businesses can do for public relations and community goodwill. Consider a business owner who is an athlete and likes to do athletic things. Well they can get pledges and sponsors and then perhaps do something involving athletics? Maybe like a long-distance bike ride or something of this nature. There are a million non-profits and causes to generate money for and they all need financial help and indeed public relations too.

You’ve probably noticed, if you live on this planet, that we live in a media-driven world.

You may have mixed feelings, personally or philosophically, about this. But it’s a fact of modern life. And in at least one very important way, it’s good news.

This is how:

Living in a media-driven world is very good for professional practices, like financial planners. For anyone, in fact, who makes a living or runs an organization that is based on using their know-how or getting a message across.

Because if you fit any of these categories – and most people do, even many who work with their hands – you can get media coverage. Favorable, positive media publicity. Free publicity. And you can use that free publicity to build your practice.

Best of all, you don’t have to resort to cheesy or tacky tactics to do it. You can do it responsibly and professionally. And still grow your business.

You’re going to do it by using the very same expertise you tap into every day at work. Only instead of applying that expertise to your client, patient, or customer service, you’re going to use it a little differently.

You’re going to share your knowledge with the media – and through them with the public. With the people and businesses who will become tomorrow’s clients.

Ned Steele works with people in professional services who want to build their practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele’s MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice To learn more visit this site.

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Tags: financial, public, relations, firm, marketing