Posts Tagged ‘newsworthy’

Be a Media Relations Specialist – Be Newsworthy

admin | Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »
be a media relations specialist be newsworthy Be a Media Relations Specialist   Be NewsworthyEarned media is more important than ever. The economic crisis has forced many organizations to slash their advertising budgets and rely on PR, or “earned media,” to get their message out. Targeted PR is considerably less expensive than advertising and helps establish third-party credibility.
But do you have a story to tell? To get reporters interested, you have to be newsworthy. This means your story is intriguing enough to entice a reporter to take your call, read your email (and maybe even respond), or, best-case scenario, agree to meet you for coffee.

Keep in mind that reporters receive dozens of pitches every week. At the major media outlets, they may receive dozens of pitches every day. The competition for media mindshare is fierce. So while you (or your client) may think your story belongs on the front page of the New York Times, the newspaper’s editors probably won’t.

The most effective PR pros will manage their client’s expectations realistically from the onset. Don’t promise the Washington Post and deliver the Smallville Times. For most organizations, a good media “hit” is a feature article in their local newspaper or trade publication. Therefore, set goals that are measurable and achievable.

The following checklist will help you determine whether it’s time to pitch a story or wait until a meatier opportunity comes along.

A newsworthy story includes at least one of the following attributes:

1. Local

People care about events that happen close to home. A warehouse fire in Atlanta has local interest but probably won’t be covered in other cities, unless it’s catastrophic (significant fatalities, explosions, etc.). Then it’s a national story as well (see “Catastrophic” below).

Consider this scenario: A real estate developer is breaking ground on a new shopping center – a legitimate news hook for the local newspaper and maybe real estate trade publications, especially if there’s a unique twist to the project (see “Unusual” below). Will Business Week care? Probably not, but the developers are reaching their target audience (i.e., local retailers and future shoppers), and that’s the goal.

2. Controversial

How many times does your local TV news show cover a city council meeting? Probably not much – they’re routine and (no offense) rather dull. But what if 100 angry citizens show up to protest a proposed sales tax increase? Now that’s a newsworthy event.

Or, say the local Chamber of Commerce learns about the city council’s proposed new sales tax. Concerned that it might negatively affect local businesses, the Chamber issues a statement strongly disagreeing with the “controversial” proposed tax. You get the picture.

3. Seasonal

We’ve all seen them – the feel-good Thanksgiving news stories or the profile of a local war hero on Veteran’s Day. Maybe they’re cliche, but the media is always looking for a local angle when covering holidays, anniversaries, etc. Check your calendar to see when an upcoming event may present an opportunity for your organization to pitch a timely story.

4. Unusual (first, largest, smallest, etc.)

Reporters like stories that are exceptions to the rule. Remember the real estate developer breaking ground on a new retail complex? What if the complex will house the area’s first outdoor ice-skating rink? Go through the checklist. It’s local and it’s the first. What if the rink is the largest in the Southeast? Even more potential media interest.

5. Human interest

A human interest story is the PR equivalent of a homerun, but they’re hard to score, especially as newspapers scale back on staff and “feature” writers. Pitching a human interest story requires creativity and finding the right reporter at the right time. Suppose that the real estate developer wants to build an ice rink in his shopping center because he’s a former professional hockey player and loves the sport? Interesting…

6. Catastrophic

Catastrophic (i.e. hurricanes, tornadoes, bombs) will always be newsworthy – because they’re unusual, involve a human interest component and, frankly, feed our natural fascination with cataclysmic events.

From a PR perspective, a catastrophic event might highlight the actions of a non-profit, a corporate donation, or an even individual act of kindness (i.e., relief supplies for Hurricane Katrina victims).

7. Visual

Never underestimate the power of telling your story visually. If your media pitch includes a visual hook, you’re ahead of the game. The city’s first ice skating rink on opening day – local, unusual and visual!

8. Celebrity

Let’s put it this way: everything President Obama does is newsworthy because of his celebrity – playing basketball, buying a new dog, walking down the Capitol steps. That’s why he has an entire press team to handle the volume of media requests he gets in a single day.

Karen Preiss Miller is a partner in JKP Group, a marketing communications consulting company. For more tips, visit this site

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Tags: newsworthy, media, media relations, specialist, relations

Financial Public Relations – Profitable Press Release Writing

admin | Friday, October 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

 Financial Public Relations   Profitable Press Release Writing

The creation and distribution of a press release is done to communicate with media representative about all the worthy events taking place around the globe. Its target is to catch media attention. A press release not only helps the event to be attended by these media personnel’s but also encourages them to write an assess on the same. The presentation behind such writings is very much essentials.

In today’s world, press release writing has turned into a major source of profitability. It helps in publicizing the product for which it is written. These releases eventually help the business to grow and earn handsomely at the same time. These press releases are a form of marketing which helps in bringing out unbiased views from across the globe. People are persuaded by such opinions towards these products. They hardly consider other surveys conducted by the company that give a feedback positive in nature believing them to be tricks and trades of the business owners adapted to popularize their product.

We should always follow certain code of conducts for realizing maximum Profitability from press release writing.

Think like a reader

It is a good practice to have a mind of a reader while writing such press releases. It helps us to gain the point of views and requirements of the readers from the product concerned. We should assure that all the queries, possibly hovering in the mind of the readers should be cleared with proper details. Sketching the content is a very important aspect of the press release.

Proper way of presentation

The presentation is a very important aspect of a news release. The notion delivered by such writing should not be that of an advertisement. It should rather have an essence that is generally related to breaking news that pulls the attention of the readers towards it. Presentation is vastly helped by inserting images related to the topic as it adds beauty to the release and buys the attention of the reader.

Support with examples

A press release can completely absorb the attention of its readers only when the writing is provided with examples. It helps the reader to relate the product to the example and extract a comprehensive decision relating to the product.

Writing for the mass

While writing a press release with profitability in mind, we should not consider a group of reader as our subject. The whole mass should be taken into consideration. To benefit the mass, simple but impressive words should be used throughout the release. It draws attention of more readers as they prefer uncomplicated reviews to complex releases. The grammar used should be profound.

Choosing an apt title

The basic thing that we should never forget while writing a press release is formulating a catchy title. This is important, as it is the first thing in the release that is noticed by the reader. A catchy title can draw attention of the reader. The title gives its reader the reason to continue. At the same time, a scrappy title can deliver the wrong theme and might result in receiving a negative feedback from them.

Adding the Contact details

The press release should contain all the information that is required in relation to the article with proper research on the same. It should also contain information regarding the contact person, telephone no.s, email ids and web sites for clearing further doubts related to the product. The contact info should be appended to the end of the release.

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Working In PR, You Ought to Know How to Write a News-Worthy Press Release

admin | Friday, October 31st, 2008 | No Comments »

working in pr you ought to know how to write a newsworthy press release Working In PR, You Ought to Know How to Write a News Worthy Press ReleaseIf you are running any type of a business, whether in your home town or online, you’ll find that it is essential to get good publicity. If you don’t advertise, you will have a hard time bringing in more customers.

One of the best ways that you can advertise, even on a small budget, is to use press releases. Of course if you decide to advertise through press releases, you need to make sure that they are news worthy so they actually get published. If you’re wondering how to write a news-worthy press release, here are some top tips to help.

Make Sure You Have a Catchy Headline

Probably the most important thing you can do when working to write a news-worthy press release is to make sure that you have a catchy headline. It should actually summarize the entire press release for you. Not only will you be competing with other press releases to get published, but you’ll also be working to grab the readers’ attention as well.

If people aren’t drawn in by the headline, chances are that they won’t give the press release a second look. So, make sure the headline catches the attention of the reader and is an accurate portrayal of what is in the press release.

Ensure the Body Supports the Headline

Next you’ll want to make sure that your press release body supports your headline. It should work off the headline by providing the who, what, where, why, and when. It should take that headline and go deeper into the topic, providing important news that readers want to know. If your body does not support your headline, you’ll have a problem even getting the press release accepted.

Avoid Any Hype

The quickest way to get your press release rejected is to put hype into the release. Press releases that are news worthy are to be written from a journalistic point of view. This means that it should be unbiased and only provide the facts. Too much hype will make it look like a sales letter and editors are not going to publish that kind of a press release.

Always Add Contact Information

Adding your contact information and a brief profile of your company is important as well when writing a news-worthy press release. This is especially important if editors and readers are not familiar with your company. You’ll give them some background information that is useful, and of course you want the contact information included so that people can contact you for more information or even visit your website.

After you write the press release, make sure that you go back and look it over carefully. Tighten up the writing, look for errors, and ensure that it is easy to read. Then you’ll be ready to submit the press release.

Chris Simpson is dedicated to helping people find honest and legitimate work at home online and home based business opportunities. Find a legitimate work at home opportunity and learn to start working at home today at this site

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Tags: pr, write, news, press release, newsworthy

PR – New Models On Writing Press Releases Properly

admin | Tuesday, October 28th, 2008 | No Comments »
pr new models on writing press releases properly PR   New Models On Writing Press Releases ProperlyThe good thing about press releases is that it is much cheaper than cooking a huge ad campaign and the results if successful is even better than the result of an ad campaign that required an enormous amount of money. Now press releases are actually different from a resume, an advertisement or a sales document. It is actually an article written with a journalist’s touch that aims to highlight the interesting and newsworthy element of your company, product or event. In making press releases you need to consider that you are having two target audiences whenever you write one. You need to think of the journalists who will first asses your press release and the audience who will read it after the journalist found it newsworthy and had it published.
Since you still need first pass through a ruthless and intensive judgment of a journalist, you need to make sure that your press release will be able to convince the journalist that your press release is newsworthy to be published. Now these people are really busy and they really get tons of press releases each day. One thing that you really need to work on is how to make your press release unique and different from any other press releases that they get each day. It must be able to catch their attention just by the first look. And you also have to keep in mind that since journalists are super busy people, a long and flowery press release won’t appeal them. So make your press release brief and concise. In order for you to have this achieved, I have prepared some tips that will be very helpful when you make one.

You need to first put on your release date. This will let your journalist when to report your affair. Contact information should follow the release date. It should include your name and number and other contact details. A very informative, comprehensive and yet catchy headline must be punched in after your contact information. This should be catchy enough without too many words such as adjectives and adverbs. It must be able to answer at least three of the Wh and H questions. The introduction is next and this opening paragraph must be similar to the dateline of a news article. You have to maintain the simplicity and the newsworthiness even in this part of your press release. This should be able to provide the basic information about the event being discussed in your press release. The body of your press release must expand the information discussed in your introduction. This is where you put your supporting facts and issues that may be of help if your press release gets published. A line or two about your company and its mission shall complete the last part of your press release which happens to be the company profile. It is sometimes referred to as the boilerplate. Then you can just put the word END at the bottom of your press release as an indicator that your article is finished. It will also be helpful if you will put a more detailed and expanded contact information at the very bottom of your paper. Adding your company logo will also help your press release to get the authentic and official look.

Ready to really learn how to properly write a press release? Paul Hartunians free publicity information center will teach you and many other aspects of publicity. Visit this site now to get powerful profit-producing publicity tips!

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Tags: media relations, press release, media, news, newsworthy

Online PR Strategy: Get Your Press Release Noticed

admin | Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 | No Comments »
 Online PR Strategy: Get Your Press Release NoticedIf you are trying to get publicity without spending big bucks, then using press releases is a great idea. They are powerful tools that will inform people about your business. People look to the media for good information, making press releases a wonderful tool to use for company promotion.
Of course you want to make sure that you get your press release noticed so that you get the recognition and attention that you want. So, here are some top tips for getting your press release noticed.

Tip #1 – Make Sure the Release is Newsworthy

First of all, if you really want to get your press release noticed, you need to make sure that the release is newsworthy. It should sound like something that was written by a reporter. It should have the most important information in the beginning of the release and should avoid any hype.

Tip #2 – Send to Sources that are Relevant

You’ll also want to make sure that you send the press release to sources that are relevant if you want to make sure it gets noticed. Make sure you don’t send it to everyone you can think of, since this looks very unprofessional. Find out whom to send your release to and look for relevant sources before you start sending out the release.

Tip #3 – Only Use One Page

If you want your press release to get noticed, make sure that you only use one page. Most of the time, the editors only read a few sentences of the release. If they see that the release is more than one page, it will probably be rejected. After all, most readers are not going to take the time to read that much material, so it’s a waste of your time to write that much for your press release.

Tip #4 – Use Reader Friendly Text Formatting

Reader friendly text formatting is also very important. Make sure that you use easy to read, short sentences. Paragraphs should be short, and it should be written on a level that is easy for everyone to read.

Tip #5 – Have Evidence to Back up Statements

If you make statements within your press release, make sure that you have the evidence to back it up. After all, reporters have to make sure that they have sources. Including quotes that support your statements is a great idea and they really add to press release.

Tip #6 – Follow up With Editors

Following up with editors is also important if you want your press release to be noticed. You’ll want to make sure they received it. However, don’t just keep bugging them. Contacting them once is great, but going beyond this may decrease your chances of getting your release published.

Chris Simpson is dedicated to helping people find honest and legitimate work at home and home based business opportunities. Find a legitimate work at home opportunity today and learn to make money online at this site

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The Best PR Press Release – How to Write One That Gets Noticed

admin | Monday, October 13th, 2008 | No Comments »
 The Best PR Press Release   How to Write One That Gets NoticedYou’ve convinced your marketing manager or company president that adding publicity into your marketing mix is of great value – congratulations! But now what? How do you peddle your story in a way that offers a valuable story idea to a reporter and encourages him to write a story about you? It’s time to develop your writing skills and start developing an arsenal of press releases to fire off to the media.

The Backbone of Publicity – The Press Release

While some may argue that the press release is dead, it is not; it has just evolved over the years. The release is actually the primary means of communicating to the mass media the facts and background for a news story – your story. The trick is writing your press release in a way that engages the reporter to want to learn more about your business or product. Pick up a newspaper and glance at the headlines. Which ones grab you and urge you to read on? Which ones do you skim over? Chances are the reporter or editor receiving your “news” is doing the same with your release. To get noticed, you must think like a reporter. Communicate the who, what, when, where, why, and how, and then explain why your product is unique and different – and most importantly, why your story is worth writing about. Remember though, this is not a sales pitch. Write your release like an objective reporter. Anything that smells of self-promotion will not get picked up by the press.

You can also tie yourself into something bigger. What are the latest trends or fads in your industry? Can you start a trend with your story? By showing how you fit into the bigger story as opposed to why you are the story sometimes gets you even more publicity on a broader scale.

Sadly, however, many journalists are skeptics. They have seen many companies with the “next big idea” fall flat on their face. Journalists have their own reputation to protect so they’re more apt to pursue a story based on fact and significant proof. Again, this is why you want to steer clear of marketing, sales speak, and jargon. If you use this type of language, the Delete button will wipe out your release immediately! If you have customers willing to give a testimonial about how great your product is or statistics from nationally respected researchers, use this objective praise in your release. This information supporting your story idea will go a long way in showing a reporter that your idea is legit.

The Blank Screen – Don’t Panic!

Don’t worry too much if you’re not the next Great American Novelist. While the ability to write well is definitely a bonus, writing in a clear and concise manner will put you miles ahead of many people who regularly send out press releases. Golden rule: don’t make journalists work to find information. Give them the details they need from the beginning and you’ll be on your way to building positive, long-term relationships with the press.

Now, for the actual nuts and bolts of the release? Include:

- the date
- contact information (who should the reporter call or email for an interview to learn more?)
- a headline
- where the news is coming from (also known as a dateline and typically the town where your business resides)
- your lead-in as to why this story is so important
- the body text of the press release, which includes information that supports your lead or story pitch.

Keep it clean and crisp, steer away from fluffy adjectives. Use facts to support what you’re saying. Reporters and editors don’t want to hear marketing speak about how your product is the best, number one, or the largest. Communicate those thoughts through supporting facts.

Essentially, you are becoming a reporter and writing a story (your press release) as you might see it published in a newspaper or magazine. If you write tight, with all the facts, some great quotes with substance, and a little bit of creativity, you have a good shot at garnering some “ink.” I had one client who wrote a press release about a new software package they were introducing to market. Granted, there are so many “new” software packages out there, but this one was unique in that it addressed a growing trend – food traceability. With the recent food scares in spinach and tomatoes, more and more people want to know exactly where their food is coming from.

As a result, the growing trend now is to buy and eat organic or locally grown foods. The VAR wrote a basic release about the new software that addressed this trend, but the release was nothing fancy. However, it included all the facts and it sounded newsworthy. Two weeks after it was distributed to the media, a news article appeared in the state’s primary newspaper. It was the VAR’s press release verbatim, with one of the staff reporter’s byline! Now, you might say, “This is plagiarism. How can they do that?” Reality check: You want them to copy your release verbatim! This is great and successful press release writing. The VAR wrote such a fantastic release with all the correct information that the reporter didn’t have to do any work! The VAR earns an A+ and reaps the rewards of a story about his company. Now get out there and tell your story!

A dedicated marketing professional, Michelle Kabele has been helping technology companies develop award-winning channel partner programs and marketing strategies for over 10 years. Michelle has worked extensively with small businesses throughout North America.

Michelle has an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Evanston, Ill.)

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Tags: pr, press release, write, news, newsworthy

A One Page PR Guide to Publicity

admin | Saturday, September 20th, 2008 | No Comments »

 A One Page PR Guide to Publicity

Many people find themselves wanting to do public relations for themselves or for their company, but don’t really know where to begin. Following are three easy steps to get your campaign going:

Step One: Answer the pertinent question of why what you do is newsworthy.

What’s in it for the reader or viewer of a particular outlet you are approaching? Watch your local news, read the newspaper, scan magazines. Not only is it a great way to pinpoint what news you could create for your company with that outlet, but it’s a great way to get inspired for story ideas that you can pitch to other media genres. For example, if “Staycations” apply to your business and the Today show recently covered the rising trend, you can pitch an adaptation of that story to your local news.

Step Two: Brainstorm! Gather your team together.

Think about upcoming holidays, events, trends, and more. How can you or your company serve as a part of these occasions in a news story?

Step Three: Execution and media relations.

Craft your pitch, then send out emails and make phone calls. Though many reporters prefer email these days, nothing beats the one-on-one connection you can make during a conversation on the phone. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and make a call.

Success with media relations is not always immediate. Don’t get discouraged if reporters don’t bite on your first few story ideas. The point of PR is to build relationships. The more a reporter sees how your company fits with his or her beat, the more likely it is that you will gain media exposure. If you are coming across stumbling blocks, sometimes offering to bring a coffee to a journalist and getting 15 minutes of face-to-face time without pressuring them with your pitch will lead to requests in the future.

Visit this web for more resources on how to handle your do-it-yourself publicity campaigns. Regina Novickis is co-founder of Media Tonic and Publicity411.com. A seasoned public relations executive with more than twelve years of experience managing brand positioning, public relations and media relations efforts on behalf of consumer/entertainment clients, she has secured coverage for clients in every genre of national press ranging from USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Time and Newsweek, to Self, Marie Claire, GQ and Maxim, to “Entertainment Tonight,” “The View” and NBC’s “Today” show.

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Tags: pr, publicity, newsworthy, news, steps

PR: How Powerful Being it is the Press Release

admin | Saturday, May 31st, 2008 | No Comments »
the pr power of the press release PR: How Powerful Being it is the Press ReleaseWhen creating a marketing plan for a business, many people rely heavily on paid advertising and promotions to get their messages across to their target market. While paid advertising and promotions are a critical part of the marketing mix and can be extremely effective, they can also be very expensive. Often overlooked, a regular cycle of newsworthy press releases distributed by a business can be a powerful addition to a company’s marketing efforts. Additionally, there are few things that stretch a marketing budget farther than a press release. A well-planned press release campaign can produce great dividends, and it starts with a well-written release.
Is your news “newsworthy?

This is where press releases get a bad name. Using a press release just to try to make a sale is not an appropriate use of the medium. A press release is not an advertisement, but an opportunity to share something that is newsworthy about your business. That said, there are many opportunities that go overlooked when it comes to developing newsworthy content. Developing a new product or service, partnering with another company, sponsoring a charity event, receiving an award or other recognition, and sharing the results of research that you’ve carried out are all appropriate topics for a press release.

Start Strong
Using an attention getting headline is important to catch the attention of editors who are bombarded with information each day. The headline and first paragraph should tell the whole story. If someone has to read further than that to understand the purpose of the release, they’re likely to lose interest. Using an active voice instead of a passive voice is critical as well. An example would be using the word “partnered” instead of “entered into a partnership”.

Remember the four W’s

First and foremost, a press release should answer the who, what, where, and when. In presenting your information, be sure to avoid jargon and hype. Don’t use all capital letters, exclamation points, or other detractors. Also remember that you’re writing for busy people so word economy is important. Don’t use 500 words to say something that you could have said in 250 words. Building credibility is extremely important, especially if press releases become an on-going part of your public relations efforts. Stick to the facts.

What’s next?

After you’ve written the release, you’ve got to get it into the hands of the news media. Submitting your release to the right media contacts is extremely important. Find out who the right person is for the media outlet(s) you are pursuing. Also find out how they prefer to receive the information whether it is by e-mail, fax or some other means. If you intend to distribute your release more widely, there are also PR services that have well developed distribution networks and can get the word out effectively for relatively little cost.

The last step in this process is to evaluate the effectiveness of the release. By monitoring the outlets where the release was submitted to, you can gauge how newsworthy the release was and make adjustments for the next one. Also, developing a mechanism to measure customer awareness of the release will help you to calculate the return on your investment and zero in on issues that are important to your customers.

Shane Turner is currently Professor of Entrepreneurship at Arizona Western College. His interests include nursing education, welding, and helping individuals with their new venture.

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Tags: press release, power, news, newsworthy, interview

PR – Using The Best Way of Communication to Write Best Press Release

admin | Saturday, May 24th, 2008 | No Comments »

 PR   Using The Best Way of Communication to Write Best Press Release

Press release writing for the web is very similar to press release writing in traditional media (newspapers and magazines) in the sense that all the necessary elements of writing an article are there.
The only difference with press release writing for the web is the vastness of reach-that’s literally beyond the circulation scope of any offline publication-which literally translates to tough competition. There is, thus, the need to write a very catchy article to keep eyes and attention to your business’ activities or new services.
For one who doesn’t have the experience of writing press release articles, the web offers plenty of articles on how to do begin with this type of article writing. Here are some of the best press releases writing practices in use:
1. Relevance – In writing a press release article, the first thing that comes to mind should be the benefit of the information you are giving to the reader. Your goal is to bring across to the reader the relevance of the article for them. In some cases, press release articles follow a formula that consists of: benefit-details-contact that’s written in an entertaining format-one that doesn’t simply narrate the post- or pre-event activities of you company.
2. Compelling – Always write the first sentences of your article in a manner that will compel people to read the article until the end. It should be something that would really hook them on but is not exaggerated or superfluous in the use of verbs or adjectives like a hard-selling advertisement. Remember to use action words in the beginning of your call- to-action sentence as all effective communication requires a two-way action (the giving and taking).
3. Factual and Complete – Stick to your facts and make them clearly understood by the reader. Sometimes, we focus too much on the “bring-on” of the article, it already makes up 90% of the content-leaving only a few lines to write about the very topic (e.g. Product launching) and purpose (e.g. Invite attendees) of the article. Always keep all your data intact and correct to avoid confusing readers and misleading them.
4. Simplify – Don’t use jargon and slang when writing your press release. Keep your words straightforward and simple as this shows professionalism. After all, you are writing about your business here and you’re credibility is at stake. Besides, it is easier to understand and remember an article when it is using layman’s terms.
Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 9034 articles in print and 14 published ebooks.
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Tags: press release, communication, write, news, newsworthy

PR Tips: 3 Powerful Ways to Advance in Press Release Writing

admin | Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 | No Comments »
 PR Tips: 3 Powerful Ways to Advance in Press Release WritingPress release writing is one of the oldest marketing strategies that is still being used by most businessmen because its efficient and cost-effective, yet still has the ability to bring in more profit and revenue to most companies. Press releases, unlike other marketing copies, are deemed credible and useful by most online users. It is for this reason that press release writing has the ability to reach more people compare to other marketing strategies. Here are some of the innovative ways that you can use in order to advance in press release writing:
a. Develop the interest on your initial statement – in the introductory paragraph! Create interest by writing down the name of the company, it’s expertise, and the awards or recognition it has received. Followed by your news (product launching, offerings, promotions) right immediately. Including the information about your business can greatly help in establishing your credibility to your target readers. Directly stating what you are offering on the first paragraph on the other hand, can hold your readers interest to continue reading your piece. A good example of a press release introductory paragraph is “Company ABC, the global leader in mobile content delivery, has announced it plans to offer free SMS service to the East Coast”

b. On your succeeding paragraphs, you can talk about the product that you offer. You can bridge in the good and positive features that the product has, emphasizing on how the product is capable of resolving some of the more noted issues and problems that majority of consuming public have. This is one of the best ways on how you can encourage other people to witness more about the product that you are offering.

c. It is to be remembered, that in general, you should create a press release that is compacted and summarized. In sort, it really has to be short in size. Do not overly verbose your thoughts as this becomes more of a public speech rather than a press release material.

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

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

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Tags: press release, write, advance, news, newsworthy

Media Relations: Start Your PR by Writing News Releases

admin | Wednesday, May 21st, 2008 | No Comments »
 Media Relations: Start Your PR by Writing News ReleasesRecommending that you stop writing press releases and start writing news releases is not a play on words. It is sound advice.
In common parlance, “press release” and “news release” mean the same thing. However, the terminology people use often betrays a fundamental difference in how they put this information together and how well it is accepted by the media.

Early in my career, I was editor of a daily newspaper and later a writer with The Wall Street Journal. One of my jobs was to screen submissions to decide which ones we would print and which ones we would print and we would throw away.

Approximately 80 – 85% of submissions failed the first screening, a life or death decision usually made within 60 seconds or less. On the other hand, the vast majority of those that survived this first screening also survived the second one and were ultimately published.

What made the difference? Basically, it was in how the author of the document viewed the material being submitted.

• Losers. Information a company or organisation wanted to see printed for its own benefit.

• Winners. Information a company or organisation wanted to see printed for its own benefit and the benefit of our readers.

In both cases, the submitter had something to gain if we published the release, i.e. positive publicity. However, in the first case, the focus was on only how the submitter would benefit from publication. In the second, it was on both how the submitter and our readers would benefit.

A Concrete Example

If all this sounds a bit theoretical, here is an example to make it more concrete.

After leaving The Wall Street Journal, I was an account executive with a major international press relations agency. One of my subordinates presented me with a typically self-serving press release he wanted to distribute on behalf of his client.

The headline was something like: Egotistical Industries gains major new contract. The first paragraph said something like:

Tom Bighead today announced that Egotistical Industries has won a $350,000 contract to supply window sealants for the new sports centre currently under construction in Baden-Baden, Germany. Egotistical Industries was founded in 1989 by Mr. Bighead and his brother George, and is now considered to be the leading company in its field. Last year the company’s sales were . . . .”

In the fifth paragraph, if anyone would read that far, we learned that the sealant the company would supply had the property of not freezing in cold weather, so work on the sports centre could be carried out in December, rather than waiting for warmer weather in March or April.

This of course was the true story. If you are a reader of a professional construction magazine, you couldn’t care less that Egotistical Industries has a new contract. By contrast, you could be vitally interested in knowing that you could possibly gain three months on your construction schedule by using Egotistical’s product.

More importantly, editors of professional construction magazines would view the release this way.

Remember: Editors are vitally concerned about what their readers want to read, because if they lose readership, they lose their jobs. The real target of your release must be the editors. They are the gatekeepers. If they value the release, it gets published; if they don’t, it doesn’t.

We therefore rewrote the information into a news release with the headline: Windows in Baden-Baden Sports Centre will be sealed in the dead of winter, saving the contractor approximately $30,000 in labour costs. The first paragraph, and as many additional paragraphs as necessary, elaborated on this very attractive theme. The background information about the company came at the end of the release where it justifiably belonged.

The Short Road to Nowhere

Here’s another example. As a marketing communication consultant, I was asked by a client to write a release announcing an important new service. I was told to limit the release to 400 words. “Why 400 words?” I asked. “Well, it’s our policy to keep our releases short. Journalists like that.”

The problem was, I couldn’t find a way of saying everything that needed to be said in only 400 words. The client was insistent. I finally produced something at 400 words which the client felt was exactly what was wanted. But when the release was issued, no one published it.

The client called a few newspapers and magazines to find out why. The answer was, they just didn’t see anything that would be of interest to their readers. I then called a couple of these newspapers and magazines and asked, “Do you think you readers would be interested in X.” “Yes, why didn’t you put that in the release?”

Well, I had. But under the stricture of the 400-word limit, it had become so severely condensed as to be cryptic. It was there-if you knew what to look for. The function of an effective release is to give information, not challenge journalists to find it.

I rewrote the release. This time it came out to 650 words and was widely published. Why? Because it had been transformed from a press release, i.e. what the client wanted to say, into a news release-what journalists believed their readers wanted and needed to know.

Each time you start tapping at the keyboard, keep uppermost in mind the aspects that make a release a “news release”.

• First, a release gets published only if editors feel that it offers something their readers want and need to know. So make certain that it does.

• Second, there is no “correct” length for a news release. To paraphrase a sexist joke (I apologise, but it is just too pertinent), a news release should be like a miniskirt: short enough to be interesting, and long enough to cover the subject.

Philip Yaffe is a former reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal and a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches a course in good writing and good speaking in Brussels, Belgium. In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like A professional, his recently published book, is available from Story Publishers in Ghent, Belgium and Amazon.

Now semi-retired, he teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English as a second or third language, his approach to writing and public speaking is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He is the author of In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional.

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Tags: pr, write, news, press release, newsworthy

Media Relations Careers: Finding Your Niche

admin | Monday, May 19th, 2008 | No Comments »
media relations careers finding your niche Media Relations Careers: Finding Your Niche Is your audience a mass market or a special niche audience? If it’s a special niche audience, how is it defined: by age, by gender, by geographical demographics? Are your customers primarily men or women, urban or rural?

These are all extremely important questions. Do your homework. Take a look at your competitors and see how they market and who they market to. I’m not recommending that you do expensive demographic testing or studies, just use some common sense and get rid of any preconceived ideas you have. Try to step outside and look at your business as a disinterested onlooker would.

Although I believe that it is important to listen to your gut feeling, you have to walk a fine line here, be realistic, be cautions, get feedback from others, weigh all of the possibilities, and then make your decisions.

For example, let’s say you’ve developed a new line of baby wear. Okay, who is your target market? Parents, and primarily mothers. Right off the bat, I’d say you could write off auto racing and golf-oriented publications as your primary media targets.

Where do you reach mothers? The most obvious would be parent and child-oriented publications (of which there are many), talk shows, local magazines, newspapers, TV and radio programs, and women’s magazines. But study the various women’s magazines; are all of them targeted towards parents of infants and toddlers? No. You want magazines that new mothers read. Seventeen or Teen should probably not be on the top of your list.

Okay, you have defined your message, and your market, and narrowed your target. You have done all of your preliminary work, work that most people tend to ignore. You have defined what you do, what your message is, and who your target market is. Now you are ready to launch an effective public relations campaign You’re ready to learn to communicate your message not only to the person next door, but to hundreds, thousands, even millions of people across your city, throughout the country, and around the world.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2007

Anthony Mora
President & CEO

For further information visit this site

Anthony Mora began his media career as a freelance journalist for such publications as Us, Rolling Stone and other local and national publications. He also served as editor-in-chief of two Los Angeles-based entertainment and lifestyle-oriented publications. In 1990, Anthony formed Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. a Los Angeles-based media relations company that specializes in media placement, image development, and media training. AMC Inc. has placed clients in: Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and other local, national, and international media outlets. ! Anthony has been featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, Entrepreneur, Fox News, MSNBC, and other media. He has written three books. The most recent, “Spin to Win,” is a step-by-step guide on how to define goals and utilize the power of the media to achieve success in any field.

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Tags: career, media, media relations, news, newsworthy

PR: Getting Solutions for Your Business to be Newsworthy

admin | Monday, May 19th, 2008 | No Comments »

 PR: Getting Solutions for Your Business to be Newsworthy

It’s a simple question with only three words: What Is Newsworthy? But it’s also an important question that can put your product, company or service on the road to free publicity. As a former journalist with more than ten years experience, my career was based on that question. Each time I began my search for a story, I asked myself: “What is the newsworthy element that will get people talking about this story? Is it newsworthy, why or why not? ” If I couldn’t answer those questions, the story didn’t deserve airtime. Now that I am a public relations consultant, I drive that point home to my clients. Because I know unless I make them newsworthy, they will not get publicity…which is the foundation to any successful business. Good publicity can increase sales, boost public exposure and ultimately the bottom line of any company. The best part about it? IT’S FREE!!!….unlike advertising. But it all starts with that one question. So what exactly makes a story newsworthy? I have a few suggestions:
1. Emotion: something that moves someone to action, something that has universal appeal.
2. A connection to a timely event: A local angle tied to a bigger, national story. The holidays are typically slow times for news stations but great times to generate free publicity for those empty newscasts!
3. A “Guess What?” factor: Something that allows you to demonstrate your expertise on a subject.
4. A fresh, new trend: What’s hot right now…what’s the latest craze? Capitalize off of that trend.
5. A conflict or controversy: Unfortunately, sometimes it’s the bad news that makes the headlines. But a conflict doesn’t always have to be negative…not if you can offer a solution or an answer.

This list can go on an on. Research this concept yourself. The next time you tune into your local news, ask yourself, why did that particular story get airtime? Chances are (if the station is a good one) there was something unique about it. Finding that same unique quality about your business will also make YOU newsworthy. You will be a reporter’s dream and a publicity machine!

Shani Blount of the WIN Public Relations Firm (http://www.winprfirm.com) has more than ten years experience of working in newspapers, radio and television stations all across the country. She began her career in Philadelphia after receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Temple University’s School of Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising. After graduation, Blount worked as a general assignment news reporter for CBS and Fox television affiliates in Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Blount has covered a wide variety of topics, from the deployment of Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne post 9/11 to a plague of frogs that descended on a North Carolina farm. Blount is the President and Founder of WIN Public Relations Firm in the Washington, DC metro area. Her unique experience will put you on the inside track towards becoming NEWSWORTHY!

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Tags: pr, business, newsworthy, news, press

Public Relations Strategy: Master Lead Times to Maximize Publicity Coverage

admin | Friday, May 16th, 2008 | No Comments »

public relations strategy master lead times to maximize publicity coverage Public Relations Strategy: Master Lead Times to Maximize Publicity Coverage

Getting your news story featured in the newspaper or talked about on the radio is iffy at the best of times – getting coverage on the day or week that’s optimal for your business is even more problematic. But you can optimize your chances for timely coverage by mastering the concept of media lead times.

Lead time refers to the time a reporter needs to prepare a story for publication. Most media, including radio, newspapers, magazines and television, have some sort of lag between when a story idea or press release is accepted and when it is actually aired or printed. This could range from a couple of days to a few weeks, depending partly on the urgency or timeliness of the story and partly on the particular publishing constraints of the medium chosen.

For example, in print, a reporter may need to do further research and check sources, then prepare the story for the editor, and then make whatever tweaks or edits the editor requires. The story will also need typeset, proofread or any of a number of other tasks to get the story ready for public consumption – and if it’s a magazine or newspaper, there’s distribution time too.

So if you want to get publicity for your latest trendy gadget or most innovative new service, you need to plan ahead, keeping your preferred release date in mind as well as the appropriate time frame for media preparation. Aside from being smart, it’s also simple consideration to the writer or reporter.

Lead times vary by media, but the following guidelines are fairly reliable.

* Daily newspapers will need a few days to a few weeks for feature stories. The same is true of calendars and newspapers online.
* Daily newspapers will need one to two days for hard news.
* Monthly magazines usually require two to three months from the date they receive your story idea or press release.
* Major national magazines (like Newsweek or Good Housekeeping) usually require four to six months of release date.
* Radio is often very flexible, with the timeliness of your news playing a more major role. You may get a call today for an interview spot tonight. However, coveted syndicated radio shows require more lead time.
* Similarly, you can sometimes get same-day coverage on television if your news is timely, especially if there’s a local angle. Television variety shows require more advance notice than news shows.

Again, these are general guidelines; if you want to ensure that you don’t miss a deadline for a specific publication or media outlet, call or visit their website and request a media kit from their advertising department. Since advertisers need to know when their ads need to be submitted, the lead time will be clearly stated in that kit.

Smart media-seekers make use of several other strategies to maximize the chances of receiving coverage.

For example, rather that submitting news that may or may not be of interest, some people actually tailor news releases to fit the demands of their target publications. One way to do this is to check out a media outlet’s Editorial calendar for the month. This will allow you to see precisely what they are looking for that month. Armed with that information, you can then call the publication, ask for the reporter assigned to that story and contact them explaining how you can contribute.

Another strategy is to plan your publicity to coincide with what the media is looking for during certain times of the year, as described below.

January to March Publicity Topics

Annual trends, previews and predictions. Tie-ins to Super bowl, Easter and the Academy Awards can be well received.

April to June Publicity Topics

No holidays to worry about, so just about anything goes. Events you could associate with are baseball startup, end of school (beginning of summer), Memorial Day and summer vacations.

July to September Publicity Topics

Typically a slow time of year for the media. Light news, back to school and trends are popular topics to tie into. Events include July 4th, summer movies, travel, and entertainment, and back-to-school topics.

October to December Publicity Topics

A very busy period for the media – and as you might suspect, strong tie-ins to the holidays maximize your chances of exposure. Post-holiday and end of-year topics are also good (the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is traditionally very slow).

Internet entrepreneur Diana Ratliff reveals the secrets of using offline publicity to generate online traffic in her newest ebook, The Publicity Traffic System. Very few online marketers are using this method of traffic generation, so it’s easy to gain an advantage over your competitors this way! Free stories of web masters who’ve generated sales and traffic using publicity – visit the website today!

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Tags: strategy, publicity, coverage, news, newsworthy

Public Relations: Top 5 Tips For Unleashing the Power of Publicity for Your Firm

admin | Monday, April 21st, 2008 | No Comments »

 Public Relations: Top 5 Tips For Unleashing the Power of Publicity for Your Firm

A must for any successful business owner, that is often forgotten is the power of publicity. Publicity is much more valuable than advertising and, best of all, it is much cheaper than advertising (often free). This article offers you five top tips for unleashing the power of publicity, allowing you to exponentially grow your business.

• Become Newsworthy- The best way to get the media to notice you is to become newsworthy. You may think that you have the greatest products or services in the world, but that doesn’t mean that your product is newsworthy. To gain publicity, you need to find an angle to reel in the journalists. For example, journalists like feel good stories that are personal.

• Become and Active Community Member- Volunteer in the community, go to public forums and write letters to the editor, especially if these things can be in any way related to your business. This can help get your name in front of the media and your prospective customers. Groups such as Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Groups can e great community organisations to get involved in.

• Branding- Stick a sticker on your car, and wear company t-shirts. Make sure they have your company name and website.

• Don’t forget the internet- Many businesses, especially offline, have a website, but do not fully utilize their website. There are a variety of tools online that can be used freely or cheaply to boost your sales through publicity. You can optimize your site for organic results through search engines, and you can engage in one-to-one communication through blogs and forums. Forums can be a great way to make friends and business partners. It’s like business networking online.

• Offer Freely of Yourself- If you are confident in your product or service, offer free quotes and estimates, freely answer the phone and make yourself available. Offering of yourself freely allows you to develop closer business relationships with your customers and partner’s, whilst also making it easier for them to refer people to you as they see you give freely of yourself.

Hamish Jones is the author and owner of Best Business Deals an online hub for business owner’s and entrepreneurs.

If you need help unleashing the power of publicity in your business, check out their PR and Copywriting Services

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Tags: public relations, publicity, tips, community, newsworthy

Media Relations Firm – Giving Journalists What They Want

admin | Sunday, April 20th, 2008 | No Comments »
media relations major things to do for a great press release Media Relations Firm   Giving Journalists What They WantA great deal of effort spent on public relations is wasted simply because it doesn’t meet the requirements of journalists. Get a good understanding of what they want, however, and you can secure coverage and build the reputation of your organisation.

The vast majority of press releases that journalists receive go straight in the bin – that’s a huge amount of wasted effort on the part of the sender, never mind the journalist. So, what do they want? Following these guidelines will set you on the right road.

Knowledge of the program/publication/journalist. All journalists are focused on one thing – what will appeal to the audience. If a particular publication or program is on your target press and media list then get to know it – track it on a regular basis. This will put you in a much better position in terms of ‘selling in’ news or pitching ideas – you will know what will appeal and what won’t. In addition, it’s much easier to put your ideas forward if you can reference recent stories/items covered by the relevant press and media, or the specific journalist.

Likewise, ensure that you are targeting named people and track down all the relevant contact details beforehand. If you can find out, in advance of any approach, how the journalist prefers to be contacted then that puts you one step ahead.

Understanding the timescales involved. It’s important to be aware of the deadlines that journalists are working to – you can then time your call so that you give yourself the best chance of having a discussion. Even if you have an interesting and worthwhile story your efforts will be wasted if you telephone a journalist when they are right up against deadline – they won’t want to speak to you. It could also make future approaches more difficult.

Understanding ‘news’. Any ‘news’ story pitched to a journalist must include essential ingredients. More than anything journalists are looking for the human interest angle – people. Ask yourself the following questions about your story – who does it benefit? Why is this news important? Who does it affect? What difference does it make to the man on the street? Ask yourself, from the journalist’s perspective, what’s in it for me?

Journalists are also looking for conflict and scandal in any news story. You might well want to avoid those elements but that means you need to ensure that others are included – something new, unusual, research findings, bucking the trend, facts and figures, change, well-sourced comment/information etc.

Packaging ‘news’. When a journalist receives your press release you have very little time to make an impact. Journalists aren’t interested in puff – boasts of how well the company is doing or reports of a ‘fantastic’ initiative. You must get the essence of your story in the first paragraph of the news release. Fail to do that and you will have lost the journalist. If the first paragraph does not sing ‘news’ then they simply won’t read any further. So, think of an inverted pyramid and get your ‘news’ upfront with the following paragraphs to support your copy and provide other relevant information. Editors edit from the bottom of a release up. So, the test is whether the first paragraph could stand alone – if that was printed would it get your news across?

Be aware too of the basic rules for setting out and issuing a press release. Many news organisations block attachments and no journalist is going to thank you for sending huge files. If you send your release by post then ensure that it is double-spaced – they may want to write on it and this will help. Include contact details on all correspondence with journalists and prepare in advance for taking any press and media calls. If you have sent out a press release then there is no excuse for not being available to talk to a journalist.

Research is the key for getting the most out or your relationship with the press and media. Get to know them, find out what they want and how they want it – then give it to them.

Using PR to build your profile and protect your reputation can help you influence the audiences that are important to you – I invite you to access more free articles, tips and information on this, and other subjects related to public relations, by visiting this site.

Debbie Leven – Profile Matters Ltd PR Consultants UK

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Tag: media relations, press release, headline, paragraph, newsworthy

PR – Writing Press Releases on a Platform

admin | Saturday, April 19th, 2008 | No Comments »

 PR   Writing Press Releases on a Platform

Have you got a story?

The first thing you need to think about when writing a press release is the ‘news’ value. Does your story merit a press release and have you got the right angle to appeal to journalists? If not then don’t waste your time or risk damaging your reputation with journalists. So, identify whether your ‘news’ has the key elements that a journalist will look for in a story i.e. human interest. Think about the audience you are aiming at and what will be of interest to them.

What should go into a press release?

The challenge is to answer the following questions about your news:

* Who? – Who are the key players? Who does your news affect/bring benefit to?
* What? – What is it that is new/different?
* Why? – Why is this important/news?
* Where? – Where is this happening? Is geography/location relevant?
* When? – What is the timing of this, does this add significance?
* How? – How did this come about?

Writing down the answers to these questions can be helpful – it’s then a matter of putting them together in short punchy sentences. You need to get the essence of your story in the first paragraph. Editors edit from the bottom of a press release up. So, it is essential to ensure that your ‘news’ is up front – it’s better to get your first paragraph printed than no paragraph at all.

How do I structure and present the release?

Once you have decided that you have a story to tell you need to draft your release abiding by very clear rules designed to make it as easy as possible for journalists to use your material:

* Highlight at the top of the release the issue date – an embargo should only be used if necessary
* Give your release a title
* Use double spacing with wide margins – to help the journalist in making notes
* Write as few paragraphs as possible to get your points across with a maximum of two pages
* Signal the end of the press release with the word ‘Ends’ – in bold
* After ‘Ends’ you should write ‘For further information, please contact:’ and list the contact details of someone who is available to give more information about the story
* You should include any additional background information in ‘Notes to editors’ underneath the contact information.

The test of success is whether the story can be understood in its entirety if only the first paragraph was reproduced in print. The second paragraph expands on information in the first, giving a bit more detail. Often, the third paragraph provides a quote. The fourth paragraph would then outline final information such as referencing to websites and ordering etc, other products in development etc, general information about the organisation.

What type of writing style should I use?

The release should be factual in tone, short and concise with sentences that are a maximum of 25 words in length. It’s useful to research and analyze any publications you are targeting. If you can match their style then you have a better chance of your press release being used, as long as it is newsworthy. For issuing to broadcast journalists the same rules apply in terms of writing and presentation.

This article gives you a good idea of some of the issues you need to think about when writing a press release, there are also others. You also need to give thought to who you issue the release to and how, when to follow-up with journalists, whether photographs are appropriate and how to handle follow-up calls from journalists and requests for interviews – each of these have particular rules that you should follow.

Using PR to build your profile and protect your reputation can help you influence the audiences that are important to you – I invite you to access more free articles, tips and information on this, and other subjects related to public relations, by visiting this Website

Debbie Leven – Profile Matters Ltd PR Consultants UK

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Tag: public relations, entry level, press release, press, news, newsworthy

Free PR: Have Newsworthy Information

admin | Thursday, March 13th, 2008 | No Comments »

 Free PR: Have Newsworthy Information

Many entrepreneurs suffer from inability to grasp the importance of publicity. If you aren’t letting people know about your accomplishments, especially the media, you’re making a big mistake. The good news is, you can change the way you approach publicity and it can actually be fun. To increase your business success, you want to be in the public eye.

Publicity comes in many forms and it has been said that free publicity is the most valuable. Free publicity is valuable because it is often more convincing than advertising. People believe a news story more readily than they believe an advertisement. The perception is that you must be doing something right if your products or services are featured in the news.

Free publicity is generated by newsworthy business activities your business is associated with, the type of activities that great news stories are born from.

Paid publicity is advertising where you’ve paid a price to get your message out and have full control of the message. This generally occurs through traditional media placement and sponsorship opportunities.

Publicity — especially free publicity — is subjective because we really have no concrete way of knowing what will be deemed newsworthy. There is no clear cut answer as to what will spark definite interest. But, your information must be newsworthy. So, it’s important to understand the meaning of news.

News, by definition, is previously unknown information.

Oftentimes businesses do some really great things and they either don’t believe they’re newsworthy or they haven’t looked at operations from an objective view to determine if there could be a story to tell.

Joan Stewart, also known internationally as The Publicity Hound, shares some advice. “The most important thing that a small business person can do if they want publicity is to make the media’s job easy. That means writing short, compelling, newsworthy press releases. It means giving them story ideas relevant to their target audience. It means inviting them to call on you for story ideas, background, commentary and anything else they need.”

You’ll want to get some exposure in the local, if not national, media.

Remember, it’s your job to tell the media what you’re doing. They are not going to seek you out unless they know you’re doing something interesting. On the other hand, you don’t want to contact the media about something that really is of interest to only you and few select family members. Remember, news is subjective but it needs to have a broad appeal.

I have observed many businesses over the years who feel like it’s the media or reporters job to seek them out. While reporters do deliver the news and they sometimes do investigative research to find that news, you’ll have better odds of coverage if you do your part.

Are you telling your story? Is it newsworthy?

This article may be reproduced in it’s entirety with the following inclusion: Lisa Manyon specializes in POWERFULLY communicating business messages to get results. Her work has been featured by the National Association of Women Writers and her article Nine Ways to Network More Effectively is slated to appear in Bob Bly’s upcoming networking guide. Manyon acted as a team leader for Lorrie Morgan – Ferrero’s Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp. Manyon’s eBook is now available and you can learn more here.

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Tags: publicity, news, newsworthy, information, pr

Online PR: 6 Best Simple Ways to Have Your Name in Print

admin | Tuesday, December 25th, 2007 | No Comments »

 Online PR: 6 Best Simple Ways to Have Your Name in Print

Want to get some good press coverage, but don’t know where to begin? Afraid your business hasn’t done anything newsworthy lately?
Nonsense!
With a little imagination, some creative spin, and an eye- grabbing press release, your business can be newsworthy in no time at all.
Here are some things you can do to get started. Each one gives you an excellent reason to send out a press release to the media. Play your cards right and you’ll be shocked at how much coverage your business will receive.
Hold a contest
This is a great excuse to send out multiple releases over a period of time. Send out an initial press release that announces the contest and gives the details. Let people know how they can participate and why the contest is being held.
Then, send out another release after the winner has been selected. This gives you one more chance to plug your company. For best results, make the contest a recurring event so you can contact the press on a monthly or weekly basis.
Upgrade your product
No matter how big or small it is, the press should be notified anytime you make a change to your product line-up. I’ve written press releases for minor software upgrades that hardly seemed worth mentioning.
But to an avid user of these programs, the small changes can make a world of difference. Thanks to the releases, users got notified of the upgrades and my client received additional media coverage.
Tie into current events
Your press release stands a greater chance of making it to the top of an editor’s pile if it contains timely information. So find a way to relate your business to events that are fresh on people’s minds.
For example, as we mark the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, a computer specialist could send out a release explaining five easy ways to back up data in case of emergency. How might your business tie into current events, holidays, or anniversaries?
Conduct a survey
Just like holding a contest, conducting a survey or study gives you at least two opportunities to contact the press. You can announce the survey, explain why you are holding it, and let people know how to participate.
When the results are in, send out an overview of the findings to the press. Then direct people to your website where they can download the complete report—preferably in return for an opt-in to your mailing list.
Align with a cultural trend
Have you heard of YouTube or MySpace? These two websites are all the rage and once you start paying attention, you’ll hear their names dropped right and left in the media.
Why?
Because clever businesses have found ways to get mentioned in the same breath as these trendy websites—primarily by doing the mentioning themselves.
In fact, anyone involved in marketing, video production, online privacy, networking, advertising, electronics, or anything relating to youth culture would be hard pressed not to align themselves with these sites.
Can you think of a trend that you can build a press release around?
Provide a case study
Tell the press how your product or service had a dramatic impact on one of your customers. Let them know what the problem was, how you solved it, and what life is now like for your customer.
And remember, your company is not the focus here — at least, not directly. The focus should be on your customer or client, and how they overcame a problem by usi ng your products or services. Don’t worry, you’ll have room for a quick plug at the end of the release.
This list is by no means exhaustive. There are literally dozens of reasons to contact the press about your business.
Remember, editors and journalists live and die by the press releases they receive. If you’ve got a story that will interest their readers, you may just find yourself with a new best friend.
So get started today and I look forward to seeing your name in print!
© 2006 by R. Cory Fossum. All rights reserved.

Cory Fossum is an award-winning direct response copywriter and marketing consultant. His specialty is direct marketing, including sales letter landing pages, direct mail packages, promotional email blasts, collateral, brochures, and customer retention newsletters and messaging. To receive more FREE marketing thoughts, tips, and strategies like the ones you just read, visit this web and sign up for his monthly newsletter, Cory Fossum’s Call to Action.

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Tags: informations, press, coverage, newsworthy, news

PR Communications – Writing a Press Release

admin | Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 | No Comments »
 PR Communications   Writing a Press ReleaseThe word Press Release seems to scare most people to death. On top of that not many people take the time to even think of writing their own Press Release. We hope this brief article will help clear up some of the mysteries surrounding this simple form of marketing.

The first thing you have to remember is that a Press Release is a news item. It needs to inform people, NOT sell them something. For example, you are reading this report because you want to learn something that will benefit you. You are not reading it just so you can buy something else. If money is the deriving force in your business you would not go too far. Your main goals should be in pleasing customers, providing them with a high quality product and more than their moneys worth. The trick is to do all this while still making money. People do not care what mountains you had to climb, what seas you had to cross or what tribe of people you had to learn the ways of just to find a secret formula. Instead they want to know what the secret formula is.

The sales circulars you print and mail sell your product. A Press Release informs others about your product. Instead of your main objective being to sell the product and have the customer send in an order immediately, a Press Release informs the customer exactly how your product will benefit their lives. This must be conveyed in the form of a newsworthy Press Release. If you have a sales circular to sell a product, you can easily turn it into a Press Release without much difficulty. It is just a new marketing angle of presenting your product to the public.

The following is an example of a typical Press Release for our publishing services: So many people are entering the mail order market these days, but so many of them are getting ripped off by a bunch of hype. People are promised untold riches in a short period of time. The hype ads play with their emotions by making them believe it is so easy to make money through the mail. It is sad.

However, a new book has just been released to help solve these problems for the average person. For the first time in history a real directory has been compiled listing the actual name and addresses of 179 honest and trustworthy mail order folks. People can write directly to these people and receive free information to get them started in their own business now.

It is unbelievable. Without trying to sell you anything else, you can get this book for only $4.95 a price anyone can afford. Meet the real mail order dealers who are about their products and want to help you get started doing what they are doing.

Only available from Graphic Publishing, PO Box 488, Bluff City TN 37618.As you can see, this is a short but sweet Press Release however, you should be able to see the newsworthiness in it. Its main focus is on the fact that most people get ripped off when they start their first mail order business. The solution to this problem is a new directory that is available for the first time in history. The sell is slowly led into because the reader will naturally want to get their hands on this one. It does not ask for money it only tells the reader how to get a copy if they want one.

Here is a great test for a real press release. Since your final sales pitch is included in the last paragraph read the Press Release aloud. Would it still be worth reading without your sales pitch? If so, it is probably a Press Release.

Press Releases come in many forms due to the product you are writing about. However, the basic rule of thumb still applies. If you have never wrote one before it may be a little difficult. Do not despair. Grab the latest daily newspaper and read some of their informational articles. Notice how each article is written and pattern yours after the same format. After you do a few of them – you will be able to get the picture.

When your Press Release is written to your satisfaction, the proper way to submit it to a publisher is: Be sure and type it on a typewriter or computer. Standard format is doubling spaced and not longer than two 8 1/2×11 pages. Be sure and put your name, address and page number at the top of each page.

Write the note for immediate release at the top. If you are only sending the press release to one publication tell them it is a first run.

Regards,

Kanicen
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Tags: press release, write, news, newsworthy, press


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