No successful media interview includes “no comment” as an answer to a reporter’s question. Here are five reasons why:

1) By not answering a question yourself, you allow someone else to fill in the blanks as they choose and — very possibly — provide a detrimental and incorrect answer.

2) You sacrifice an opportunity to shape your own message and stress key points important to you.

3) You could create the impression that you are hiding something or are guilty of a wrongdoing.

4) You could create the impression that you hold the media in contempt.

5) You lose control of the story’s impact on your image and reputation.

We’ve all seen actors in movies shouting “no comment, no comment” when pushing through a crowd of reporters and photographers outside a courthouse or police station.

Such scenes, for some, have created the impression that “no comment” is a viable response they can use to avoid answering reporters’ tough questions. Actually it is a flippant and potentially damaging non-answer.

So how should you respond if a reporter asks a question that you really can’t answer? Many times, as the primary spokesperson for numerous companies facing difficult circumstances, I’ve found myself in that exact situation. As always, the best solution was and is to tell the truth.

By explaining why you can’t provide a specific answer, reporters usually will understand. For example, these are some of the responses I’ve used:

* “Our company is in litigation over this issue, which prohibits me from discussing anything concerning the case at this time.”

* “I’m not the right person to answer your question. I will arrange an interview with the person who is.”

* “The situation is still unfolding and I do not have enough information at this time to answer your question. I will call you back when I have all the facts.”

* “I can’t answer a question concerning a hypothetical situation.”

* “I can’t answer for someone who is not associated with our company.”

* “The information you’ve been given is incorrect, so your question does not apply. These are the facts…”

If your response includes calling back the reporter, arranging an interview or otherwise providing information, it is vital to follow through with your promise in a timely manner.

Every prospective interview presents you with an opportunity to tell your own story, provide the facts and burnish your reputation.

“No comment” gets you nowhere.

Brian R. Salisbury, a writer and a public relations and communications consultant, combines a wealth of communications know-how with an engaging writing style to help his clients shape the most effective messages and deliver them with the greatest impact where they count most. Visit Brian’s website here and subscribe to his free public relations newsletter and receive his free report “Ten Key Components of a Successful Public Relations Program.”

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Tags: strategy, media, interviews, press, press release

The 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.

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

Many assume that press releases are only a method used by business owners to bring media attention to their products or companies. This is quite true, however, releases can also be a great way to sell affiliate products or a product that you own. Releases tend to do very well in the search engines and they provide valuable back links to your website. In this case, you’re not writing your press release for the media but rather for the average reader.

Releases, when submitted to the right companies such as PR Web, will give you tons of action in the search engines. This is because they have developed certain technologies that make their press releases very search engine friendly.

Another advantage is that you will have individuals and companies other than news reporters or media outlets, picking up your press release and placing it on their website. Subsequently, not only will you get back links to your release but webmasters also publish them. This means that you are able to benefit from hundreds or even thousands of people reading your press release absolutely free.

When a company or an individual prints your release on their website, you are automatically getting an endorsement and being exposed to a targeted market. All you had to do was create and submit your release.

In order for your release to be successful, there are a number of things that you must include. You will need to include the keyword or keyword phrase that you are targeting in the headline of your release. You will also want to include it several times throughout the release. You obviously need to add links to your website also.

It is important to remember that press releases are not simply articles or advertisements. You do need to spend some time and learn how to write a quality release. In order for your press release to be accepted by the top press release sites it has to be of high quality. You can’t just slap anything together, submit it and expect to receive results. On certain press release websites, you must receive a certain quality score before you get full distribution of your press release. Therefore, you will have to work very hard to ensure your press release is newsworthy and well written. If you cannot do this yourself, you may want to outsource this task to someone else.

Your better release websites are not free. Typically, you will need to pay at least a small fee to get a good amount of distribution and to ensure that your website link is hyperlinked (clickable).

Releases are a fantastic way to sell affiliate products or even a product of your own. If you give them a try, you may be surprised at the amount of back links that you can quickly generate and also how well your press release and website does in the search engines. It is important to note that this is only true if you choose keywords or keyword phrases that are not ultra competitive.

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Tags: pr, press release, products, company, sell

There are many benefits when issuing an online press release. But first, you need to understand the similarities and differences between a traditional press release and an online press release.

A traditional press release is an article that helps promote your business, or your products and services. Since it’s a press release, the way that it is written must follow a strict format. There are several reasons as to why you must adhere to a strict format.

Traditional press releases are meant to be printed on paper. So a fixed format helps to ensure that printing proceeds smoothly. Also, in the world of traditional press releasing, press agents are often flooded with work. A properly formatted press release allows the press agents to “process” these release easily and decide whether to publish them or not.

A properly formatted press release usually contains a headline, the words “For Immediate Release”, the content, the company info, and the contact info. The release usually ends with the word “ENDS” or the symbols “###”. Sometimes, you may see the number of words, although this is optional.

This has been the format for traditional press releases. However, since the invention of the Internet, the media has been moving their activities online. More and more people are spending time in front of the computer instead of the television. As a strong contender for people’s attention, the media has little choice but to flow with the trends.

But the Internet is very different from the television in many aspects. There are no paper involved, as information is transmitted digitally. And unlike traditional TV, you can communicate with others easily over the Internet.

Many marketers looking to market their businesses online have been looking to issue press releases online. Online press releases have taken on similar formats as traditional press releases. However, the concept of distributing a press release is very different.

In the traditional sense, a press release is distributed to as many publishers as possible, in the hope that some publishers find the story interesting enough to publish it, thus giving free publicity to the Company.

However, on the Internet, it’s all about links. Of course, Internet marketers still expect publishers to pick up their story and publish on their websites. But they are doing this for links. Theoretically speaking, the more links they get, the more traffic they get.

In addition, search engines are going to stumble upon these links and visit their websites more often. In many cases, marketers have seen a rise in their search engine rankings, and that means even more traffic.

Traffic is everything on the Internet, and it’s just like oxygen. Without traffic, the website is dead. Nothing ever happens online without traffic. There are no enquiries, no sales, no registrations, etc. So to ensure that online businesses thrive, Internet marketers have been actively issuing press releases.

As you can see, press release is an effective way to market a website. When your story is published, you get to enjoy lots of attention from potential buyers, and that will eventually lead to a boost in profits.

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Tags: online, pr, press release, media, internet

Millions of people log on to internet daily, and internet, today has become a big market for your products or services. In addition, as you know, marketing your product or service anywhere needs promotion because you need to make your presence felt to the consumers.

How to generate profit with press release writing:

Press releases are an essential part of your advertising and promotional campaign online, and hence writing an effective press release, which is newsworthy, and attention grabbing is the most important. Only writing the PR does not help your purpose. It needs to be well complemented with proper use, to get the most effective result.

• Remember that the usual audience of your press release are the reporters and the writers and the reporters and writers gazing for something fresh to write about, get about ten to fifty press releases daily. Hence, your PR need to stand out among the rest fifty and make the reporter or writer read the whole idea and make them think that it was newsworthy and it is something they want to write.
• The more writers contact you about your PR, more and more advertising you will be getting online. Hence, the body of the PR should be factual and informative giving the readers, the writers and reporters a reason to read your press release.
• The only thing that makes your press release disappear is the delete button and hence your press release should be written in such a way that it is irresistible and entices the reporters and the readers to read it and write about it and not pressing the delete button to remove it from their list.
• After identification of your target market, you should write your PR keeping in mind the maturity level and the attitude of the target market. Write more versions of the same press release to cater to the different fragments of your objective market.
• Before writing It settle on Its content so that it is efficient in all ways. Remember only an effectual press release is capable of getting you business.
• It should be news leaning rather than just another promotion tool of your company, as this will develop faith of your reader in you. At the same time, use day-to-day life examples and quotes to make it interesting as this will help in leaving a long lasting impression on the reader.
• The titles of the press release are as important as its content and hence make your title attractive that is able to compel the reader to read your PR.

Many a times, companies hire press release writers who are convincing enough as PR forms one of the most important tools of advertising over internet. However, if the above tips and tricks are kept in mind while writing it, you can write an effective and newsworthy PR, which in turn will help you make profit.

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Tags: pr, profit, press release, publicity, interview

Based on the results of MorganSullivan’s 2008 survey of construction and real estate professionals, most construction and real estate companies publish press releases even though traditional press releases may not work in most cases. Ask people who’ve been on the receiving end of many press releases like Paul Gillin, author of The New Influences and former PR professional, or David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR, and they will probably tell you that most press releases go right into the trash.

Marketers of construction and real estate services can improve their odds of getting PR by first thinking about who they want to connect with and what they’re going to communicate to draw their interest. Members of the media receive thousands of releases each day and competition for their attention is fierce. Send unsolicited press releases to a few hundred or thousand members of the media and you may be doing more harm than good because they may not appreciate the intrusions. Here are some alternative brand building strategies that may be more effective.

Make comments to online media publications. I’ve sent press releases to the Wall Street Journal for years with no luck. I made one comment to an article in the online version of the Wall Street Journal and that writer now calls me when she’s looking for a source. Make comments to someone’s work and include your contact information. Do this often and you’ll start to build relationships with journalists capable of getting you press.

Include blogs in your marketing strategy and make comments to them. Media publications are no longer the only way to get PR and brand recognition. According to social media guru and writer, Paul Gillin, there are more than 108 million blogs. Many media members have jumped on the blog bandwagon as well including Reed Construction Data, ENR, and mainstream media like CNN.

Make comments to other blogs relevant to the people you want to attract and see how fast you will get noticed from the major search engines like Google. Make sure the comments add relevance to the topic discussed. Avoid simple statements like “good post” because they will often be perceived as spam.

Start a blog and write articles on your blog. Publishing blog articles that offer information is a great way to get PR and brand recognition. It’s much more effective than self serving promotional material. Personally, I’ve found that short articles in the 500-word range are most effective. Include links allowing people access to other resources on the article topic and you’ll get eventually start to get attention from mainstream media, online media, and prospective clients.

Let people know about your blog. Communication is important. Include a link to your blog in your email signature. Let your contacts know about the blog and send RSS (really simple syndication) feeds to social media sites interested in receiving your information including but not limited to Technorati, LinkedIn, Twitter, Zimbio, and Blog Catalog.

Include a sign-up page for people to subscribe to your blog through RSS. Many construction and real estate companies already use electronic newsletters and news releases that can easily be rolled into your blog allowing marketers to consolidate some of the activities they’re already doing. Services like Feedblitz and Feedburner allow marketers to distribute electronic communication from their blog to their readers at very low rates and these.

Even though most press releases yield little, it’s probably unrealistic to expect every construction and real estate company to stop sending press releases. Fortunately, many of these companies can still improve their chances of getting PR by making their releases search engine friendly. They can also see positive results by including social media sites in their distribution. Press release grader by Hubspot is a great tool that real estate and construction companies can use to make sure their releases have the best chances of getting noticed in the online community.

John P. Kreiss

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John Kreiss – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: pr, press release, blog, marketing, strategy

If 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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Press releases help to manage your public relations campaigns without investing much into it. If you have news about your product, service or company, then a press release is what you need. A press release is essentially a document that is used to call attention the products and services offered by a company. It is a brilliant tool that you can use to inform people about the business that your company does. Writing a press release that makes your business sell is something that can be mastered by few. Let us have a look at a few tips that can help you achieve this:

1. To get your press release noticed, you should ensure that the release is noteworthy. It should not sound like it is hyped. Instead, it should supply information that would seem like something that has been written by a reporter.

2. Always ensure that if you have made statements within your press release, then you should have sufficient supporting documents to back it up.

3. Always remember to send your press release to relevant sources so that it gets noticed. Never send it to irrelevant people as it paints a very unprofessional picture of you.

4. Always ensure that the length of your press release is not more than one page. A lengthy press release can often turn down the editors. The point is that readers are definitely not going to take much time to read too much content in a press release.

5. The press release should be formatted in a reader friendly manner. Always remember that you should write short but meaningful sentences. The paragraphs should be short and easy to read and understand.

6. It is very important to follow up with editors to ensure that your press releases are noticed. Keep in touch with them by contacting them once or twice but not regularly as it could make you seem like somebody who desperate too get the press release published.

Medha Behera is a freelance writer and a full time Instructional Designer.

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Tags: press release, pr, production, write, statement

1. The Open Press

The Open Press is a very professional website that offers the distribution of press releases for free. The free press releases will only show the release with plain text and it will only be on The Open Press for six months. In addition, they reject about thirty percent of the press releases and do not allow you to fix your mistakes and repost. However, they do have another option, press release with stars, which puts your press release on The Open Press’ PRO PR section. This ranks it higher on other websites, allowing for more viewers. The minimum price for this option is ten dollars and if you would like more stars, which gives you more options, then it is around fifty dollars. Another perk is that your press release will stay on the website for a year rather than six months. The Open Press also provides you with email alerts about your press release, making it easier to track.

2. Newswire Today

There is no fee to make an account with Newswire Today, and also no fee to send out a press release. They offer the basic options for free distribution. For example, your submission is published in the order it was received, with third party advertisements. However, they do have a Premium option in which your press release is published the same day, with a company logo, statistics, and no third party advertisements. The Premium option can range from ninety-five dollars to four hundred dollars.

3. My Free PR

My Free PR offers free distribution of press releases. Its layout and navigation of this website is a little more complicated than the other sites. Every link that you click has another one that comes up, and then another one, and eventually you lose track of where you wanted to go. In addition, there is very little information about the actual website and what it can offer.

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Tags: public relations, service, wire, press release, newswire

As the end of 2008 quickly approaches, now is a great time to put the finishing touches on basic tools that you will need for your marketing efforts in 2009. One of these tools is a boilerplate. Not sure what this is? Let me explain.

In public relations terms, a boilerplate is a statement that is placed at the end of a press release (or other public relations document). It simply and quickly covers the 5 W’s of your business, products, and services and lets the press and general public know what your business has to offer.

A boilerplate is usually no more than several sentences long so choose your words carefully. In essence, what you are doing by creating a boilerplate is taking your 30-second elevator pitch about your company and putting it on paper.

Here are a few key points to cover when drafting your boilerplate:

1. Include a short, clear description of your business (what you do, who you do it for, and why you do it).

2. If you’ve won awards or been recognized in any way, use stand-out words like “award winning” or “best-in-class” when describing your products and services. Also use any stand-out numbers about your business (e.g., more than ? products sold or more than ? customers served).

3. Avoid industry jargon that the general public will not understand.

4. List your company website or other online destinations so that people can learn more about your business.

Also note that you can have one boilerplate or multiple descriptions if you have a number of product/service lines. You will be pleasantly surprised at how your boilerplate will come in handy during your marketing efforts once it is completed.

An expert in marketing communications, Kristina Hill provides integrated marketing consulting services to small and mid-sized businesses through MarComm Creative Group, LLC. The business offers an array of services, including: public relations and media relations; media planning and placement; integrated marketing plan development and execution; and article, website, advertising, editorial, and sponsorship writing.

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Tags: media, relations, press release, organization, marketing

What I’m basically saying is yes your site has just been born but unless someone other than you knows it’s alive it won’t go anywhere and neither will you.

The most common mistake marketers make when creating press releases is assuming journalists write stories “about” companies. Your new business, new company president, new hire or new product may seem great to you — but the sad truth for marketers is most reporters just don’t care.

As a former TV news reporter, I can assure you most press releases news organizations receive go directly to the trash can. The few releases that do catch journalists’ eyes have a few things in common. Here are seven types of stories reporters often deem “newsworthy”.

- Studies and surveys. A company with healthy marketing budget can pay a survey firm to conduct a newsworthy survey, essentially creating news whenever they want it. For example, an apartment listing Web site could conduct a survey about how more Americans are choosing renting over buying in the current economic downturn.

- Lists. You see these stories in the news all the time: “10 Most Congested Cities,” “15 Fattest States,” “Best Cities to Start a Small Business.” Simply think of a list that ties to your business and hire a research firm to crunch the numbers. For example, a lawn care company could publish the list “20 Best Cities for Beautiful Lawns.”

- Hero Narratives. You’ll know this story when you see it. The snowplow driver who clears off a nursing home parking lot in his spare time. The fireman who removes kittens from trees. The CEO who prepares inner-city children for the management track. To identify these stories, it’s important to have open lines of communication among employees at all levels of your company.

- News You Can Use. These are often similar to list releases, but a lot cheaper — no need to hire a pricey research firm. They can often take the form of lists or bullet points. For example, “Seven Ways to Avoid Foreclosure,” “Top Tips for a Healthier Pet,” or “How to Save Money on Your Apartment Rental.”

- Legitimate News Tie-ins. To take advantage of this type of press release, you’ll need to act fast. Current events can become old news in a matter of days. Story ideas in this category include a church holding a vigil for a missing child and a company filling a truck with supplies for disaster victims.

- Far-Out Features. The stranger the story, the more likely it is to gain publicity with a press release. A local restaurant offering a $500 hamburger is the type of far-out feature story that may get the media’s attention.

- Trends. Are local rodent populations on the rise? If you’re in the pest control business, that’s a press release opportunity. Ideally, you’ll have facts and figures (bonus points for a graph) to demonstrate the trend. Be sure to include the relevant numbers in your press release.

Megan Tsai is a seasoned communicator and award-winning writer. As a full-time freelancer, she provides business writing, copywriting and marketing communications for companies and advertising agencies.

Visit site to learn more and sign up for the Red Wagon Writing monthly e-mail newsletter full of writing and marketing tips.

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Tags: press, press release, idea, news, narative

The most common way for internet marketers to drive traffic to their web site is to advertise to individuals or businesses that are already on the Internet. While this definitely works, if these customers are your only focus, you run the risk of missing out on a ton of potential business. There are lots of companies and people who aren’t yet on the Internet but can still benefit from your product or services. While millions of people certainly use the internet and are quite familiar with it, they may not understand how to find your particular product or service online. You need to get their product in front of their eyeballs. Your goal as a marketer is to get people to see your product or your service so you can make the sale and subsequently, more money. In order to do this, it may require that you start targeting individuals that off-line.

One way to accomplish this is to use press releases. You can either craft your own or have someone write it for you and then submit it to local newspapers, newsletters owners as well as local and regional publications or magazines. If you have something interesting to say that might benefit one of these publication’s readers, they may contact you and interview you about your release and most importantly, your business.

Writing and submitting press releases to the right places generally requires a certain level of knowledge. However, you can find lots of good information about writing press releases and contacting editors by simply doing some research online. There is plenty of free information out there. You just need to look for it.

You should also purchase the publications that you’re interested in submitting your release to. The contact information of the correct editor to send your release to should be listed somewhere in the publication. You may also want to give the office a call and find out the best person to send your release to.

Writing and submitting a press release online is another option. If a news source finds your press release and they deem it interesting they may want to talk to you. Even though your press release is being submitted online, you still may be able to get our release in front of off-line readers or viewers.

Press releases can be a very powerful way to reach people who are off-line. They are fantastic mediums for teaching the public about your company, product or service. When things are covered in the newspaper or on the news, they tend to seem more credible, which may translate into more sales and inquires.

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You’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

Publicity is one of the most efficient and cost-effective marketing strategy that builds the credibility of a business to gain an edge over its competitors. And the best way to get publicity is through press release writing. Press release can dramatically increase your profits and sales and it can also bring the much-needed exposure to your company. In addition, it can be a great tool in enhancing your company’s projected image or reputation. Here are the first best 4 steps to help you out in writing your press releases:

1. Only write a press release when your company has newsworthy information. Press releases, unlike articles can’t be just about the features of your products or services. They must talk about interesting topics like product launching, promotions, or when your company has reach milestone (reached 1 million subscriber benchmark, received recognition, or changing management).

2. Make your title interesting. Your title should summarize the information that can be found in your press release. It must answer the why, who, what, why, and when questions of your potential readers. A good example of a press release title is “Company B to merge with Company A in December to expand internet services in United States”. In addition, your title must contain relevant keywords so it can easily be found by your target market.

3. Do not use too much hype. Absolutely no exaggeration, excessive use of fancy language, and adjectives in press release writing. Instead, deal with facts and present them as direct as you can. Remember, you must not sound like you are pitching your products and services when writing press releases.

4. At the end of your press release, be sure to leave as much contact information as possible. This includes the contact person, phone, address, fax, email, and web site address.

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

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

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

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

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Tags: press release, write, press, pr, potition

There are several components to the standard Press Release format that you must follow whether you submit it online or by conventional methods. Make it easy for your reader to take in your information quickly.

Follow this format structure:

* Headline – Be sure to include keywords or phrases in your headlines for online Press Releases. Grab the attention of journalists and quickly summarize the story.

* Dateline -give the reader the date and location of the story.

* Introduction – this paragraph gives basic answers to the questions of who, what, when, where and why. It outlines the interest point for your reader.

* Body – further explanation, statistics, background, or other details relevant to the news.

* Boilerplate – this is usually the credibility info on your company.

* Close – usually a symbol that shows the journalist that the PR part of the release is over. It usually looks like the following symbol – ###.

* Media Contact Information – this section covers the name, phone, email or other contact information needed for follow up.

Create a compelling press release that highlights the major newsworthy points of your story. Remember that your story must be interesting to become newsworthy. Story editors are often swamped with press releases so they aren’t going to spend a lot of time going through your unless they find something interesting.

So there you have it. It can be that easy if you follow the process from start to finish. Be sure to create an online Press Release at least once or twice a month to keep your company name in the news.

Dennis Morales Francis is a small business coach and the author of “Double My Revenues In 12 Months or Less” and “Push Button Profits! A 30 Day Program For Making $120,000 A Year On Auto Pilot” Head over to the site sign up for your free course now before it’s too late!

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Tags: online, pr, press release,publicity, write

Wondering where to submit your press release? Well, in my never ending quest to find the laziest methods of marketing (Is it weird to work your butt off trying to be lazy?) I have FINALLY become converted to press releases.

Why? Because last week I met with Steve A (name is abbreviated to protect the innocent) a great SEO guy, and he told me how he convinced a client to submit press releases on a weekly basis, like article distribution. I always thought press releases were for “special occasions” like product launches and big announcements. Not so, says Steve. You get great link love, the Press Release services WANT tons of content anyway, so if you’re going to create content why not leverage it everywhere you can?

Well, I can’t argue with that logic, so I spent some time figuring out the list I’m going to submit to, and now I’ll share it with you, my esteemed readers. And remember, I’m not just lazy, I’m cheap, so these places all allow you to submit your press release free!

PRWeb Pagerank: 7 Alexa: 9,053

PRLog.com Pagerank: 5 Alexa: 14,220

PRLeap Pagerank: 5 Alexa: 49,934

1888Pressreleases Pagerank: 4 Alexa: 59,949

PressAbout Pagerank: 4 Alexa: 95,355

Ereleases Pagerank: 6 Alexa: 101,200

URLWire Pagerank: 5 Alexa: 163,894

There you have it! And if you are wondering, “Where will I find the time to submit all this stuff!?” I have three recommendations:

1. Only submit to PRweb.com, probably the most respected and best of the bunch.

2. Hire an executive assistant! If you paid a student or other part timer to do a lot of the online “grunt work” it would pay for itself within weeks if you know what you’re doing!

3. Have your kids do it!

Dave Sherwin is a Network Marketer who won the “Rookie of the Year”award in a large international network marketing company in 2006. He is the co-author of “Lighthouse Marketing”, The Art And Science Of Attracting People Into your Network Marketing Organization. Learn the Lighthouse Marketing secrets at this web

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Tags: press release, pr, press, write, credibility

Press releases let you use the media to draw attention to your business, which makes it more credible in the eyes of the public. Consider five easy tips on how to make your press release great.

Proper Format: All of your press releases should be written in the proper format. Your goal should be to give you and your business a professional air. You will need to review your press release, checking spelling, grammar, and punctuation before sending it to any media source.

Writing Clearly and Pointedly: Since most media outlets receive a steady stream of press releases, they do not have time to read long ones. No press release should be more than two pages in length. In order to keep your press release at this size, your writing needs to be clear and pointed, answering the most important questions: who, what, where, when, why, and how.

Emphasize Benefits to the Reader: Your press release should encourage readers to do something. Depending on the situation, you might tell them to check out your website, visit the grand opening of your new store, or attend your special event. Your writing should emphasize the benefits that your reader will receive by taking part in whatever it is that your press release is promoting. Instead of just writing a straightforward advertisement, make potential customers see what’s in it for them.

For example, a press release about a new food processor needs to tell readers more than the simple facts that the new product is more compact than older models. Make customers see the benefits they will derive from purchasing it by wording it differently. You could say, “The compact size of our new food processor will let customers maximize counter space while chopping up foods with just as much power as previous models.” This tells your reader why they need to buy your product.

Keep the Mood Interesting: You need to write in a style that will make readers excited about your product. Dress up the facts in an effort to keep things interesting for your readers. With the above food processor example, you can tell customers that “the new compact, counter-saving model will be in stores this spring, just when you’ll need it to chop up fresh veggies to make the perfect summer salad” instead of simply stating “the new food processor will be available in the spring.”

Keep Your Target Customer in Mind: Always remember who your target customers are while you write and submit your press releases. This will also help you to determine what information should be in your press release and which media sources you should submit it to.

You wouldn’t, for example, submit a press release about a children’s health event to a newspaper’s travel editor, since this will not help you get your information to your target audience.

Are you searching for a way to make money on eBay? Find out how to start a thriving eBay business on the Online Auction Advisor website. Visit this website for a copy of my ebook “101 eBay Tips” – a $47 value absolutely free!

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Tags: strategy, press release, business, attention, review

PR, the common term for Public Relations is usually referring to the efforts of a company to obtain a favorable or increasingly positive view in the public’s eye. It normally applies to big business but as a small business owner, I think it concerns small businesses too. I want my customers to have a good feeling about my company and me. This obviously could result in more business and more profits.

I have put together some ideas of which many may be considered “free” or “low cost” types of marketing to gain good PR. Most are not anything new; some are as old as the hills, just based on good principles and real concern for other people. I am not an expert at these, but it’s a goal. I see them as obvious time-tested principles that are just no-brainers. High cost conventional marketing and advertising does not take the place of most of these concepts and ideas. They are compatible. There may be sweat and effort involved, but that’s business if it makes you a better business. Maybe one or more of these ideas will put you and your business on the map?

1. Contribute to the community. It could be something you do or produce already

in your business and for little or no charge. Do some volunteer work.

2. Give a little extra when doing business; make sure they remember you in a good

way. “Go the extra mile,” they say. People will remember if they think they got charged too

much. They will also remember if they think they got a great deal!

3. Be friendly (and smile once in a while). It makes a difference even when

you’re on the phone!

4. Have great service.

5. Have a great product.

6. Be honest, even when no one is looking.

7. Be a part of a group or organization or two so people can get to shake your

hand, see your great smile, and know you exist! It may be around town or it may be on the

Web.

8. Make some calls, or send out some nice letters or emails to your current

customers. Thank them for their business. Ask if there is anything they might need and to

give you a call if so. (They might be flattered!) One business sent me what looked like the

nicest greeting card I had ever seen! I was impressed! (Even though it was an

advertisement.)

When you look at a lot of these you may think, “Oh yeah, I should’ve thought of that!” (That is if you don’t use them already!) That is because they are simple, honest and basic ideas that can naturally be a part of everyone’s business with a little practice and implementation. So, good luck on your success!

Note: You may publish this article at no charge as long as you have included the signature box below. Thank you.

Randall Street is a multi-talented artist working in fine and graphic arts. He has worked in the design and production of digital and web graphics, printing and sign media for over 25 years. Get 5000 business cards free with your order of 5000 brochures! Visit this site.

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Tags: study, public relations, press release, strategy, press

The more free publicity you can get, the wider your marketing message can reach and the greater your results are likely to be. The internet has made getting free publicity so much easier and today there are a number of ways that you can get free publicity.

Go Online for Free Publicity

The first step towards getting more free publicity is to take your marketing message online, if you have not done so already. There are a number of excellent free publicity resources available online such as social media, article directories, press release directories and other tools.

Create a Referral Program

Another great way to get more free publicity is to create a referral program. Although you may choose to give your referral partners a commission when they refer people to you, this will usually be after you have already made a sale and so the cost will come from the sale instead of paying upfront.

Form Joint Ventures

Joint ventures are another way of cutting your advertising costs by partnering with another business owner and using resources you already have to help gain you more publicity. You could, for example, exchange mailing lists, thus getting publicity from their mailing list and not needing to pay anything for it.

Can You Get a Free Press Release?

There are a number of places online that you can post free press releases about your company, but you may also be able to submit a press release to an offline newspaper for free and get greater exposure in this way. Press releases often open up many other opportunities for more publicity.

There are many free publicity tools available online but you may also choose to create an offline referral program or a joint venture partnership (online or offline) to increase your publicity without increasing your costs.

Mitch Carson is an award-winning direct marketer, consultant, author and columnist who has consulted for the BEST of the BEST in marketing including, Legendary marketer Dan Kennedy, Jay Conrad Levinson author of “Guerilla Marketing”, Joe Vitale, Ron LeGrand #1 How to Get Rich in Real Estate, Ted Thomas, Internet Marketing Guru Yanik Silver, Mark Victor Hansen, Co-author #1 Best Selling Series, “Chicken Soup for the Soul”, and other marketing experts on advanced direct marketing techniques. He has had been written up in over 140 newspapers worldwide (including the Wall Street Journal, LA Times, Washington Post and more), over 600 radio stations, and has been featured in over 200 spots on QVC, Home Shopping Network, Fox News, and Reuters Worldwide. He can be reached at this site and this site

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Tags: strategy, publicity, online, referral, press release

Most everyone has heard the “Want free publicity, write a press release” spiel. Yet, too many small business owners still neglect this excellent source of exposure for their company and products.

“I’ll just run an ad. It’s easier,” they say.

Yet, if they really understood the impact of a press release compared to an advertisement, I don’t think they’d hesitate to make the most of this marketing strategy.

Let me share an exercise that I conducted in a networking meeting awhile back that should help you better understand the difference between a press release and an ad. This will also help you determine for yourself which is a better marketing strategy for your business.

Before the meeting, where I was the presenter, I cut several articles and news clippings from our local paper. None of the articles had bylines (“by Author’s Name”). The stories were published on various pages of the paper. Each was about a different topic.

As I began the presentation, I asked the group of about 20 small business owners to look briefly at each clipping and tell me what was significant about these stories.

Various items were mentioned — the subjects of the articles, the locations, the lengths. Yet no one touched on the one similarity. Almost without a doubt, each of these news stories were generated through a press release.

(Now, you may ask how I know that. In another town, I might not have, but I was personally familiar with this particular newspaper and knew their specific policy and format for printing news stories. Because there was no byline, and because the stories were not part of their regular columns, I was relatively sure that each of the stories I had chosen had been generated by a press release and written by a junior staff member.)

The purpose in this exercise was to point out that while some people (like me with personal knowledge of this paper and a journalism background) would know these were press releases, the majority of people wouldn’t. Most people, even well-educated ones like these business owners, would perceive these stories to be simply news stories written by the newspaper’s staff.

And that can be VERY significant to your business. Let’s consider…

If you read an article in the paper, what do you think? Usually, that it’s true. At least most of the time.

While we’ve learned that “you can’t believe everything you read,” to a certain extent, we still tend to believe that if a notable newspaper publishes a story, it’s true. Period.

On the other hand, how many advertisements that you read do you believe without question? Probably very few.

Reading an ad does not necessarily make you believe in that product. You know that someone paid to run that ad. You know the advertiser has an ulterior motive — profit. You know the purpose of an ad is to sell you something. So you don’t believe what an ad says just because you read it… EVEN IF YOU READ IT IN THE SAME NEWSPAPER.

That’s the significance!

We believe a news story because, in our minds, a news story is impartial. Its purpose is to educate and inform, not to earn a profit. A news story is, in effect, the opposite of an ad. And because we believe a news story, we are MUCH more likely to act on it… to purchase the product it recommends, to do business with the company it describes. We TRUST a news story… therefore we TRUST the subject of that story.

And that’s the whole purpose of advertising — to build trust in our customers and prospects.

—–
Article copyright © 2008 by Darlene ‘Dee’ Bishop. All rights reserved worldwide.

Darlene ‘Dee’ Bishop is a professional writer with over 25 years experience writing and editing ezines and newsletters, press releases, website content, magazine features and more. Visit her online to discover how she can help you build your business one word at a time™.

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Tags: public relations, press release, advetising, marketing, publicity

A well-written press release can boost your credibility in the eyes of your target audience

Over the years, various companies and organizations have recognized the benefit of using media channels to gain credibility with their potential customers. Whether it be in publications online and offline or on media like TV and radio, you can always find a way to use the media to establish a lasting presence in the market or the industry that you are in.

While advertising is usually the first thing that comes to mind when the subject of promotions is being tackled, it is not usually something that you can completely rely on especially if you want to gain the trust of the media and if your budget is limited. In fact, there is another way that you can reach out to the hearts of media professionals while making sure that you are able to build credibility in the eyes of society. This can be done by writing press releases.

What makes you special?

Compared to advertisements, the press release is written to attract the attention of the media. More commonly now it can also appeal over the heads of the media and engage directly with your potential buyers. As a public relations tool, it is structured to benefit you, your business, or your products and services. It is designed to emphasize what makes you stand out from the rest of other similar businesses and individuals that are offering the same goods to the masses. In order to do this, your press release should mention what makes your business newsworthy: what sets it aside from others and what significant role can it play in society?

Watch how you write your content

The right content is the key to creating a press release that can have the media, or your customers, knocking at your door. As mentioned earlier, your press release should be newsworthy so do not sound like you are selling something. Instead, sound like a professional discussing the answers to who, what, when, where, how, and why by providing simple but interesting information. The press release should also sound interesting from the start. This means that your headline or title should already be able to attract the attention of your reader. Finally, construct your press release to keep the reader hooked.

Be factual

Press releases are not meant for advertising so avoid flowery words, jargon, and exaggerations. Keep everything short, simple, and to the point. Writing your press release in the active voice is also advisable rather than discussing everything in passive form. Remember that your aim here is to write something that can make you credible and trustworthy in the eyes of whoever reads it so that your target audience will recognize you as the expert in your field. And while you are being factual, do not forget to make sure that your press release is actually current and timely.

Present it nicely

Content that is well-written on a press release but is formatted wrongly can put it at risk of not being published at all. Therefore, make sure that you are able to present it correctly by using the right format. Traditionally, press releases are formatted with an indication of when it is going to be released followed by the headline, the lead, the main paragraph that explains the lead, some company background, and your contact details. Correctly formatting your press release can help the reader to immediately tell that what they are reading is not merely an advertisement.

You can learn more on how to write your press release at sites such as Quality Press Releaser and Press Release Home. You can also post a unique press release on one of these sites if it has not been published on the Web before.

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Tags: press release, pr, segment, write, credibility

Press releases: from the newspaper page to the Web page

Writing a good press release is not exactly a talent that was born as a result of the Internet. Marketers and business owners have long since been submitting press releases to editors, reporters and other journalists in the hopes that the news story may get published in the newspaper, or better yet, may inspire reporters to write related stories. Now that the Internet has taken over as the one and only information super highway, it only makes sense that today’s advertisers are battling for online space, instead of a spot in their local newspapers.

Why write an optimized press release

Even if you have managed to get a couple of your press releases published in your local newspaper, you can still benefit from the fruits of your efforts if you write an Internet-friendly press release. One of the biggest reasons why you should target the Internet is the fact that you will be reaching a much bigger audience. More and more people today are turning to the World Wide Web for their latest dose of news. Logging online and searching for the news items that they are interested in is much easier and more convenient rather than waiting for the news report on BBC or CNN. Even these giant news corporations are maintaining and promoting their own websites to keep up with the online world. Imagine how many people you will reach if you become featured in a popular news website or engine.

Another advantage of writing optimized press releases is that it lets you track how much readership your news story is receiving. This is virtually impossible with newspapers. Even if you keep track of how many people purchase newspapers, there’s a huge possibility that they’re buying for the comics, the classified ads or even just to have a shelter from the rain!

The power of keywords

Just like in the optimization of any online content, keywords will play a major role in the optimization of your press release. You need to research which keywords are the most relevant to your business or news story. These keywords can range from single words to whole phrases. Once you have decided on the most relevant keyword for you, be sure to use this in the title of the press release. You can also use related phrases in the subtitle and throughout the entire body of the article as long as the text reads well. Never overdo this tactic as quality content matters more than artificially trying to trick the search engines.

Target human readership

Even though you are vying for a top position in the search engine results, this doesn’t mean that you have to put all your effort into pleasing the spiders or other software that handles the positioning of the search results. Remember that you are, first and foremost, appealing to your readers. Create a press release that is newsworthy, informative and interesting and you can rest assured that your news story will gain online popularity in due course.

At PR Friend, you can learn all about how to promote your organization in a digital age. We offer a free press release posting service and other promotional advice. You can also sign up for our newsletter.

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Tags: press release, optimize, write, news, publicity

Press releases are designed to provide exposure for a company or organization. They are written either for the media to adapt or to interest your potential customers directly. It helps if they are already crafted in such a way that they are ready for publication. In many instances, the press will run press releases without making any modifications on the original content, so you want to make sure that your material already contains all the information that you want to relay and in a format ready for publication.

If you’re a novice at writing press releases, looking up examples of press releases will help you with how to craft your own release. Try to keep your content interesting but impartial. You want to come across as an authority in your field.

You can find samples of press releases all over the Internet. There are websites that were created mainly to help users learn how to write these materials properly so they usually contain templates and formatting instructions that you can follow. Take note that a press release has to follow a standard format so you need to take the time to learn about this pattern before you go about writing your first press release.

Press release submission sites usually also offer you sample press releases which you can use as a basis for your own material. It’s best if you study press releases that were produced by companies or organizations that are somehow related or similar to your own. This way, you’ll have a good idea of how to go about relaying your information to your readers. But your press release should be unique, of course.

PS If your press release is contains original content, you can post it at Fast Press Releaser or Quality Press Releaser

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Tags: online, pr, press, sites, press release