Tags: press, newspaper reporters, public relations, PR

Knowing how to write a press release for a website can add the exposure and self-promotion for the success of your business. There may be different reasons for writing the press release, for instance, if the business won an award, introduction of new products or services or a sponsored charity event. Your aim with the press release is to effectively connect with the media.

Having the skills of knowing how to write a press release for a website has advantages for your business. If the editors of the website that your writing was submitted to, approve of it, then it may be published. When it is published, it means plenty of free advertising and publicity for your business. Your search engine rankings will improve because of the added links to your website. Press releases also make your business more noticeable to potential customers, keeping it fresh in their minds.

A press release structured for online distribution should always have a main header stating the release instructions. For example: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

After the main header, the headline needs to be formulated. Avoid writing it in all CAPS, as this is not acceptable with many online news services. Leave a few lines open between the header and the headline. The headline should be carefully considered, as this will be the first thing that the potential customer will read. It should catch the attention of the reader and provide a little information. Not too much information that will give away what the press release’s details feature, just enough to entice the customer to read further.

A dateline must be added to the press release. It is usually written along with the city and state/country. It can be placed between the header and headline or directly before the main body of the writing begins.

For the body of the press release, start with an interesting statement, or a shocking fact to further captivate your reader. The first paragraph can be relatively short, and generally answers the questions of who, what, when, where and why. Who is the news about, when or where did it happen, what is the new product etc. The first paragraph is determined as the ‘lead’ because, from here, the person will decide to read on or not. The second paragraph will provide more details and subsequent paragraphs will continue to discuss the company’s news. Shorter paragraphs are generally better read.

Include a boilerplate, that will remain the same on every press release, stating briefly who you are and what you do. Provide contact information with each detail on a separate line.

Knowing how to write a press release for a website is one thing, the other is knowing how to effectively optimize it for search engines. It should be written in a ‘language’ that is easily understood by humans, as well as the ‘machines’ or software that categorize the release. For the ‘machines’, specific keywords should be carefully selected and placed throughout the press release. Make sure your keywords are in all the headings and in the body with a density of around 5%. Your keywords can also contain text links.

Once the press release is completed, it must be promoted. They can be sent by e-mail to website editors or submitted online to press release services, such as BusinessWire or PRWeb. You can also place it on your website. Links leading to the press release should be placed on pages that are already indexed as this will enable the search engines to find it.

Knowing how to write a press release for a website is really quite easy and your business may soar with the extra publicity!

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

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Tags: PR, press, release, website

Web 2.0 has changed the way the world does business, and PR practitioners must change their ideas about press releases in order to optimise their use of the global marketplace.

Web 2.0 is the second generation of web development. Its emphasis on sharing information and collaborative social networking and has brought with it some important changes to traditional media practices.

Not the least of these is the fact that market savvy individuals now have the power to disseminate press releases and reach their target markets directly.

While mainstream media still play an important role in many PR initiatives, it’s important to remember that your target audience is no longer a small cluster of journalists.

Thanks to the powers of web 2.0 there are now millions of readers out there who are able to access your press releases and turn them into news. To get you on your way we’ve jotted down a few tips and suggestions:

- Understand your new market. Unlike traditional press releases, a web 2.0 press release has the capacity to reach millions of people through search engines and RSS readers. Before you write, think carefully about your target market, and use phrases that will resonate with them.

- Use a distribution service to publish your release. Of course, simply writing a brilliant press release isn’t going to increase sales. Once it’s written, take some time to distribute your release through established distribution channels. As a first point of reference you might like to consider sites such as businesswire.com or marketwire.com.

- Include links. Make sure you give your readers plenty of opportunities to link back to your site. A good press release will provide only a brief outline of newsworthy issues, and readers will expect links to a site where they can get more detailed information.

- Emphasize key words. Think like your target market and be sure to use the same keywords that they use when they are searching for information.

- Remember, good content inspires action. Make sure you release quality content and back it up with strong copy on your own site. Your readers won’t be fooled by fluffy content; they’re looking for substance – be sure to give it to them!

If you need help with a web 2.0 press release, visit Affect Media Copywriting and Communications Consultancy

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Tags: pr, press, press release, media, news

Are you doing your first in-studio TV interview? Are you coaching a client to do one? Here are 12 keys to making the appearance a success.

I presume of course that you have already done your preparation. You’ve become familiar with the program you’ll be on. You’ve prepared memorable messages that the audience will find interesting. You have a clear idea what your objective is in doing the interview.

Following these tips will enable you (or your client) to feel confident and in control of the situation from the moment you leave your home or office until you return. Having that confidence will help you stay focused on interacting with the interviewer to get your message across to the audience.

1. Find out from the station when you should arrive at the studio. Then give yourself an additional 15 to 30 minutes. You want to have plenty of time to use the restroom, have make up applied, get settled in the green room (the room where guests wait until it is time for their interview), and observe part of the program.
2. From the moment your leave for the studio until you return home, assume everything you say is being taped. I’m not trying to make you paranoid. Well, actually I am! In a world of video cell phones, everything you say could become public. So when you’re not actually in the interview, only say things you would be happy to hear on the air.
3. Wear summer or all-season weight clothes. Even though it may be snowing outside, inside under the lights will be plenty warm enough.
4. Shortly before going on, check you appearance. Otherwise, an off-center necktie, or a loose strand of hair shining in the light, may be more memorable than what you say.
5. Use your time in the green room for one more review of your messages, then relax. Shortly before your segment, do face exercises to loosen up your jaw, cheeks, and forehead. Smile!
6. Once you are on the set and “miked,” you’ll be asked for a sound check. Rather than replying with the usual “testing, one, two, three,” try this: Give your name, your organization, and something interesting about the topic you will be discussing. For example, if I were doing an interview about public speaking, I might say, “This is Lou Hampton of Speak to Lead dot com here with the answer to one of the most frequent questions speakers ask, ‘What do I do with my hands?’”
7. When you are being welcomed to the show, keep your eyes on the host, unless you have been instructed to look at a specific camera. Smile; lighten up the face by raising the cheeks and forehead. Once the interview begins, keep your focus on the interviewer throughout the interview. If there is more than one person, keep your eyes on whoever is talking. The “illusion” of TV is that the viewers are eavesdropping on a private conversation.
8. Start your first answer with the interviewer’s first name.
9. Be enthusiastic about your topic! Don’t expect viewers to be excited if you aren’t.
10. When the segment is over, stay seated and keep focused on the host until you’re told it’s okay to get up.
11. Thank the appropriate folks, gather whatever you left in the green room, and exit the studio.
12. On the ride back think about what went well. Then think about anything you might do differently the next time you’re interviewed.

And now to keep you focused, I invite you to claim your Free Instant Access 400-year-old tool I’ve adapted to help you stay on message by visiting this site

From – Lou Hampton, The QuoteAbility(tm) Coach and Speak to Lead.com

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Tags: interviews, media, media relations, tv, press

Knowing how to write a press release gives you a boost ahead of other entrepreneurs. A successful press release generates enough interest in the media, whether offline or online, to write about your company. That means increased visibility with potential customers. While publicity may not lead directly to increased sales it does lead to the increased probability of sales. Here are 3 tips on how to write a press release.

1. Keep your approach newsworthy. How many times have you seen a headline that says “Big Company Announces the Release of New Product”? Probably many times, however that headline doesn’t snag the attention of anyone. It’s boring. The purpose of the headline is to entice the news media to actually read the release. If you can tie your release to current events so much the better, the odds will increase it will get read.

Stress the benefits of your product or company, rather than the attributes. If your new system runs 50% faster than competing systems a reader may not be interested, but if you tell them they can accomplish twice as much in half the time that may perk up their ears.

Look at the release from the point of view of the media and their readers, not from your point of view as to how publicity can benefit your company.

2. Pack all the important information in the first paragraph of the release. That may sound counter intuitive, but sometimes only the first paragraph is read before the decision is made whether there is media interest. Answer the questions of who, what, why, where and when. Expand on the answers more fully later on in the release.

3. Keep the release to one page which is about 350 words. The release isn’t supposed to tell the entire story for your company but to get the media to be interested enough to call and write a story. And don’t send the release as an attachment. These days most attachments are deleted unread, even if labeled “press release.” Don’t link to the release as a pdf file. Reporters have short attention spans. If they have to take the extra step of following a link, they may just go on to the next release in the pile.

Follow these three tips when learning how to write a press release and your releases will be more effective in generating media coverage for you, your company, and products.

Get Your FREE report How to Unleash the Write Press Releases Tips, tricks, and techniques to get your company the publicity it needs for success. Dee Power is the co-author of several nonfiction books including “The Publishing Primer: A Blueprint for an Author’s Success,” “58 Ways to Find Money for Your Business, “Inside Secrets to Venture Capital” and “Attracting Capital From Angels.” More Internet marketing tips.

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Tags: public, relation, press, release, strategy

If you want to drive targeted traffic to your website you can create a press release that can send massive traffic. Before your Press Release (PR) can be circulated to your target market, it needs to pass the approval of editors, which means that your press release should be structured so it appears to be newsworthy, rather than a blatant advertisement. he key then is to find a way to promote your product or service and its benefits rather than blatantly sell as you would in a sales letter on your website.

Traditionally, a well-structured PR should not consist of more than a single page as the aim is focus the readers attention in a short read rather than a long description. It will be a good idea to go online and find examples that you can copy to ensure the very best result. Ensure that you address the fundamental aspect of what people are looking for (how it benefits them) will outperform any other kind, so keep it trimmed, comprehensive and highly targeted so that it communicates directly with your customer base.

Here is the basic anatomy of a successful press release:

The introductory part typically includes the words: “For immediate release” and should include a specific date as to when publication is expected. You could use the “For Release Before…” date or “For Release After…” date. Most people use the “For immediate release” option. Headline:

This will be the most important part, so plan to spend a great deal of time on it. You want to grab the reader instantly with it, so they’ll be interested in reading the rest of the release. Try to focus on incorporating power, action driven words within your headline, such as:

· Announcing!

· Secret

· Free

· Discover

· Strategies

· Success

· Shocking

By using emotionally driven words you will engage the reader much more encouraging them to read your press release and check out your website. Emotional words are words that sell so remember that people buy with their emotions first so engaging their wants rather than their needs is an effective strategy in writing a press release as well as delivering the facts of the product or service. Summary: The summary simply offers a snippet of what your PR is all about. It’s like taking your entire press release and describing it in four sentences or less. It should work in a similar way that your title does, in terms of catching their attention and luring them in, so keep it direct and strong. One way to ensure the strength is to read it out aloud and see if you have written to the point summerising succinctly.

Content/Body: The body content of your serves as the information lifeline that provides all of the information needed for your reader to clearly understand your message. Make sure that you cover all the relevant points that need to be covered in the article. The thing to remember is that your press release should be designed in a similar format as a journalistic style news story, so that the most important element is featured first. The reason for this is that you’ve pulled in your readers with the headline, and now you need to keep them there, so they’ll read through the rest of it or read the most important facts before moving on. Imagine that each paragraph leads them onto the next so that you take them on a focused journey into your product or service. The last couple of paragraphs within the body should tie everything together. It reminds your readers about the point of the press release itself, bringing your message to a logical conclusion. At the end of your press release, you want to signify that’s there no more. It would look like this:
###

Resources:

Creation Services: pressequalizer.com pressedge.com/

Writers: custompressrelease.com prnine.com Press-Release-Writing.com contentdone.com contentcustoms.com Distribution Channels: PRWeb.com

URLWire.com PRNewsWire.com Free-Press-Release.com

David Marshall is an Internet Marketer who has been online creating businesses since 2001. David owns and manages 117 different businesses in a number of niches specialising in the internet marketing and Forex niche markets.

David also teaches others to create a business online specialising in providing practical and up to date techniques that ensure the success of his students.

Please visit his latest site that will help anyone create guaranteed website traffic using the latest techniques check this Site.

Get your free internet marketing CD from this Site.

David is based in Hertfordshire, England where he lives with his partner and 5 children

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Tags: press, release, traffic, power, website

One big mistake you can make in Internet Marketing is to try to engage in too many activities concurrently. This can strain your resources and/or make you lose focus very quickly.

You will get more value for your marketing when you master activities one at a time. Also, while there is no written rule as to which techniques you should learn first, you don’t want to get into certain techniques until you have some skin in the game.

You can get some skin on the game of driving traffic to your website by using Press Releases; they are easy to write and master.

Whenever you have a new product, service, event, or occasion to promote, you want to put out a Press Release. Web traffic Press Releases are much like normal Press Releases except you want to optimize them for search engines by spicing them with keywords relevant to your product or service. Equally important, you should have links in your Press Release that take people back to your website. In your Press Release, don’t go on about who you are or how great your company is. Nobody cares. You want to identify a big problem that many of your potential visitors have, and then pitch your new product or service as the solution to this problem. PRWeb is one of the best Press Release services.

Press Releases are very good tactical tools for blasting your news all over the web and getting you ranked in search engine results. However, a Press Release does not establish you as an expert in your niche, which can win you regular and dedicated visitors. This is where Article Marketing comes in. Furthermore, a Press Release does not necessarily put you right in front of people who are already looking for you. One of the most effective tools for that is Pay-per-click (PPC) Advertising.

Capitalizing on his copywriting skills, Gbenga Alaran founded the web strategy and marketing firm Aran Meta Investments (AMI) to help new and established small business owners strategically develop their web presence. Visit the AMI blog to get more intelligence for driving traffic to your website.

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Tags: pr, online, traffic, press, release

Press releases (you can also call them news releases) are a great tool for getting media coverage–my favorite kind of free publicity–and they should be part of every PR strategy. The majority of press releases go straight into the recycle bin–or simply get lost in the deluge of press materials. And some of the reason is that an amazing number of news releases break some of the basic rules.

So be a successful media contact and get the free publicity. Set your news releases apart from the crowd–do it right! That, along with proper follow up, will boost your odds significantly.

The crucial part is not so much in the structure of the release, but in the ingredients. Just as when you bake a cake, it needs flour, eggs, flavoring agents, and sweetener–but you can assemble them in thousands of different permutations within that basic “cake structure”

So here’s what you should have in your computer cupboard when sending a press release to try to get mentioned in newspaper and magazine articles, or to get free airtime on the radio:

- A news hook–something to pin the story on that makes people want to read past the first couple of lines. You are competing with a huge number of inputs so yours has to be memorable. Otherwise–you get skipped over and someone else gets the free publicity.

- An understanding of who’s reading the news release and what they’re looking for, i.e., one size definitely does *not* fit all. This is why I always ask my press release clients who will be reading it. Some audiences want something sexy or overdramatic, others want just the facts, others want a local or niche angle.

- The right list to send it to, preferably with individual editors’/reporters’ names, recently verified, who write the kinds of newspaper and magazine articles you’re aiming at in your free publicity campaign.

- Full contact info! The best release in the world is useless if the reporter doesn’t have the tools to follow up. Likewise, complete info about the product or event (including ordering information, if appropriate)

- A format that’s accessible to the news media. This means good writing. Ideally, you’ll see your exact words in print, in newspaper and magazine articles. It also means using only one side of the page, making it easy to read, and making sure it’s addressed to the right department (at the right fax number or e-mail address).

Other things are nice to have, but not essential: some sort of third-party validation, for example, or quotes from the principal person involved, or a summary.

Eventually, it becomes second nature. I can knock off an easy release (say, for a community happening) in about 20 minutes, and the papers will pick it up. For a project with a national audience and significantly more research involved, it still usually only takes me one to two hours.

Marketing consultant/copywriter Shel Horowitz is founder of the international Business Ethics Pledge campaign and author of seven books including the Apex Award winner Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First.

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One good thing is that media outlets are scramming for news stories to capture and keep their audiences. What this means is that right now is an excellent opportunity to receive some free publicity and almost everyone could use a freebie in this economy.

So just how do you impress the media today? Well, one thing for sure you better not be wasting their time. Virtually, every media outlet from television, radio, magazines, even blogs etc. are operating with fewer staff. They still have the same deadlines and massive work to do, but without as much help.

Your pitch has to be of relevance and importance. If not you will surely find yourself on a blackball list and believe me these days it will take even more than a phone call from President Obama to get you off.

There are some reasonable measurements to take to remain newsworthy. Following these steps will help to stay on the media’s good side and off the blackball list.

1. Reality Check – Are you aware of what is going on in the news? Seriously, have you done a self reality check to make sure that you are up to date on the latest news happenings? You can’t make the news if you don’t understand what is going on surrounding the news. Trust me most reporters and producers know when you are out of check with reality.

2. Win-Win Match – In order to receive free publicity from a media outlet you need to offer win-win match solutions to cover news about you. Pitching a storyline that does not match a media outlet’s target audience is the fastest way to land on a blackball list. Also make sure that you are pitching reporters who cover news related to your pitch. Reporters don’t pass on news to other reporters because it fits their category better; they simply toss your bad pitch.

3. Create News – There are so many social media resources to create news buzz. Try starting a company blog, put some videos on YouTube, or connect with others on Stumbleupon or Twitter.

4. Promote News – Most story ideas in the media are created from a press release. Make sure that you actively promote news to attract the media to cover stories on you.

5. Monitor News – Staying on the pulse of rising news stories is an entry to pitch and promote news to receive coverage. When it comes to breaking news stories the media always seek topics on related subjects to add to the story.

Remember the media runs on news and you have to stay newsworthy to be of benefit. Keep pitching!

Receive FREE Public Relations Tips.

“CR” Cataunya Ransom is the Co-founder of Mosnar Communications, INC. She developed a niche for Luxury PR & Global Marketing. Guiding clients on how to brand, market, and promote luxury products, events, and services. Feel free to visit this site

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Press releases are an easy-to-use tool to attract media attention for your business and changes or events you are having. They should not be considered advertising and they should be used sparingly and appropriately. You want to attract reporters from local or national media and sending out advertisement style press releases won’t work. They have a purpose and that is to entice reporters with a possible story.

Press releases should make your business story clear and should express what is newsworthy about your event or change within your business. The format is pretty straightforward and there are plenty of templates online. They should be written in third person and have all of your contact information including your name, where your business is located (city and state), your phone numbers and email addresses. They are not difficult to write, but do use proper formatting if you want to get noticed.

If you are a business owner who rose up out of poverty to create a viable business, that is a news story. If you have sold a portion of your business to a Fortune 500 company, that is a news story. If you hire only after school high school employees to help you, that is a news story. If you have started a business that has a really strong niche market, that can be a news story. The fact that you have a business that sells widgets for a low cost is NOT a news story. Find an angle in order to entice reporters to write about you.

If you consider yourself less than a good writer, you can outsource the work to a freelance copywriter. They are easy to find on freelance employment sites like Odesk or Elance. For a standard one page press release, you can expect to pay $5-$15. Don’t skimp! You should review writing samples the writer has done in the past. But, if you write at the executive level, you can easily write your own using templates you found online.

Write a press release that is full of detail, but not marketing, sales or industry talk. Write it in common, news style language and be sure the story is obvious to the reader and reporter. Don’t get bogged down in your personal industry jargon. Write it like you’ve never heard of your business before.

Submit your press releases online. There are a variety of services that will deliver your item. Some are paid sites but there are many free site as well. Do a Google or Yahoo search for press release services and register with each of them. There are restrictions for free submissions and each site has particular requirements so review those before submitting.

Using press releases effectively can brand you as an expert in your field. Don’t throw them out for everything you do. Use them judiciously and look for the stories within your business. Once you learn to develop this eye, you build credibility with reporters. Media attention is free marketing so try sending out some and see what kind of interest you generate.

Steve Schlagel is a CPA, CVA, CFP and attorney with over 30 years experience providing small business owners coaching, training and consulting services. Steve understands business, wealth creation, and building successful and valuable enterprises. Visit this site for more articles or to learn more about his services.

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Tags: map, basic, press, press release, news

For a long time I have wanted to share my idea of a present-day IT-journalist. Here are three generalized images of today’s typical characters from Germany, the USA and Russia. Please read between the lines, and you will see that the images are quite typical.

Let’s begin with Germany. It is really pleasant to deal with German editors: the employees are polite and professional. If the person you need is absent at the moment, you will be asked to call again at a given time (e.g. Friday, 11 o’clock) or they can even call back themselves no matter where you live. Well then, here is the first image.

Friedrich Hoffmann[*]
Munich, Germany
33 y.o.
Ziff Davis Online Publishing, Internet Professionell, PC Professionell, PC Welt
“I am a wiper by profession!”

Friedrich Hoffmann avoids talking about himself without reference to his work by all available means. In his opinion, what is private should remain private. But he shared his tales about his professional activity and his thoughts about IT-journalism of today with pleasure.

What kind of education do you have?

I graduated from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. My major was “Journalism”, and my minor was “Political Science, Sociology and History of Arts”. But I did not start working at once, as I had to take two years’ break in order to do non-military service in a Hamburg orphan asylum.

And what happened afterwards? Weren’t you disappointed with your profession after a long break and a change of occupation?

Of course, there were a lot of various thoughts in my young head, but I have always felt that it is my vocation to work with the word. I was 23 when I began to look for a job consciously and, as a result, started my career. I was employed as a PR specialist by a company, which dealt with developing b2c and b2b program solutions for financial management. That experience was really valuable. I got a lot of new knowledge about software market, the current state of the World Wide Web and its business potential. I became more and more concerned by the problems of IT branch. I promoted the products of that company till 2005, and I naturally made some contacts with targeted magazines and main news portals.

Therefore, you were invited to join editorial staff?

Not exactly. I am not officially employed. Along with my main job, I became a freelance writer: I wrote articles that were bought by some magazines quite willingly. Soon I began to get orders from magazines, and I decided to quit my job and to commit myself to journalism.

What are your articles about?

About various things – networks, network security, web-design, Internet-marketing, freeware. But the core of my interest is still the social aspects of the Internet: social services, web 2.0 etc. By the way, in 1996, when still going to college, I had written the first German articles dedicated to flirtation, acquaintance and love online long before they became a part of our life.

I know that you also write books. How do you manage to find time for that?

I guess it cannot be helped. Every journalist writes books, as everybody gathers unique experience in the course of his life, not excepting you or me. And everybody needs to share this experience, but a journalist feels this need stronger than anybody else. I satisfy this need with writing books. One of my books on marketing has already been translated to four languages and is successfully sold in Europe. It means that my experience is instructive for somebody!

What can you say about the present-day IT journalism? You must reflect on your profession a lot.

I am a wiper by profession! Everybody is surprised to hear it, but I am going to explain myself. It is commonly considered, that only a “pro”, which has worked in a technical department of an IT company for several years, can work as an IT journalist. So, if you read any IT article, it will be either boring or difficult to understand unless the subject is directly connected to your work. There is too much dust in IT journalism, and somebody needs to wipe it away. That is what I deal with. And, judging by my readers’ comments, I seem to be quite a good contemporary wiper, which wipes the dust properly.

The US. American journalists differ a lot from their German colleagues. First, magazines’ sites contain a great amount of information, which is often irrelevant and difficult to sort out. When you make a call to editorial office, most likely you will hear a cushioned female voice of the answering system, which will make you play a quest game named “If you would like to… then push…” When you eventually manage to talk to somebody, you will be asked to write to the editor’s e-mail, which has been inactive for a long time (as you will tell them later). Though, it must be an “entrance threshold”… and, due to this, overcoming this mental barrier will seem even more rewarding. And here is the second portrait.

Kevin Gordon
California, the US
45 y.o.
Computer Shopper, Computer Power User, The Washington Post, New York’s Computer Click
“I am most likely to be a musician.”

Kevin, please tell us about your job. How did you become an IT journalist?

With pleasure! I live in California, in a small town named Humboldt City, together with my daughter and my wife. Besides, we have plenty of companions: a parakeet, two lizards, a cat and a dog. Our house is not big, but we have managed to transform the basement into a studio: you know that I am keen on music! I adore drums and all percussion instruments. I am a member of a music band and compose music for computer games.

Amazing! And, in addition, as a journalist, you have one of the most hectic professions! How do you cope with everything?

I have excellent leadership qualities and some work experience in a computer company. I got employed as a technical support service manager while still studying at college, proved to be a good employee and became the head of copyrighting department after graduation. In that software company I got deep technical knowledge, and now I possess qualifications, which are virtually exceptional for an IT journalist.

And what kind of education do you have? What college did you graduate from?

My work is not actually connected with my education. As I have already said, I got my technical knowledge in an IT company, not at college. I took bachelor’s degree in a college of journalism, and later I became Master of Psychology in another university.

Where can we find the examples of your articles? I could not find them on your web site.

What for should they be there? It would merely provoke copyright violation. I give examples only in private correspondence. The site contains only the most important information: the topics (databases, office technologies and flow of documents, various solutions for business and networks) and the types of my articles. And if you are too lazy to write, use Google then.

Where do you find yourself? What is your vocation – a journalist, an IT person or a musician?

I am most likely to be a musician. I try to spend every free minute in my studio. But journalism is music, too, so to say – it is the music of words, and you should play it in such a way that those you write for would hear it and listen it up to the end.

But why do you write about software and high technologies? Why not about music or psychology?

Because I find it very interesting. >B> <=5 MB> >G5=L 8=B5@5A=>. In general, all my knowledge, experience and hobbies help me in writing about IT. I have already mentioned music; and psychology helps me understand my readers. I am good at writing for a common user. Look, what Rob Winfried, the former technical editor of a major publishing house, wrote about me: “Kevin’s main advantage lies not in his technical knowledge, but in his ability to understand the level of his readers’ technical knowledge and to write his articles according to this level. There are too many technical writers around us, and very few of them can transform the IT world into several paragraphs, which will take the reader away to an amazing journey…”

Russia.

It should be noted, that today’s Russian IT journalists are quite adequate, civilized and intelligent. They are analysts, who literately express their expert opinion on market problems. They are vivid personalities, who actually create public opinion and influence it greatly but skillfully, aware of the scope of responsibility.

As for editors, the situation is not so ideal, as in Germany. When talking to a secretary, who is willing to share her frustration, you feel like you are talking at least to the God. But it refers not so much to journalism, as to the service standards in Russia.

Now, meet our third character.

Gennady Abuzov
35 y.o.
Moscow, Russia
“For many people “freelancer” means the same as “unemployed”, but for me it is the new level of a man’s professional actualization.”

How did you engage in journalism? Why was it IT journalism?

I deal with analytics, because I consider it an intellectual and rewarding work. That is why I have something to say, and that is why I am a journalist. Analytics is a field where one can approve oneself, apply the stored knowledge and, in addition to this, develop further.

What would you like to come to?

To my own business. I am a manager by education and deep in my heart. IT market is greatly dynamic and bears a powerful business-charge, so it attracts me by all means.

Do you work as a freelancer?

I do, but in the sense of being able to control my working hours as I see proper. I am an independent artist, so to say. I do not take orders. In general, our society has a strange attitude to this word, as for many people “freelancer” means the same as “unemployed”, but for me it is the new level of a man’s professional actualization, no matter what is his profession – a manager, a writer, a translator or a toast-master. When somebody can organize himself and his time in such a way, when he chooses himself what to do and bears full responsibility for his choice, such a person would manage with any duties in any staff, even if he does not appear at the office.

As a conclusion, I would say that it is difficult to overestimate the role of a journalist in the present-day consumer society. Without those who can speak, those who should hear would never hear anything. The communication with them is getting harder, as more and more people try to use mass media for the purpose of their business. Journalists are humans above all, no matter what country or field they work in. Never forget about it. Take into account and respect your interlocutor’s peculiarities, and you will be treated likewise.

[*] All the names are fictitious, any coincidences are accidental.

Eugenia Kolobukhova, Director at SoftPressRelease

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Eugenia Kolobukhova – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: it, journalism, pr, public relations, press

Writing online press releases is an art. The basic rules of press release writing still apply, yet there is the subtle craft of web writing, SEO optimisation and structure that need to be captured in the online form.

Let’s remind ourselves of the basics. Start global and in subsequent paragraphs move into the specific. A strong headline that grabs the eye and draws interest enough for the reader to continue is a must have. The first paragraph should support the headline, explain it, and outline the entire story. It must paint the ‘big picture’. The structure of the entire release, which is usually no longer than 250 words (perhaps 350 for mainly trade or technical press), should then have a natural flow. A beginning, middle and and ending to some extent and certainly explain the why, what and how of the story.

The subsequent 5 or 6 paragraphs should go increasingly into the specific detail of the story and include any supporting information. The less interesting or supporting detail should be left until the end, but interspersed to help bring the story to life the people involved in the story can be quoted to help tell it. The standard tools of editors notes, contacts, supporting information should all be used at the end of the piece, and clearly indicated as such.

Now we come on to the basic rules of web writing. It has to help the eye: readers’ attention spans are shorter on the web (and in general these days), and it is also more difficult for the eye to read on a screen. So remember the following:

• Chunky – keep the paragraphs chunky, short and never long. Help the eye flow through the piece and break it up with headers and images for longer pieces
• Relevant – know your target audience inside out, picture them (him or her) as you write the release, and use words that talk his language. Make sure that you keep the content, images, timing all relevant for the target audience. It may be that the first para or two need to be tailored or adapted for a different target audience and this is all you need to make it relevant
• Accurate – digital communication can encourage sloppiness, SMS is a case in hand. But if you spend time and effort making sure your writing is grammatically and factually correct, with no spelling errors, you will be more successful, credible and believable in what you write
• Brief – anything you write for PR, and especially for the web, has more impact with fewer words. Write your release. Then re-read and edit, re-read and edit, re-read and edit … and then cut out another 10 per cent of words. Then you’ll have perfection!
• Scannable – does the copy scan well? Do it draw the eye down and catch and keep attention. Can someone scan it quickly and get the gist of the story in one scan? Make sure the answer is yes to all these questions.

And now for the grand finale of online release writing. Both the headline and the copy, particularly the first few paragraphs of the body, need to be keyword rich. This copy needs to include a mix of keyword phrases that people use to search for information on the web. To achieve this you will need an insight into what words and phrases searchers use to find information on the web. Optimised news will attract more journalists and customers alike. And research consistently shows that these readers use the web as their preferred medium for finding out news about your clients products and services.

Links are also critical, both to provide helpful insight, information and additional support for your readers and to help with SEO so that your news is easier to find. Internal and external links are equally as important. As are inbound links from external websites. And this is certainly one reason why having your online media centre on an independent domain – i.e. not a subdomain of your main site – helps with your SEO. So make use of the online release distribution sources such as PR Wire, cisionwire, Response Source etc.

Tags are important considerations but you should only aim for around four per release and they need to be directly relevant to that release, and not a blanket ‘brand name’ repetition. And don’t forget the RSS feed – your releases will need to have their own unique feed if you really want to give journalists the edge in finding your news quickly. They can subscribe to your feeds via email download, browsers or burn them into their feedreaders to have your news pushed into their inboxes as soon as you issue it. There’s more to writing press releases in the digital age than meets the eye, and its time for PROs to get web savvy.

Listen to Changeworks’ podcast to find out more.

Sue Tupling
Director

Changeworks Communications Ltd

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1. Write your header. The very top of the page should be your company’s logo or, at the very least, the name of your company. The right hand side should state “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,” all in caps. The left hand side should indicate a contact’s name, address, email and phone number.

2. Write your title in all capital letters. Then, write your subtitle in initial caps. Resist your urge to sell in your titles. A reporter isn’t looking to help you get business. Frame your release in a newsworthy fashion. For example, if your product solves a specific problem, use that viewpoint when you write your title.

3. Write your lead. This is the area that journalists skim when they decide whether or not to keep on reading. It sets up the rest of the release, but should be able to stand alone. The lead should be purely fact-based. This isn’t the place to hype a website or product. Instead, develop your framework using the facts of your story.

4. Write the body. Here is where you can introduce your store, pull people into your new forum or talk about your new product. However, you still must keep your newsy framework in mind and work that end of your story too.

5. Write your boilerplate. This is a standard small paragraph about your business. You should be able to use it over and over again on other releases. After the boilerplate section, use 3 of the numeral symbols to indicate the end of the release [ "###" ].

6. Email your release. You can either use your own email list, or you can hire a company to send it for you such as PR Newswire or PressDr.com. PR Newswire will send it out online, but PressDr.com will email directly to editors. It’s up to you which one you choose.

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Tags: pr, press release, press, news, coverage, email

1. Identify your angle, and it better be newsworthy. Starting a new website is not a newsworthy angle unless you are someone special, or the website is something incredibly special. Try to link in your website launch with something that’s happening within your niche, as this is likely to see your press release given much more attention than a typical ‘new product’ mail shot. If you can’t find a newsworthy angle, consult a professional. A press release that has no news is worthless.

2. Make it sound like news, not an advert. Ever wonder what journalists do for most of their day? Well, they sift through advertising in the form of press releases trying to sort out the garbage from the news. Don’t add your press release to this pile of trash. Start thinking as if you are the reporter. Is your press release full of jargon or phrases such as “ground-breaking new product”? If it is, throw it in the bin now, because that’s exactly what the journalist will be doing with it.

3. Proor fead. Er, I mean, proof read. Review your press release and then review it again. Then, get someone else to read it over if possible. Eliminate bad grammar and spelling mistakes. If you can’t do this, you are not serious about the news you are trying to gain coverage for. If you don’t come across as serious and professional, why should any journalist publish anything you send them? Trust is essential. They, their editor, and their employer are extremely liable for wrongly reported facts, and if they have no trust in your ability to be professional, they are likely to question whether what you have written is even factual.

4. Don’t send your press release to every journalist within 100 miles. This is a very simple point. You need to target who you are sending your press release to. A sports journalist is not interested in your business story and he is too busy to have any interest in passing it on. Make sure your press release is getting to the correct person not simply a person.

5. Get your quotes worthy of a place in your press release. Please, please, please. Avoid quotes such as “Bloggs has demonstrated a willingness to innovate when the economic climate allows us to develop our distinctive product range further,” said Joe Bloggs, junior vice-president Bloggs product development. Do an interview and pick a good, powerful quote that will draw readers if the journalist decides to use it.

If all else fails, hire a professional.
We are a team of journalists who, between us, have over 100 years experience of writing award-winning content for national media and international business. Together, we form the team of professional business writers that make up, Visit this Site.

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Press releases have been in existence for over 100 years now and it’s amazing to think about the revolutionary changes in communication that have taken place over that time. In the Western economies the use of telephones is ubiquitous, while faxes and emails play a daily role in the life of the average business.

Some press releases are still printed off, placed in envelopes and then put into mail boxes to be hand delivered by the postman – but not many that’s for sure. Most are either faxed or emailed through. Increasingly, publicists are also placing news releases onto specialist websites that then distribute them via their own channels including even the microblogging platform Twitter.

There are still many full-time employed journalists writing for regional and national newspapers as well as trade and niche journals, but their numbers are dwindling year-on-year. The era of “dead trees” journalism will never end – there will always be printed publications; but at the moment it is certainly taking a battering from the new media on the World Wide Web.

Blogging, also called citizen journalism, has become a phenomenal success and is widely undertaken by thousands if not millions of writers. Clearly, it would be a huge boon for your business or website if you can effectively reach this mass of online writers as they don’t just reflect public opinion, but help shape it to.

There are a number of free press release sites in existence and to get the best out of submitting an item to these services it is best to take note of some guidelines.

The first part of any press release is, of course, the title. Here you need to make sure it is factual and to the point and preferably add your keyword(s) if you can. For those not familiar with keywords, these are what you expect people to use in search engines. For instance, if you have a shoe shop website you’ll be aware that “shoe shop uk” and “shoe shop com” are common terms used by the public to find information.

The actual style of the title must be dull and factual – “Google prefers this boring headline on Tuesday November 29, 2009″. Don’t create abstract headlines because you think it will stand out from the crowd. It won’t. People are looking for facts. Try these formats:

[Product] will be launched by [company name] on [date]

On [date] [company name] will launch the new [product] to [short description of product in a few words]

The headline is the most important part of an online press release because that is often all the reader will see as they scan down a page. If you can suck a reader into your item just through the headline alone then you have jumped the first hurdle.

The second most important part of an online press release is the summary. Usually no more than 300 characters this should repeat the information as laid out in the title but padded out with more detail.

After the title the summary is the next item that the reader will see and often as part of a long list of other press release titles and summaries all vying for attention. The main body of text itself shouldn’t be no more than three or four paragraphs simply because 79 percent of internet users scan rather than read the content on a page. So the less text the better. Keep all information to the minimum.

Finally, always add contact information which mainly means a contact name, email, website and phone number but also a postal address too. People tend to fell more comfortable with an actual postal address instead of just email details.

So hopefully this will give you a starting point to think about how to layout a press release for the free press release distribution sites on the World Wide Web.

You may not necessary write the perfect press release the first time at trying if you are new to the publicity game, but once you’ve written a few you’ll find that the correct formula is straight forward and you’ll be sending them here, there and everywhere for every event and news story.

Mark Woodham is an editor at free press release distribution site Press Release 001

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Tags: press, release, relation, online

If you are opening a dollar store you’ll soon discover the positive impact that continually creating appropriate press releases for your dollar store can have on the business. However it is important for you to only create and submit press releases for significant events. It is also important that all press releases be created in a way to maximize the number of readers. You’ll soon discover the greater the number of people who are reading about your store the greater the number of people who will actually come into your store. In this article we will focus on how to create press releases for your business.

If you are opening a dollar store – that would be the first topic to cover in a press release. Start by writing a compelling headline. Notice the word; compelling. You must create a headline that will attract attention. It must be persuasive and gripping. After all, the goal of the headline is to motivate readers to read further. And of course reading further means they will discover some important news about your dollar store business.

With the headline created, you are ready to move on to the body of the press release. Take a few minutes to outline the key messages you want to convey about your dollar store. Include information about the size of the store, the products you sell, something about you, and other important information you’d like to share. Then start writing the details about each of those key messages.

Remember to make the first topic covered in the press release the most important. This topic needs to be the primary reason you are communicating. Each successive item covered should be important, but of lower importance than the item listed above. Information to include should answer questions of ‘who, what, where, when, how’ about the topic of the press release. Stay on-point, never adding in non-value-added details.

When opening a dollar store it is important develop the habit of writing press releases whenever there is an appropriate topic to share. Don’t allow these opportunities to communicate about your dollar store to pass without creating a quality press release. However be sure you are following the simple process covered in this article. You’ll write attention-grabbing press releases that will be read. More important; you find new shoppers walking through the doors of your store because of the press releases you write and submit.

To your dollar store success!

Find out how you can open your own dollar store business.

Bob Hamilton is an entrepreneur, author, writer, business consultant and trainer.

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Tag: write, press release, press, news, coverage

An Online Press Release Can Generate Traffic to Your Website

Lately, there seems to be a huge amount of confusion about press releases within the business community. Unfortunately, not too many businesses are taking advantage of the power of the internet when it comes to public relations. Today, it is much easier and more cost effective to spread the word around about the release of a new product, service or a startup business than ever before. The Internet has introduced the power of global media within reach of even the most frugal entrepreneur operating on a limited budget. One of the easiest ways to take full advantage of free public relations is with a well developed, intelligent and focused press release distributed over the web. Let’s take a look at a few of benefits of distributing a press release online for your company:

1) Receive FREE Publicity! Easy.

2) It creates Interest. When written the right way, press releases are considered to be more unbiased and authoritative by the majority of readers. This lends credibility to your message and leads to more conversions for your business. It is crucial that your press releases have a newsworthy event or announcement so that they are not perceived as a sales pitch. This can lead to distrust in your readers psyche.

3) People are more likely to read an interesting article then long sales copy.

4) Its FREE. There are many websites that allow you to post your press release absolutely free. One free site that I have used is called PrLog.com The main reason why I like PrLog is because it is free and it also allows you to include a bio about yourself and even your company including a link to your website. Keep in mind that many press release websites have editorial guidelines that will not allow a press release reads like a sales copy or even spam.

5) Google. Press release websites like PrLog.com will get your press organically indexed by the Google and Yahoo search engines very fast. As a result, more people will read your press release and click through to your website.

Hubert C. Marshall is a SEO expert who helps businesses make money online by using Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing. Find out how to make more money online using his Florida SEO company, Beachstar, Inc.

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Tags: PR, business, press, release

One of the best and most basic forms of getting publicity for your business is through a press release. This is usually a short summary of your business or an event related to your business that has, or will soon occur. These stories are then sent to newspapers, magazines, and trade publications.

The first thing to do is determine how you will get the publications you have sent your press releases to, to publish them. The best way to do this is by knowing what they are looking for, and writing it properly.

Start by sending a cover letter to the people you would like to consider your story for publication. Do your research to make sure you send it to the person who has the final say over what is published.

The cover letter should be in the form of a short note, printed on good quality paper. Start with the date on the top, and then write a few details about the attached material. Specify that the information is new, and would interest the readers. Include a brief summary of your story, and give an example of the information you wish to share. End with your name and address.

You are now ready to write your release. Start by writing the words “Press Release” across the top. Then include the phrase “For More Information” and add your name, phone number and address.

Decide on a story headline, and after writing it, write For Immediate Release. Now you fill in your story. It should be about half a page long.

Pay attention to the headline. Make sure it grabs attention and directs the reader on to the body of the story. It should be appealing, and hint at essential information that they simply must have.

The story itself should be short and have all the information the reader now expects. Describe why your product is superior, less costly, more valuable, etc. Lay out all the major benefits the reader will get from the purchase of your product. It’s always a good idea to give free samples of your product or service, and don’t forget your phone number. If the publisher has any questions, it’s important he be able to reach you.

So now you are ready to send your release to the proper sources. Check to make sure your spelling is correct. Do your homework and send to publications that have a history of printing similar releases and stories.

Once your release is accepted, send a thank you card to the editor. This is not only good manners, but it helps create contacts that can be valuable in the future.

Now you have a great, free tool to help get you the customers you need!!

Marcie Tirado

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Marcie Tirado – EzineArticles Expert Author

Tags: press release, press, publicity, pr, business

Press conferences have a purpose. You gather together press to make an announcement or give them information that will fuel their writing or talking about you in their media. You want bloggers to blog about your, the public to give you information, TV people to talk about your, radio people to report about you, and newspapers and magazines to write articles about you. In extreme cases, you want the kidnappers to give your loved one back. You have to give some information or facts, and then everyone can take it from there.

People may ask questions that you have to deal with or you can say sorry, no questions at the end and walk away. It’s like a buffet, you put it out there, and people take what they need or want and leave. You cannot control what is written about you. You can greatly influence what is written by how you handle the Press conference. Always remember, YOU are the one invited people to the party, so it better be good.

Here a few bad examples: Sarah Palin (you knew I would go there): First of all, get a sitter for your children. The beginning of her press conference, you have to try and hear over her child. Holidays are a great time to get a story out because most media staff is out. She gives the history of Alaska, talks about Alaska’s purpose and destiny. She talks of her administrations accomplishments and uses the example of working tirelessly for Alaskans. Not being from Alaska or living in Alaska, at this point in the press conference, I do not care about anything she has said yet. She is proud to take credit for hiring the right people and not taking a pay raise. She praises her team and says she wishes the media would tell them more about how good they are doing.

Palin explains why she is not taking any federal dollars. Then she says again, you don’t hear about the good stuff in media. Take a hint lady, you cannot speak badly about the press and then want them to carry a message for you. First she says Alaska has had to use tax payer money to deal with the investigations. Then she says that she has personally incurred over $500k in legal bills to defend herself and she has to deal with this instead of working for Alaska.

She says she is making a choice to build up and fight for Alaska and work hard to support others who seek to serve. She says she doesn’t need a title to make a difference and help people. She is setting her state free to progress by not seeking re-election and immediately transferring the power to her Lt. Governor. I understand not seeking election. I am not sure why she cannot finish her time in office. She uses an analogy and tells us she is using one. Please do not assume the media is stupid and think you mean everything literally.

She uses the term Politics as Usual over and over again. And talks about polling her kids (not her husband). One day she tells us her details. She talks about Trig being mocked by people, yet, there he is, in the public. You cannot have it both ways. Have your children in the media and no one talk about them. Strangely she says the world needs more Trigs. I have not seen the media make a comment on that, however, I am sure it’s coming. She says she is putting first things first and first she loves her job. She says she is calling an audible and passing the ball so her team can win. 20 minutes of a speech that says nothing but I am stepping down.

When you do not supply any facts, then the media will make it up. They have to say something. They have to justify the time they spent on your story. It’s best to say something so they do not have to make it up.

Another bad example is one of the first Press Conferences from Michael Jackson’s Family. Upon his death, not many family members were talking. However, the press did find Joe Jackson, his father, who promptly announced his new record label. I think someone did tell him to stop talking to the press directly after that. If the press has questions for you, just answer them.

Here are some tips for good results from a press conference:

1. Give some real facts that have to do with your real reason for being there. General historical facts do not count.
2. Do not bad mouth media during your press conference
3. Control the environment. The wind and your baby crying can be a great distraction.
4. Speak slowly. Trying to talk fast makes it sound like you are not sincere.
5. Make the press release as visual as possible, have plenty of photo opportunities.

Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C, is a Celebrity, international speaker, talk show host, author and movie producer. As the host of the Wright Place™ TV Show, now in its 9th season with over 250 shows broadcast on television to over 5.2 million homes each week in Southern California and Atlanta. You can visit at this Site to watch the show online.

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Tags: relation, press, media, conference

During my 25 years as an Editor I saw some shocking press releases that immediately got rejected. Do your efforts make these five deadly mistakes or are you one of the 5% that succeed?

Nothing but a sales spiel – This is last thing an Editor wants to see is a sales or selling pitch masquerading as a news story. It’s attempting to cheat the system and ends up in immediate rejection of that release and potentially each future one that is submitted.

The wrong people write it – I hate press releases that are by PR folk as they typically have one thing in common they know so very little about the service or product that they are describing that it shows. This phenomenon is so much worse if you are a tiny company hiring a third party PR company.

Don’t do it – There are those that have great stories to tell of innovative products or great services but keep them to themselves as they never release a press release. There can be many reasons for this and one may be because perhaps they don’t realise that a press release is both one of the most effective forms of internet marketing but also one of the most cost effective. The worst and most common reason is that they feel that a press release is just for the big companies with big PR departments and not for them.

Spend a fortune for nothing – Its a sad fact that too many people are being conned, scammed, over charged and generally ripped off throughout the internet and sadly the area of press releases is no exception. There are too many ways to waste money whether it be getting a press release written or submitted with extra or bonus options that eat up money but deliver very little. Your focus should not be on whats promised but on the results that are delivered.

Bend the truth – No matter how tempting it may be you must never bend the truth to make a better story for your press release. Nor should you copy or plagiarise as you will be found out find that publicity harder to handle.

I gained a unique view of press releases as I would trash 95% of them when I was a magazine Editor. Now I have released the Press Release Video Course to help you enjoy press release success and the Free Press Release Distribution Software to help you send your press release to 10 submissions sites for zero dollars!

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Tags: press release, mistake, press, pr, news, coverage

Did you know that you can significantly improve your overall search engine rankings with the help of an online press release? For those of you without a marketing background, let me explain the nature of a press release and how you can use this little known SEO technique to improve your search engine rankings.

A press release is a written communication directed at members of the news to announce something of value. Today, most releases are distributed via the internet or emailed to reporters in a specific niche. Commercial press release services distribute thousands of news releases each and every day.

Many companies send out press releases to announce a new product, service, or event. The public relations industry has depended on press releases to both disseminate information as well as help cut through the clutter of millions of daily news stories. Reporters have come to rely on press releases as a way to sift through irrelevant stories and find actual news.

A press release is easy to create. Most include the date of the release, a headline, body copy, and a brief company description. Online releases include the same information with a link back to the company’s website or product page. The challenge is creating a release that’s newsworthy and gets attention.

Over the last decade, hundreds of online press release websites have come online, helping reporters sift through these notifications and find the information they need. What does this mean to internet marketing? It means that there are sites that publish your news and are viewed by tens of thousands of people seeking targeted information daily.

This is good news for anyone trying to promote a new product, service, website or blog. But how do you get noticed? When I started out in Internet marketing, I thought it was all about writing a fantastic release and having it distributed across the web. And even today, that still holds true. However, when using press releases for SEO value, the key is simply to write a good release that helps build back links to your website or blog.

There are a few press release services out there, much like article directories that allow you to submit your release and include a link back to your website. Unlike article directories, many of these sites are not free. However, a small handful cost nothing, dozens charge less than twenty dollars and others will charge more.

When I need to build a ton of back links to my website quickly, I always gravitate toward online press releases. You can implement this today. Do a Google search for free press releases and look at the top 10 results. You will find many that do not charge. Be mindful though that a lot of these sites do not let you include a link unless you are going to pay a fee.

I’m okay as long as the fees are less than twenty dollars. With a small budget, you can have your release, and your links, distributed across the internet. Try using press releases to build back links to your website. You will be amazed by the results.

Are you looking to improve your search engine rankings? Go now to The Marketing Tips Blog to get your FREE SEO lessons. Find more SEO tips to improve search engine rankings at The Webmasters Book of Secrets website.

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Tags: online, press release, press, news, coverage, media

To keep the show moving I would need dynamic topics and guests. Needless to say is the fact that I was bombarded with press releases and phone calls from potential guests pitching me topics they could talk about if only I’d let them come on the show. However, it was my job as a producer to really sort out the best content and the most media savvy people of the bunch. And when it came to ratings it meant also getting people on that would really put a bit of entertaining into the show.

Here’s the part of the article you need to pay attention to:

The most important thing you need to keep in mind when seeking publicity for yourself is that you must be determined to get the publicity by creating your platform through an allotted time frame that will almost never be immediately.

I remember receiving press releases and having the P.R. person call me and asking me to have their client on the show the next day. Unless you are on the FBI most wanted list and are ready to talk, you will not get on immediately.

Here are some Tips you need to keep in mind when looking to land a TV interview:

1. Send your Press Releases with catchy, relative topic ideas on a consistent basis. This will allow the producer to be acquainted with you and what you can offer.

2. Call the Producer to build rapport. Don’t be pushy, arrogant or critical of the show. This will not help you. Instead, introduce yourself, make note of the numerous Press Releases you have sent and offer to be available whenever needed.

3. Be prepared to offer something really good as far as content and delivery. If your content is blah, and you presence is blah, you can follow the best P.R. blueprint and you just wont make it on the show. Remember T.V. is a business and producers need to have ratings. So really set yourself apart from the many other experts who are trying to land that on-air time.

4. Don’t bribe the producer. It’s usually the least likely person to get the interview that will try to dazzle the producer with expensive gifts and V.I.P. invitations. Again, if your content is no good and you don’t seem to be a charismatic, charming media darling; chances are the producers may keep your expensive gifts and you won’t get the exposure you so badly want.

5. Do go the extra mile in making the Producers life a little easier. Pitch hard to resist topics, have any information about you, your products and services easily available to them. Provide them with quality pictures of yourself and your book if you have one. This is one less task they would have to produce.

Remember that landing a T.V. interview will take some time. So prepare your campaign with time and in the meantime sharpen your image and media performance so you can be your best once the spotlight is on you.

© 2008 Julissa M. Fernandez

Entrepreneur Julissa Fernandez a.k.a “The Sassy Media Guru” is a Media Coach and Media Consultant helping other women entrepreneurs become Media Darlings. To learn more visit this site

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Tags: public relations, tv, interview, press, news

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

If you want to get the attention of the press, you have to think like the press.

In the 20+ years I’ve been in public relations, one of the most difficult elements of the game to teach clients is that the press is not a service organization whose sole purpose is to cover what PR people pitch them. Their business model is simple; they exist to inform and entertain their readers, so they can grow their subscriber base and sell advertising against those numbers.

So, if you want to participate in the “press game” it is vital to recognize what wins the press loyal readers and increases their circulation…and then help them to do it! Step one is to get together a power-packed pitch. According to the Associated Press Stylebook the preferred term for a press release is not press release; it’s NEWS release. After all, it’s not called a press-paper – it’s called a NEWSpaper. Like it or not, public relations people don’t get to determine what the news is. Only news professionals get to do that when they choose what to write, print or air.

So, just because your company opened a new store in Cincinnati, doesn’t make it NEWS. However, there may very well be a nugget of newsworthiness that you can offer up to the press in order to get them interested in the opening of your store.

Where do you find those nuggets? Here are a few suggestions to help you mine the news gold in all your announcements:

Read Your Local Newspapers -You can’t find a news hook until you know what the news of the day actually is. And, because it changes every day, you need to stay on top of the news (or hire an agency to perform that function for you, and trust their judgment when they advise you of potential news hooks).

Determine How Your Story is Relevant – This is the lowest hanging fruit in the news hook orchard. Look for anything in your business that is relevant to news taking place in your community or nationally. If you’re opening a new bicycle shop in Los Angeles, then do some news searches to see what reporters have been writing about the area.

Say you discover that the area is economically depressed, in which case you can pitch to the press the idea that a new retailer opening there is a boost to the local economy, and that you’re willing to take a chance on success in that community. Or you may discover that bicycle ridership has increased nationally by 10 percent over the previous year, with new riders indicating they have started because they are trying to get fit. Now you can pitch the local press on the angle that your new shop is aimed at capitalizing on this national trend.

This strategy is known as “localizing” a national story, which every newspaper and TV producer loves. Because it’s a national story, they are going to report it anyway, but they’d prefer to have a local hook so they can be more relevant to the local audience.

Develop Stories That Have a Beginning, Middle and End – Make sure you tell reporters a full story. Let’s use the bicycle shop as an example. Opening a bicycle shop may not be much of a story on its own, but what’s the story behind the story? Did the owners overcome any unusual obstacles in fulfilling the dream of opening their store? Was the owner ever a competitive bicyclist? Have the owners used their knowledge of the sport or inventory to help any children’s charities or causes? Are they active in their community? Identify the story behind the story, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to find a news hook that’s relevant.

Take Action – There is a reason why so many commercial enterprises and not-for-profit charities and community organizations partner up for special events – it’s a win-win situation for everyone. It’s important for every commercial enterprise to be a good citizen and use some of their resources to help others, and it also helps to make sometimes un-newsworthy events relevant. Opening a bicycle shop isn’t a big deal, but holding a grand opening event for a local children’s charity makes the opening more relevant. If the owners use the event to help raise money and donate excess inventory to needy children, it is both a worthy venture and a genuinely heartwarming feel-good story worthy of news coverage.

Helping people should be its own reward, of course, but that’s also why newspapers and charities love these events. It not only gives editors and TV crews something joyful and happy to report, but it also enables the charities to get their messages out to the community at large. Your business improves its public image, and deservedly so, as long as the help is genuine and comes not from the pocketbook, but from the heart.

At the end of the day, most of the time you can find news hooks in even the most mundane of news releases. The key thing to remember is that the focus of the release isn’t to sell, sell, sell – it’s to convince a reporter that you have news to report and that their readers would be informed or entertained by what you have to tell them.

Think like the journalist, help them do their job, and you’ll find that your enterprise will generate more press coverage as a result.

For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMS Incorporated. Go to this website to learn how to explode your business through harnessing the power of public relations today and get your free Ebook!

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Tags: media relations, 2008, news, newsrelease, press