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Blitz
Ezine # 148 Jan 28, 2002
Writing a Press Release
Note:
This is an archived issue. Some links and/or content
may be outdated
The
Blitz-Promotions News Letter.
Issue no. 148, Jan 28, 2002
http://www.blitzpromotions.com
100 Ways to promote your site -
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/blitz148.htm
Subscribe to our Ezine
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/subscribe.htm
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CONTENTS **************
Comments
Food for thought
100 Ways to promote -
The Classifieds
Next Issues
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Blitz Comments
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We
have been working on putting up some old (and new) articles
on our site. This also includes the past ones concerning
100 ways to promote your site. The url is below.
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/articleindex.htm
If
you missed any of our past issues due to the holidays
read what you missed in our archives-
http://www.blitzpromotions.com/ezinearchives.htm
These are a couple of weeks behind since we want our
subscribers to get the freshest content.
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Food for thought
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Dreams come true when desire transforms them into concrete
action. Ask life for great gifts and you encourage life
to deliver them to you.
Napoleon Hill
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100 ways to promote your site #32
Press Releases
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Writing
the Release
First
we have an article from my dear friend and business
associate Carol Daly - and if you're like me and can't
write your way out of a paper bag, she can write up
a great release for you for peanuts.
The
News Release -- Like Medicine, It's Not To Be Taken
Lightly
©
2001-2002 by Carol Auclair Daly
http://www.creativethought.com/
Clients
like news releases. Editors and reporters don't. Why?
Because they receive as many in the course of a day
as you receive spam in your e-mail! But still, I write
them for clients all the time. I have an advantage in
that area, having also been on the other end of the
news release at one time. I remember the things that
caught my eye. I also remember the criteria for turning
a news release into a piece of wadded up paper in the
trash! If you want your release to have a chance of
being noticed, listen up.
The
prime thing to remember is the phrase, "VIVA LA DIFFERENCE."
You need to dazzle a journalist with what makes YOU
and YOUR BUSINESS different from thousands of others
that he could write about. And what makes your information
"special" enough to keep it out of the trash?
You
need to call attention to yourself in a way that catches
their eye first, then holds their attention long enough
for them to realize that there may be a story in it
for them. And you only have about the time it takes
for them to read the first paragraph.
While
you want to appear professional and organized, writing
a news release that says "professional and organized"
isn't going to get you any publicity -- lots of businesses
are professional and organized. What's new and different
about you? What makes YOU 21st century . . . ahead of
the pack? What's going on in your industry right now
that you can take advantage of and use to get some publicity?
Can you add humor or "tips" to make it newsworthy and
give it pizzazz or purpose?
Also,
don't overuse PR. Nothing turns off reporters more than
the person who clutters their desk with a new release
every week. Wait for the opportune time, which by the
way, is NOT to announce the launching of your web site.
That was news a few years ago. Now it's routine in the
business world, even if it is a new concept for you.
Things that may work for you: a seasonal message that
you can impart (news release in the guise of an article);
a major change of some sort in your company focus or
administration; development of a unique, new product
and how it will benefit the consumer; expanded services
that make you stand out from the crowd in your industry;
volunteerism -- "local company volunteers to paint home
for elderly hurricane victim" -- something that makes
it "NEWS" as opposed to "looking for a free ad".
We're
all looking for free advertising and reporters know
that. But remember, newspapers aren't in business to
give away advertising. Newspapers exist on paid advertising
fees. So when we "push it" by being obvious in our attempt
to get free ads, they lose interest and may actually
decide that you have nothing at all to say that they
want to hear -- ever. That's when your releases start
to the hit the trash almost before they get out of the
envelope.
And
a little tip on news protocol -- this is just a technical
terminology thing that most reporters ignore. But the
purists out there, who just can't get beyond their broadcast
journalism training, prefer the term "News Release"
as opposed to "Press Release." So in order to play up
to those stuck in that particular rut, always put "News
Release" at the top of your copy, instead of "Press
Release." Newspaper reporters won't care either way
as a rule; but TV, radio, etc. -- they consider themselves
news broadcasters, not "press." And since they hold
the fate of your news release in their hands, you'll
want to go ahead and play that little ego game.
My
final suggestion: don't put all your eggs in the News
Release basket. There are many effective ways of calling
attention to your business. How can I write releases
for my clients when I feel that way? Because sometimes
they work very, very well. But it's a rare instance
when a News Release captures the elusive heart of an
editor. If you're going to use them, use them with discretion
and objectivity.
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More
tips -
http://www.infoscavenger.com/prtips.htm
http://www.stetson.edu/~rhansen/prguide.html
(the link above also has some places to submit your
press release)
http://prprofits.com/resources/
Free
places to send your Release
http://www.prweb.com/
http://www.pressbox.co.uk/
Don't
forget to post it on your website
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