Blitz Ezine #274 ~~ Sept 11, 2007

Ten commandments of press releases, How to Write A Good Press Release

The Blitz-Promotions News Letter
Issue no. 274, Sept. 11, 2007

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Blitz Comments
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This issue is a little later than I thought we would send it. I hope that you and your family had a wonderful vacation. I know we did. We have been pretty busy on our blog....Every day or two we talk some about promotion (as well as fun things too on our blog)
http://smallbizpromo.blogspot.com/

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In this Issue
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- 10 Commandments of Press Releases
- Toll Free Numbers

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Food for thought
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Whenever a customer makes a decision to buy, the final decision reflects the fruits of the decision making process. The process may take place almost instantaneously or stretch out over a long period of time - but it's a process not an event.

From "Waiting for your Cat to Bark?"

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The 10 Commandments of Press Releases
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The 10 Commandments of Press Releases

by Bill Stoller, Publisher
Free Publicity, The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp

In baseball, it’s said that you know an umpire is top-notch when you never notice his presence. If he’s doing his job, he won’t call attention to himself in any way. It’s much the same for the writer of a press release. When the recipient of a release focuses only on its content -- and not on its creation -- the writer has succeeded. With that in mind, here's The 10 Commandments of Press Releases:

1. Thou Shalt Be Professional. No goofy fonts, rainbow paper or silly gimmicks. Even lighthearted press releases represent a communication between one professional and another.

2. Thou Shalt Not Be Promotional. If you can’t get enough objective distance from your company to write a press release that’s not filled with hype and puffery, hire someone to write it for you.

3. Thou Shalt Not Be Boring. Even the driest subject matter allows for some sparks of creativity. Journalists like knowing that there’s a human being communicating with them, not some corporate robot.

4. Thou Shalt Be Brief. Learn to cut out extraneous words. Keep your sentences short. Include only the points necessary to sell the story. The well-crafted one page press release is a thing of beauty.

5. Thou Shalt Know Thy Recipient. A features or lifestyle editor is a very different creature from a city desk editor. If you’re promoting the opening of a new winery, the food and wine editor may be interested in all the details about what kind of aging process and wine press you’re using. The city desk editor just wants to know when the grand opening is and what’s going to happen there.

6. Thou Shalt Use The Proper Tense. When writing a hard news release -- a contract signing, a stock split, a major announcement, etc.) use the past tense (Acme Industries has changed its name to AcmeCo, the company announced today...) When writing a soft news release -- a trend story, a personal profile, etc. -- use the present tense (Jane Smith is one of the best marathon runners over 40. She’s also blind. Thanks to new technology from AcmeCo, Jane is able to...).

7. Thou Shalt Think Visually. A press release is more than words
-- it’s a visual document that will first be assessed by how it looks.

I’m referring to more than font size or letterhead. I’m talking about the actual layout of the words. Whether received by mail, fax or e-mail, a journalist -- often unconsciously -- will make decisions about whether to read the release based on how the release is laid out. Big blocks of text and long paragraphs are daunting and uninviting. Short paragraphs and sentences make for a much more visually inviting look.

When writing a non-hard news release, I often use a simple formula -- the lead paragraph should be one or two sentences at most. The next paragraph should be very, very short.

Like this.

8. Thou Shalt Tell A Story. How to arrange the facts of a hard news release is pretty much cut and dried. The old "who, what, when, where and how" lead and "inverted pyramid" concepts still hold. (Rather than engage you in a course in basic newswriting, I’ll direct you to a really good discussion of what the inverted pyramid is.

Check out:

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=52&aid=38693

So let’s focus on a soft news release. The trend story, the feel- good company story, the "gee-whiz, I didn’t know anyone was doing that!" release. The difference between these releases and the hard news release is simply a mirror of the difference between a feature story in, say, the entertainment section of your newspaper and the breaking news report on page one. The hard news story is about cold, hard facts (A mudslide closed portions of Interstate 70 last night, causing massive delays). A feature article about the guy who spends all day looking at seismograph readouts trying to predict where the next mudslide will occur will be very different. It’s likely to be in present tense, it won’t load all the facts upfront and it will be designed to draw the reader deep into the text. It is, in short, all about storytelling.

Here’s the formula I use for these kinds of releases. I call it the 3S approach -- Situation/Surprise/Support.

The first paragraph sets up the situation. The second paragraph reveals the surprise. The third paragraph supports the claim made in the second paragraph.

One very typical 3S is discussing a common problem in the first paragraph (For centuries, people have accepted memory loss as an inevitable result of aging.) The "surprise" paragraph announces the solution to the problem (But one local man says he’s ready to prove the medical establishment wrong.) The "support" paragraph then tells the story. (John Smith, an Anytown entrepreneur, says he’s found the key to retaining a strong memory function far into old age. His "Memory Maker" software is based on ancient Chinese texts that were used more than 2000 years ago to...)

Another 3S -- let’s revisit our mudslide watching friend. How would you start his story using this method?

While John Smith’s colleagues at the National Atmospheric Center are watching the skies for signs of lightning and tornadoes, his attention is focused elsewhere.

John Smith is listening to the mud.

As the Chief Mudslide Analyst at the NAC, Smith spends his days glued to a seismograph, eyes and ears peeled for the telltale signs on an impending slide.

Along with the 3S in action, I also followed the 7th Commandment.
That really short second paragraph is a visual grabber, and will keep the journalist reading right into the meat of the release.

9. Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness. This may seem an obvious point, but it always bears repeating.

Tell the truth.

Don’t inflate, don’t confabulate, don’t exaggerate. Don’t twist facts, don’t make up numbers, don’t make unsubstantiated claims.
Any decent journalist will be able to see right through this. If you’re lucky, you’re release will just get tossed out. If you’re unlucky, you’ll be exposed.

It’s a chance not at all worth taking. Make sure every release you write is honest and on the level.

10. Thou Shalt Know Thy Limitations. Not everyone can write a press release. A good feature release, in particular, isn’t an easy thing to craft. If you just don’t feel like you have the chops to get the job done, hire a professional.

One last tip: right before you start writing your release, spend an hour or two reading your daily paper, paying special attention to stories similar in feel to yours. Immerse yourself in how the pros do it and you’ll be in the right frame of mind to tackle the job! To view professional press releases updated daily, go to:
http://www.publicityinsider.com and click on the "Press Release Gallery"

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About The Author:

Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as one of America's top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp
he's sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site:
http://www.PublicityInsider.com

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How to Write a Good Press Release
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Press exposure can significantly impact a small businesses' success. Press releases are not just for big businesses; many small businesses find press releases to be an inexpensive way to gain exposure and attention. It is not uncommon for reporters from magazines, newspapers or blogs to scan press releases as a means to locate content.

Here are some tips to enhance the exposure and quality of your press releases:

1. Relevant
First and foremost, it is important to decide what information should be included in your press release. Information that is newsworthy and relevant will have the best chances of gaining the attention of an editor. The press release should be sent to related publications: a pet magazine is not going to print a press release about the latest compression utility, but it might print a release about software that manages records of a pets shots.

2. Customize
Giving your press release a personalized touch, especially for bloggers and online journalists, can be helpful in gaining attention. Spending an extra few moments to personalize a press release could be just what is needed to make it stand out from hundreds of other press releases. While it is impractical to customize all of the press releases sent, it might make sense to personalize the releases for key publications or media outlets.

3. Summarize
By creating a succinct summary of the announcement, editors will not need to reword, or condense a lengthy release. The first paragraph or two should clearly state the announcement, so that an editor's space is limited, they can simply use the summary in their publication.

4. Swag is Good
The press loves freebies, and by offering them, there is a chance potential customers will keep your name in their mind. Feel free to send branded goodies to the editors as a special thank you for any exposure that you receive.

5. Thank You
If you are interviewed or receive an especially complimentary review be sure to thank your press contact. As strange as it might sound rarely are the editors thanked for the coverage they provide. Extending a heartfelt thank you, could mean an editor remembers your company when the next press release is sent.

6. Honesty
The more truthful the release the more likely that it will get ink. Avoid using superfluous adjectives that inflate the use your product or service. Keep your press release factual.

7. Keywords
Be sure to use keywords and keyword phrases in the press release so that it will be easily located by reporters looking for specific material.

8. Demand Attention
Carefully select the title for of your press release so that it attracts attention. The title should contain key points related to the announcement. A good title is critical. If the title does not gain the interest of the editor, it will not matter what the body of the release says.

Keep in mind that it is unlikely you will see instant results from the print media. Print media has a long cycle and you might not see coverage for months.

In short, press releases are great way to gain attention. The cost of sending a press release is minuscule when compared to the potential exposure that may result. A well-written press piece can garner significant press coverage and exposure.

Building relationships with the media is a long process and takes considerable time and patience. Editors have to deal with deadline pressures and locating appropriate filler content should the need arise, befriending the reporters will go a long way toward press coverage.

About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll http://www.recordforall.com audio recording and editing software.

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Useful links
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Next Issues
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Our next issue will be Oct. 2nd, 2007

Tim and Lisa Hamblin
Tisa Enterprises
PO Box 221
Hazard KY 41702
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