PressRelease.LifeTips.com

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1 PressRelease.LifeTips.com

2 Category: Business Communication Subcategory: Business Communication Solutions Tip: Bragging in Press Releases Beware of bragging in your press release. State the facts in the body of the release. The quote gives you a little room to "toot your own horn," but try to appear humble. If your company wins a national award or a coveted contract, by all means announce it. But keep it factual, and avoid appearing arrogant or boastful. Try having an unbiased friend or colleague read your release to be sure you haven't crossed the line. Tip: Odds of Publication Try to keep your expectations in check when putting out a press release. It's not a magic bullet. It's true that once in a while, a company will score big with their first release, but it's rather like winning the lottery or a sweepstakes: Many will enter, few will win. However, if your company issues a steady stream of newsworthy releases to the media, over time your company and products will get the attention they deserve. Tip: Press Releases vs. Advertising Probably the single most important thing to understand about a press release is that it is not an advertisement. Avoid superlatives like "best" and "unique." Don't use exclamation points. Concentrate on the features of your product or service and on the benefit to the customer without using hyperbole. Tip: Quality over Quantity Issue a press release when you have news to announce. Microsoft issues hundreds of press releases every year because it has a lot of products and services across many divisions worldwide. A small company may send out only two or three releases a year to announce a new product or a big customer win. Don't put out a release just for the sake of doing so, but look carefully to see what opportunities you may have to make news. Category: Business Writing Subcategory: Writing For Business Tip: Abbreviations in Press Releases If you use an abbreviation in your release, even if it's common in your industry, spell out the first instance and follow it with the abbreviation in parentheses. For example,

3 "Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software." You can then use the acronym alone on subsequent references in the same press release. You never know who will be reading the article that's generated by your release, so leave it to the journalist to determine what level of jargon his or her readers can tolerate. Tip: Attribution in Press Releases All direct quotes must be attributed in a press release. When attributing a quote, it's usually sufficient to say simply, "he said" or "she said." The temptation is great to modify the attribution with something like, "he said happily," but this is usually unnecessary and detracts from the subject of the quote. Tip: Press Releases and the Facts Avoid overblown statements in your press releases, as well as claims typically found in advertising copy. Stick to the facts. Watch out for statements like, "We're the best!" And by the way...exclamation points usually have no place in a press release. Tip: Rules for Strong Copy in Press Releases Make sure your copy is error-free. It should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Leave the cute plays on words and pithy slogans to the billboards and magazine ads. In a press release, you need to communicate the benefits of your product or service effectively and efficiently. Use active language, and avoid past tense. Tip: Timely Press Releases Be ready to jump on any news trends that affect or relate to your product, service, or industry. Riding the coattails of current media events is a great way to get coverage, and may even get your company positioned as an industry expert. Category: Corporate Communications Subcategory: Corporate Communications Tip: Internal Communications Companies are generally concerned with the image they present to the public, and rightly so. But more and more companies are becoming equallly concerned with the image they project to their employees. Internal communications (those memos and s that are sent to employees only) often need to be just as carefully worded as communications to customers and the general public. These internal communications are part of the corporate communications function.

4 Subcategory: External Corporate Communications Tip: Expanding The PR Function Small companies often start out with a public relations person or department and expand to a larger corporate communications function as the company grows. A press release can be used to inform employees, customers, investors and the general public, effectively fulfilling the corporate communications role. If you public relations efforts are sporadic or ineffective (i.e., not getting picked up by media in your target areas), or if your company has expanded, your company would likely benefit from a focused corporate communications effort overseen by one designated individual or department. Category: Current Events Subcategory: Current Events Tip: Business News Keep up with the general business press as well as the trade publications for your industry. If you spot a trend that is relevant to your product or service, contact the reporter or editor who is writing on that trend. While they may not be willing to run another article to show your point of view right away, you'll be setting yourself up as knowledgeable about that trend. Writing a letter to the editor about a recent article on a current event can also get publicity for your firm. Category: News Press Releases Subcategory: News press release Tip: News Press Release Definition A news press release is used to disseminate information about an event, activity, or accomplishment of a company. The release is written and distributed by the company over a wire service and/or directly to journalists who cover the industry. A news press release is a way for companies to get positive information about their activities into the news. Subcategory: News Releases

5 Tip: Advertising or Marketing Campaign Press Releases If your company is about to launch a new advertising or marketing campaign, distribute a press release on the topic. Describe the campaign in detail, being sure to keep the release itself factual. Announce when and where the campaign will run, and describe the product or service being advertised. Tip: Press Release: Anniversaries When your company or product celebrates an anniversary, let the public know by issuing a press release. Give the history of the company or the product, and describe how it has grown or expanded. For example, "XYZ Company began twenty years ago as a one-widget start-up. The company now records annual sales of $22 million, and has twenty-six different products." If your company will be hosting any special celebrations or offering special anniversary promotions, you should include those details in the press release as well. Tip: Press Releases to Announce Contests or Sweepstakes If your company sponsors a contest or sweepstakes, issue a press release to announce it. Include instructions on where and how to enter, and detail on the prizes being offered. When the winner is chosen, issue another release to announce that, too. Include a quote from the winner. Tip: Press Releases: Announcing a Trade Show Exhibit If your company will be exhibiting at a trade show, issue a press release that details the dates and location of the show and what will be shown in your booth. Be especially aware of the lead times of publications in your industry to allow enough time for the release to be published prior to the opening of the show. The trade press will be the most likely to be interested in this type of announcement. If the company will be offering free promotional items or services, be sure to include that information in the release. Tip: Press Releases: Becoming a Relied Upon Source You may be able to get your company in the news or establish yourself as an industry expert by creating a tip sheet or a top ten list. Make sure the content is not an advertisement for your business. It should also be appropriate to the business or industry that you're in. For example, a party planner might create a list of things to consider when planning an event, as long as it's not just a list of reasons to use his company. Tip: Press Releases: Findings Issue a press release to announce findings of a report, survey, or poll that reflects

6 favorably on your company or industry. If possible, include a quote from the organization that provided the data. If that's not possible, include a quote from a senior executive in your firm. Make sure you have permission to name the report or survey or to quote the results. Tip: Press Releases: Getting Coverage of Timely Events Breaking news stories on TV or in daily newspapers rarely come from publci relations professionals. But in media such as magazines or weekly news programs, you may be able to garner a headline with a timely release. Check the Web site of the media outlet you're targeting to find out what their news cycle is, and stick to it. In any event, get your release out as quickly as you can. No one ever publishes old news. Tip: Press Releases: Name Change If your company is changing its name or the name of a product or service, issue a press release as soon as the decision is finalized. Be sure that the release includes both the old and new names, and say when the change will become effective. The quote should indicate why the name was changed and what the new name is expected to accomplish. For example, "The name Widget Tech better reflects the company's state-of-the-art manufacturing capability." Tip: Press Releases: New Partnerships A new partnership can be announced with a joint press release, or with two individual releases. If your company issues the release, include a quote from a senior executive at the partner company, and include both "About" sections at the end of the release. If the company you're partnering with is public, include its stock ticker symbol in parentheses after the first mention of the company's name. Analysts and journalists search on the ticker symbol to find news on the companies they cover. Tip: Press Releases: Personnel Changes Promotions, new hires, resignations, and retirements can all be newsworthy. The local newsmedia will typically pick up these types of announcements. Trade publications will sometimes pick up a personnel change if the person is well recognized in the industry. The more senior the employee, the better. In the case of a promotion or new hire, include a description of the person's previous accomplishments and a quote from your CEO indicating what the new person brings to the company. Tip: Press Releases: Product or Service Issuing a press release is a great way to announce a new or updated product or service to your clients and your investors. Be sure to include how and when clients can obtain

7 the new product. Include pricing information if appropriate. Include as much detail as possible about the product or service itself, and how it improves upon what was previously available. Tip: Press Releases: Reorganization Use a press release to inform the public, clients, and investors of a strategic reorganization. Be careful if you are eliminating jobs, particularly with the local media. Be sure to mention the benefits of the reorganization, and present it in the best possible light. Tip: Press Releases: Scholarship or Charity When your company sponsors a scholarship or makes a charitable contribution, issue a press release. If you can, include a quote from the beneficiary. A release of this type will typically be of interest to the local media. If you can get a photo of the recipient to submit with the press release, it will stand a better chance of being run. Category: Online Press Releases Subcategory: Press Release Online Tip: Template Software Template software programs claim to write your press release for you. Try to write it on your own first, and only use one of these programs if you get stuck. You are probably the best person to describe the uniqueness of your product or service, and you want that passion to come through in your release. Use a template program for help with format and style if you need it, but critically evaluate the release to make sure it meets the criteria effectiveness. Category: Press Release Basics Subcategory: Business Communication Tip: Effective Business Communication PRWeb Tip: Effective business communication is important in public relations as well as in any other area of business. Learning the basics of business communication will help with writing advertisements, speeches, direct mail letters, articles, Web copy and much more. Once you find a message for your business communications that works, use it in all of these areas. It will help your staff and your customers if all of your communications

8 have a unified 'voice'. Subcategory: How to Write Press Releases Tip: Write Like A Journalist When writing a press release, keep in mind the guidelines that journalists use when writing stories. The basic six questions (who, what, where, when, why and how) should be answered in the first paragraph. More detail should be provided with each subsequent paragraph, in such a way that little is lost if the last paragraph or two needs to be edited out. Subcategory: Journal Articles Tip: Journal Article Trade journals frequently publish articles written by industry executives on topics relevant to their businesses. If you have an idea for an article that discusses an industry trend, call or the editor at an appropriate publication. If you're ing, include a summary or abstract of the article and the approximate word count. Remember that these articles need to be factual and cannot be construed as an advertisement for your company or product. Make sure the subject is relevant to your industry as a whole. At the end of the article you can include a short biography of the author. Subcategory: Journalists Tip: Contacting Journalists Journalists are very busy, and work under tight deadlines. Don't be concerned if you don't get a response from an editor or writer to an initial inquiry. Continue to the appropriate people when you have an announcement to make. Eventually, you'll hit the right person at the right time, and a journalist will call or you to do a story. Once you've broken the ice, if you maintain a good relationship with the journalist, you may get last-minute calls for quotes for a story or interview. Subcategory: Latest news Tip: Timing your press release Knowing the editorial calendar of your target publications will help ensure that the news you're sending out is timely. Many publications have an editorial calendar on their Web site. Consult that calendar to determine which upcoming issues of a publication are running stories that pertain to your industry or product. Be sure to get information to the

9 appropriate editor well in advance of the deadline so that the journalist will include mention of your product. If it's a new product announcement that's top secret, tell the journalist as much as you can to determine if there's interest. A journalist's reputation is based on integrity, and they're used to seeing products well before they reach the market. Subcategory: Media Relations Tip: Media Relations Consider the media to be a special type of customer. Don't forget them when sending holiday cards or announcements of special promotions. If you're participating in a trade show or other industry event, consider attending or even hosting a media event to attract the attention of reporters and editors. 'Court' the media as you court your customers. Subcategory: Press Release Distribution Tip: Press Release Distribution Don't bother with cutesy ways of getting your press release in front of journalists. They don't have time for singing telegrams, and fruit baskets usually stay in the mailroom. Stick to or fax, and be sure the send your release using the method the journalist prefers. These days, that's usually . Also follow any guidelines on the Web site regarding follow up. Some publications will give you a timetable, others have a 'don't call us, we'll call you' philosophy. Subcategory: Press Release Template Tip: Downfalls of a Template Beware of using a press release template for every release. While it may help you include all the relevant information, it can stifle creativity if you try too hard to cram all the information you have into a formulaic outline. Some announcements simply don't conform to the standard format, and that's okay. The other danger of a template is that you will leave in information from a previous release, or will inadvertently include dated or incorrect information about the company. Subcategory: Public Relations Tip: Public Relations Industry The public relations industry is large and varied, and there are many opportunities,

10 ranging from multi-national PR firms to one-person shops, and everything in between. By doing your homework, you can find a PR organization to help you with your publicity, or a firm that you want to work for if you're looking for a career in PR. Do your research and go after the firm that meets your needs. Tip: Public Relations Opportunities There are other public relations opportunities besides press releases and bylined articles. With a few connections and a little ingenuity, your PR efforts can help secure speaking engagements for your executives, and position your company as a leader or expert in the industry. Cultivating relationships with journalists will speed you on this path. Also, be on the lookout for upcoming conferences, trade shows and other events. Contact the producer of the event as early as possible in the process. Offer to speak or give a presentation that relates to the conference or event. This will provide added exposure to your company. Tip: Public Relations Practitioner PRWeb Tip: Freelance public relations professionals provide public relations services to smaller companies on an as-needed basis. This can be particularly helpful if you have a new product launch or other major event and need help publicizing it. Be sure to select a practitioner who has experience in your industry, and get references. Most practitioners will work on either a retainer basis or project basis. Be sure to clearly spell out your expectations to the practitioner and in the contract. Tip: Public Relations Strategy As your company grows, you may want to expand your public relations efforts beyond issuing a press release every few months. A comprehensive public relations strategy will address new product launches, an ongoing schedule of releases, public speaking opportunities and bylined articles. A PR firm can help you identify a public relations strategy to suit your business. Once you have the strategy, you can decide whether you want the PR firm to implement it, or if you can implement it yourself. Subcategory: Writing a Press Release Tip: Headlines and Subheads If you can't fit everything you want into your headline, use a subhead. Beneath the headline, in italic type, you can write more information that expands on the headline and provides more detail. As with the headline, the purpose of the subhead is to get the reader to continue reading, so it should draw the reader in. Stay away from word play - keep it factual but compelling.

11 Tip: The Headline A press release headline can make the difference between getting in print and not. Make sure your headline is clear and compelling. Stay away from puns, plays on words, and 'guess what happens next' types of headlines. If the publication is prone to those types of headlines, let them write it. Your headline should be clear and succinct, and it should make the reader want to read the body of the release. Subcategory: Writing Effective Press Releases Tip: Keeping It Simple and Factual For a press release to be effective, it needs to be clear, factual and to the point. If an reporter wants to write a more in-depth article on your product or service, they'll call you for more information. State the facts (in the best possible light, of course) clearly and consisely, providing greater detail in the lower paragraphs of the release. A press release typically includes a quote from a senior executive, in which you can toot your horn a little, but make sure it actually says something meaningful. Cut the fluff, and stick with the facts. Category: Press Release Submission Subcategory: Submit Your Press Release Tip: Avoid Spamming Your Contact List Avoid the temptation to send your press release to every single address on your contact list. Spam is unprofessional and makes you look desperate. You can also get blocked from sending future messages into some media outlets. Category: Press Release Templates Subcategory: Press Release Examples Tip: Company Information in Press Releases At the end of a press release, you will include information about the company. This section should include factual data about your company. For example, "XYZ Company is a leading provider of manufacturing equipment to the razor blade industry. XYZ provides manufacturing equipment to three of the top five razor blade producers. The privately held company with headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts, has grown more than 100 percent per year for the past five years. For more information, visit

12 or call Category: Press Releases Subcategory: Press Release Tip: Press Release Impact Determining whom your story impacts will help you decide where to send the release. If the announcement only affects a certain geographic area, send it to media in that area. If the information is relevant only to a certain industry, send it to publications that serve that industry. In general, the more people an announcement affects, the more news value it has. However, if a story affects a small number of people dramatically, that can have news value as well. Category: Public Relations Subcategory: Public Relations Tip: Relationships with Journalists An important part of public relations is developing and maintaining relationships with the journalists that cover your industry. Find out who they are by looking at trade publications, and note which journalists write stories about your competitors' products. These are the ones who will write about your products as well. The Web site of each publication will usually include a list of writers and/or editors and their "beats." Contact the appropriate editor (preferably by ) to introduce yourself and your company. Many editors only want to hear from you if you have a story, so try to suggest a possible story when you write. Category: RSS News Feeds Subcategory: RSS News Feeds Tip: Adding RSS to Your Site PRWeb Tip: Really Simple Syndication is a tool many companies use. An RSS feed will automatically send visitors to a company Web site to access breaking news from myriad sources. RSS aggregators include NewsGator FeedDemon and ChannelWeb ( A Google search on 'RSS aggregators' will likely turn up dozens of others. Compare several to find one that meets your needs at a price you

13 want to pay. Category: Writing Press Releases Subcategory: How to Write a Press Release Tip: Remember the Basics! News reporters are taught to ask six basic questions about any story: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Include the answers to all of these questions within the first paragraph if possible. If you can't fit them all in, make sure they're all answered by the end of the third paragraph. Also, make sure you include contact information at the top of the press release so it is easy for the reporter or editor to follow-up with you should he or she wish to do so. Tip: Who Matters In order to write an effective press release, you must describe who is issuing the release. Usually the company is named in the opening line of the release. For example, "XYZ Company today announced it is consolidating its East Asia operations." It's also a good idea to mention the company name in the headline as well. Subcategory: How to Write Press Releases Tip: What To Write About First and foremost, a press release needs to be newsworthy. The subject matter needs to be important or interesting to the audience, not just to you and your company. If something happens that people want to know about, it's worthy of a press release. If something happens that only people internal to your company want to know about, it's probably not.