Write like you talk. That's the easiest way to communicate a message in a clear and compelling way. I harp on this repeatedly to those in my Mentor Program. Yet far too many writers build roadblocks when they write. They use stodgy words and phrases that slow down readers. Here are six writing roadblocks you should eliminate from your news … [Read more...]
Pitch ‘best of’ and ‘worst of’ year-end lists
This is the time of year to be pitching year-end lists. Thanks to Publicity Hound Scott Hansen of Carnation, Washington, for alerting us to the "2005 Most Unbelievable Workplace Events" issued by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, Inc. They're designed to make you ask, "What in the world was that company thinking?" … [Read more...]
2 new press release distribution services
Thanks to Publicity Hound George Hopkin of the United Arab Emerates for alerting us to two new free press release distribution services: USPRwire and UKPRwire. Both services complement the existing international service ClickPress at which was launched in March this year and is now used and visited by PR professionals and … [Read more...]
How to write press releases that hook readers
The average desk harbors 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat. A study, funded by a grant from The Clorox Company, found that surfaces in personal work areas such as offices and cubes had higher bacteria levels than surfaces in common areas. Telephones came in as the Number One home for office germs, followed by desks, water … [Read more...]
How to write press releases the media love
Writing coach Ann Wylie says this is the kind of press release that makes an editor's eyes glaze over: "XYZ Co. Inc., a leading supplier of the world’s integrated real-time advanced software-aided microchips, announced today the availability of its latest product, the XYZ 4.2, version 3, which will revolutionize the software-aided … [Read more...]
Customize news releases for specific media outlets
When you write a news release, do you write different versions of the same release---emphasizing different things in the first paragraph---depending on what media outlet you're sending it to? Smart Publicity Hounds do. They want every media person to read their releases and say, "Aha! This is perfect for our audience!" Yet too few people bother … [Read more...]
Don’t Use Any Form of “Announce” in Press Releases
The debate rages on about whether news releases are less relevant than ever. BL Ochman, who used to do a lot of publicity work for her clients, says she stopped writing news releases a long time ago and, instead, prefers chatty, customized pitch letters. (See "How to Write a Pitch Letter More Powerful Than a News … [Read more...]
Use powerful subheads on press releases and other copy
Of the five stories that appeared on the front page of today's edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, my local newspaper, every one of them had a subhead just below the main headline. In today's edition of the Wall Street, all four stories on Page 1 also have subheads. You'll probably find something similar if you check your own local … [Read more...]
How to find freelancers for news releases, media kits and more in a hurry
Within the last several weeks, two projects have been driving me crazy: something I needed written very quickly, and a PDF document of an ebook that I need to update. But the Word file that I used to create the PDF was corrupted. It's possible to edit a PDF but it's time-consuming and it would have taken me weeks. I have found it virtually … [Read more...]
Press releases: Dead or alive?
Is the press release dead or alive? Publicity Hounds have conflicting opinions and we want to know yours. Sally Saville Hodge says it's dead, and she backs up her claim in this article at the MarketingProfs website. Harry Hoover says it's very much alive and offers this rebuttal. What do you think? Dead or alive? And if so, … [Read more...]