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Dazzle The Press With The FactsAchieving media coverage is not as difficult as one may imagine. The media needs to produce interesting, newsworthy stories each day of the week. They cannot possibly be at all places at one time to gather firsthand information on their own. Thus, they rely on others to provide them with leads they can turn into a story. One method that works well for the media, as well as businesses and organizations that need coverage, is a press release.When writing a press release, keep in mind, it is a different ball game than composing a sales letter. Press releases have one objective -- to grab the attention of the media, NOT the consumer. If you want an editor or producer to read your press release, deliver it with newsworthy information—not advertisements. Newsworthy Preparation Before taking on the task of writing your release, browse through several publications to get a feel for newsworthy information. Take the time to read these stories and familiarize yourself with the angle taken by the business owner. Ultimately, when writing your press release, deliver the angle that will be most interesting to an editor. The media deliver stories based on qualifications and characteristics of value. As you read the articles and stories throughout a publication, you are likely to find one or more of the following elements: 1. Community impact 2. Conflict 3. Invention of a new product 4. Timeliness and proximity 5. Progress and disaster 6. Human Interest 7. Novelty 8. Popularity 9. Prestige 10. Special announcements 11. Unusual success 12. Upcoming events When searching for the right concept to pull your press release together, keep these elements in mind. As you seek a focus for your release, ask yourself if it meets any of the values listed above. If so, you may have something of interest that will grab the attention of the media. The Specifics of Writing a Press Release Identify your release (NEWS RELEASE) at the top of the page and include your contact information. Indicate whether the announcement is for immediate release or for release on a later date. Note: The contact person should be available for questions or be able to provide additional information should the editor decide to call. Next, a short headline tells what the ‘story’ is, followed by the most important information as it pertains to your story, ending with the remaining details in declining order of importance. This first paragraph should contain all the value packed information an editor needs to read, covering the five most important questions: who, what, when, where, and why? Who is the press release about? What is the story? What makes this release newsworthy? When will it happen or when did it happen? Where will the event be or where did the story take place? Why is it happening? As you are writing your release, remember to dazzle the media with informational facts only. Editors are like hawks with carefully trained eyes—they know fluff when they see it. Do away with your professional opinions and colorful adjectives. Avoid hype and usage of big words and phrases. State the facts – nothing more, nothing less. Press releases can be more than one page; however, concise writing will get you in the door faster than rambling. Consider that most editors are extremely busy people. The more concise your press release – the more likely it will be read. A little creativity, with knowledge of your industry, can be used to your advantage and interesting to the media. Gaining free publicity through the press is a dose of exposure that will outshine the most favorable of paid advertisements. Dazzle the press with the facts and you will find the rewards worth the effort. --- Signup For Rozey's Articles: http://www.marketing-seek.com/newsletter/rozey.shtml --- Rozey Gean is the founder of the Marketing-Seek.com web site where writers, publishers, and online entrepreneurs are brought together in an easy-to-use, friendly, helpful interface. Web: http://www.marketing-seek.com E-mail: mailto:rozey@marketing-seek.com
During this Thanksgiving holiday, we are reminded to reflect on the bounty in our lives. Most of us have jobs, family, a place we call home and food on the table, and for these things and our ability to obtain them we should be grateful. But what about those who are struggling with financial difficulties, bad relationships, or employment problems? Do they owe any thanks for their circumstances?. . .
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