Steps to a Writing an Effective Press Releases

Want to get the most media attention and spotlight for your business? Then the first place to start is with a GREAT press release. Now I can almost see half of you leaving now, dreading the thought of having to write one of these. But wait!! I’m going to show you easy methods to make your press release work for you and get the attention it deserves. Ready? Let’s go.
We’ll briefly go over the basics because of their importance. Editors want to see things done the RIGHT way. I would bet that a lot of good releases simply get tossed out just because they aren’t set up properly. To a busy editor, that all too familiar “10 second glance” says a lot for you and your business; it let’s them know if you’ve done your research enough to warrant that release to be placed in their newspaper or magazine.
Here are your essentials:
"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" on the top left of the page.
Your contact name, phone number, e-mail address, and website follows.
Headline is next, normally in bold and centered on the page. Summarize what the release is about and capture their attention. Spend almost as much time on your headline as you do writing the release. It’s that important.
The press release body starts with the location of the release and the date (Margate, Florida, May 5, 2005.)
Most press releases are between 200-500 words, and no more than a page. The first paragraph has the most important information. Don’t save the best for last, it won’t get read. In this paragraph answer the questions, who, what, when, where and why?
It is recommended that you write press releases in the 3rd person and use short sentences and paragraphs. Do not go over board, trying to dazzle the editor, it won’t work.
Target your release. You will be sending your release to a specific audience so make sure that in your release you keep to what would appeal to that audience. What don’t they know that you can add? Nothing works better than getting an “AAH HAA” when an editor is reviewing your release.
Provide statistics. Do some research and find some relevant information that applies. You can easily do this through Google. Once you find your quote, do a Google search or Yahoo quote on that particular topic. However, don’t stop on the first Google link and take that for gospel. Research it a bit further. Have it come from a respectable company or magazine.
Include relevant quotes from experts in your field that will reinforce what you are saying. Approach authors, leaders in your Industry, and other experts that back up the facts you are stating in your release. They will normally appreciate the added publicity and you get the quote you’re looking for. For example, as an author I’ll often get asked to provide a quote for an article on home-based businesses or the virtual assistant industry. I welcome the opportunity as it provides me more publicity.
Also, if you have a satisfied client that you feel will add credibility to your Release, add a quote from them as well. The first time you mention the expert, write out their full name. Then list them by last name or Mr. and Mrs. Smith only. I normally prefer the last name.
The last paragraph should be your call to action. You’ve talked the whole release about your business or product, now tell them what to do with the knowledge they just acquired.
At the bottom of the release include ### to indicate you are done, followed by a short bio. Make sure if you include your website that you include http:// in front of it for search engine recognition.
Your bio should include your information, any books authored, etc. Double check this for accuracy. At this point, you’re tired and done with the Release. But if it goes out to the world with the wrong web address, the valuable time spent even writing the Release has been wasted.
That’s it; the basics for writing a press release! Now one other thing I’d like to add in, they work! They truly work. I’ve had a recent release get accepted by PRWeb (and yes they do reject bad ones!), and then go on to hit several other major newspapers and media outlines and the Google alert, which resulted in our paper in the area contacting me. You want to set up a Google news alert for your name so that you can follow the path and see when you make the news so you can follow up. Also, PRWeb at http://www.prweb.com/ has complete guidelines for setting up a good press release. Go with the extra money and spend $20.00. It’s worth it to get the additional exposure.

GET DISCOVERED THROUGH PRESS RELEASES

Do you have a service or product that you want to get in front of the masses? Maybe you have reached a new milestone in your existing business that you want to shout out to the world. Well, the easiest way to get the message out is through the power of a press release.Press releases have been around for awhile and can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. If you have a little experience writing, you can create one on your own. If not, you can hire a professional to write one for you. It is well worth the money to get a professional job done.There are several elements that comprise a press release.1. The contact information, this allows the press to contact you for a possible story or for potential customers to come to your site to see your offerings.CONTACT: www.ABCcompany.comJoe Schmoe, President Phone: (123) 456-7890Boston, MA. 00000Email: schmoe@email.com2. The Headline, this is possibly the most important element of the press release because it must be "newsworthy." It can't be a sales pitch but must be crafted as though you are announcing a news item. For example:WHERE WILL YOU GO?Local Online Job Network Shows You the Path to Job Search Success.Not something like, ABC Company Is Offering The Best Job Hunting Technique In Town!3. The first paragraph of the press release needs to make the announcement. The thing to remember throughout the press release is not to make a sales pitch, that's not what it is intended for. It is meant to make an announcement about something that is considered news such as opening a new store, a new division, relaunching a business and so on. For example, Sterling Heights, MI—June 20, 2004—ABC Comapny, a new local online job network for residents of Massachusetts, is set to launch on July 1st to give job seekers an additional outlet to aid in their job search. This is announces the date of the launch of ABC Company.4. The rest of the press release should give background on the company, the product development or the service improvement etc. For instance, ABC Company offers numerous benefits to both those seeking a job and employers looking for local talent to fill positions. The benefits to job seekers includes the ability to search for jobs by location, date range, categories, job type and keywords. It will give a person the ability to view all jobs posted by a specific local employer.5. Add at least two quotes from an executive in the company. For instance, "We're very excited about the launch of ABC Company. Being able to provide both job seekers and employers with direct access to local jobs and candidates, respectively, is the best possible solution for both," offers Joe Schmoe, President and founder of ABC Company. Further down in the press release, add another quote like, According to Schmoe, “The benefits to local employers besides finding qualified candidates for positions, includes a reduction in time and effort in regards to recruiting new talent."6. Finish with something like, ABC Company is a local online job bank serving residents and employers of Massachusetts. They are based in Boston, MA. and can be reached by calling (123) 456-7890, by contacting Joe Schmoe via email at schmoe@email.com or visiting www.ABCcompany.com for more information.That's about it. Easy, simple and quick to whip up.Once you have the press release completed, you will need to distribute it. The best place to so that is at http://wwwPRweb.com because they offer a low cost solution to distributing your press release.If you need a professional to write a press release for you, please contact me at writetouch4u@verizon.net My press releases have netted press interviews and stories for many of my clients. I would love to help you "get your message out."Until next time, take care.Lorraine

The Secret to Writing a Captivating Speech for Any Occasion

You're going to write a speech. And you're scared to death. Sure, I know you're not afraid of the speechmaking. Spouting it out is comparatively easy. In fact, it may be fun. But writing-ah! That is another story.At the start let's write this speech to Joe. We'll pick out a typical Joe from your audience, a fellow who is a fairly good composite of the group. Then we'll write our speech directly to Joe. How do you think of the group to whom you're going to talk? Perhaps you think of them as gentlemen and scholars. Again as brothers. Or maybe more familiarly as 'you guys' or 'you lugs.' But no matter how you have them pegged, there is one Joe among them who is a cross section of all of them.Let's put the words down on paper just as you would speak them to Joe. Write the word 'Joe' up there at the start of the first paragraph, put a comma behind it, and write:Joe, as I stand up here on the platform tonight I can think of the time a few years ago when I met you in Kansas City. Remember, Joe? It was in that little restaurant with the blonde waitress. I still remember, Joe, what you said that night.Would Joe and a group of Joes listen to a story like that? You know they would. And whenever you start off so closely to this Joe's thoughts and interests, you are certain to get attention. Once I heard a speaker start a talk to a group of his dealers with, 'Gentlemen and Chiselers.' He smiled when he said it, of course, but the crowd roared. He was talking right down their alley. And all through the talk you could see that this man had thought of the Joes out in front of him when he was writing it to the one Joe who was a composite of the group. He wrote it just as he would talk to that Joe face to face. His talk was on the beam every minute.Writing to Joe, you keep your talk on a conversational level. Sit him across the desk and talk to him as you write. You can't go high-hat on a guy across the desk. You won't get up in the blue sky, over his head, if you imagine he is right there talking to you, asking a question now and then. Putting in an argument occasionally. Adding a thought or two. No, you'll keep down to earth where your talk belongs.This goes for any kind of audience. All groups are made up of Joes. You may be talking to bankers, lawyers, merchant chiefs, rich men, poor men, beggar men, or thieves. But in each group there is an average Joe. Pick out that individual and write your speech to him.By simply following this one piece of advice, you will be on the road to writing conquering your writers block, shoving nervousness aside and end up writing a great, audience captivating speech!