Practicing What You Preach!

Writing this blog has become easier and easier after every post. It has also expanded my knowledge on press releases that I feel that I can conquer this task with no problem. 

Looking back on my first couple of posts, I was definitely stressing myself out about writing a press release. I mean when you initially look at it, the task of writing a press release can be a daunting one, but going through a step by step process and analyzing the various components has definitely made me comfortable with writing a press release. However, to truly be comfortable with this task, you have to actually implement it! After all, writing a press release is the best way to be comfortable with it and practice makes perfect! 

I am fortunate that one of our assignments in my Business Communication class is to write a persuasive letter or a persuasive press release. I now have a chance to practice what I have been preaching. I had the opportunity to work with my fantastic team (Group 8 from my Business Communication Class) on a press release. Here are some thoughts that struck out for myself and one of my co-writers and team member, Christina Rodriquez. Christina was gracious enough to tell me know about her experience with writing a press release. 

 

Getting your ideas together and defining your purpose:

Christina is a big advocate for getting all your ideas and information together to present an informative yet easily understandable press release. She also adds that it can be very time consuming. This is because it requires a lot of analytical thought, brainstorming, consultation and proposal work.

Christina hit the hammer on the nail. Getting all your ideas and information together allows you to get all the facts and helps define the purpose of your press release. Our group decided to chose the topic of blood donation, which can be very broad. We knew our over all goal was to increase blood donation, but we needed to narrow down our broad idea and figure out how we were going to do this. This was a time consuming task, but with all the facts, ideas and some critical questions, we were easily able to narrow our focus and define our purpose.

Here are some questions we thought about:

• What is it that we are promoting?
• Are we looking at promoting the regular avenue for blood donation?
• Are we promoting an event, a product, a service, a celebration or a award?

Putting the time into this phase of your press release will do wonders in easing the process of writing it. Once we had our ideas, information and purpose it was very easy to start structuring and strategizing how we wanted to pitch our idea to increase blood donation.

Planning, strategizing and writing:

There were five things that were helpful for me to keep in mind when writing the first few drafts of our press release:

1. Draft away! Don't get discouraged if you have to write a few drafts, it is actually the best thing to do for your press release. For your first draft, just write and write and write, don't care about about how it looks, sentence structure or grammer because these are all things we can tackle in your next drafts. Just get the ideas out on paper and then trim the fat.
2. Two heads are better than one: It was very beneficial tackling a press release with a group. It offered some much needed support, as well as brought in various ideas of how to approach the press release. Overall, we had some great ideas from everyone and together I am confident we will have a persuasive and interesting press release.
3. Setting deadlines: Working with a group ensured that we set deadlines for drafts so we were all able to review and give feedback. This might not have happened if I was writing it by myself, but it definitely showed me that its important that I do. Deadlines helped to complete different phases of the press release in a timely manner as well as giving us enough time to review and tweek it. Deadlines help keep you on track and give you enough time to review. 
4. Power of loss: The business communication textbook discusses the strategy of using power of loss, which is basically using something that could be seen as a downer in your favor. It often motivates individuals to act because there is a negative issue out there that can be made into a positive if they just help. For example, What would you lose if you don't donate blood? Emphasizing the answer to this question could potentially bring in more donors. You just have to remember not to over do it. It is always good to look at the different angles for motivating your audience.
5. Know your facts: Bring some credibility to your press release by using the facts you have spent time to research. Facts add that credibility which lets the reader trust you and encourages them to continue reading. It definitely gives you that extra push to get your readers motivated to act.

Proof reading:

We often fall into the trap of doing everything all at once; find information, write the press release, proof read and make it look pretty. Let's just take our time because this press release is going to be published and it will be reflecting you and your organization. Make sure you take that time to dedicate yourself to every phase.

Start off with focusing on the content as discussed before. Dedicate time to each item and don't mix them because you can easily overlook the little things that can make a big impact on your press release. So write, then edit for content, then edit for grammer and spelling and then make it look visually appealing. Try and avoid doing this all in one go. 

 

Excellent tool:

"I realized that press releases serve as excellent public relation tool for corporation." says Christina. Although our world and technology is constantly changing and there are many avenues to get your information out there, press releases are still an excellent tool. In fact it is more likely to get picked up over the internet reaching a greater audience. Don't underestimate the power of a press release. 
 

Some final thoughts:

From Christina:
Take time to read other corporations' press releases and learn techniques from these.

In doing your own press release, you need to take time to prepare your ideas, your research and your thoughts so that you can present a clear, well-structured press release.

From Me:
I approached this blog and writing a press release in a way that was logical to me. It definitely helped me out and I hope it does the same for you. However, sometimes it isn't helpful, sometimes there are certain posts that may be more helpful than others and sometimes you may have a better way to approach it. My advice to you is look at all your resources out there and if some processes don't work for you, just adapt it and share it! Please share it and post it for everyone because you never know just how helpful it might be for someone else.

I hope you enjoyed this journey of persuasive press releases and that it offered some helpful and interesting reading. Special thanks to Christina for contributing her thoughts to this final blog!

And that's it folks, this is the last and final blog. Thanks for coming along for the ride. 

Peace Out!

Final Touches: Wrapping up your press release

Congratulations! If you have been following this Persuasive Press Releases Blog then you have successfully covered all of the components of a press release. Wooohooo! Give yourself a pat on the back. You have a newsworthy press release infront of you, now you just have to add the final touches.

What are these final touches?

1. Make your presence with your logo. The whole point of a press release is to get yourself out there and bring some exposure to your organization. Start with displaying your logo in the header and other relevant information.
2. What is your release date? Your press release may be for immediate release or it may be released for the next day. For these cases, indicate in capital letters FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (date) or EMBARGOED UNTIL: (date) at the beginning of your press release. Embargoed informs the media that the contents of the press release cannot be published until the specific date.
3. Be sure your heading is capitalized and bold for your reader to see. You could also have optional sub-headings in bold font below your main heading with key information. If you plan on adding a sub-heading, ensure it is catchy as it will still need to attract the audience to keep reading.
4. Your press release should be 1 - 2 pages. Try your best to keep it to 1 page, but if you do have two pages be sure to indicate this at the bottom of your first page by using the word more or continued between two dashes. ie. - more -, -continued-
5. Tell the audience who you are. Many individuals refer to this section as the biolerplate. This section gives a brief background about the organziation or individual issuing the press release.
6. How can they reach you? Be sure your very last section of your press release provides a name, phone number, email address, mailing address or any other contact information for the Public Relations contact.
7. End with ###. Your press release should  be wrapped up with ###, this indicates the end of a press release. Fun Fact: ### refers to XXX meaning 30 used to denote end in telegraphic codes used in early years[1].

A visual example of some of the final touches that are discussed above[2].

There you have it folks! These final touches adds that cherry on top to your newsworthy press release.

Do you have any burning questions regarding how to write a persuasive press release? Please share!





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[1] PR*URGENT: A Free Press Release Service. (n.d.). Help Section. Retrived from http://www.prurgent.com/press_release_help.htm
[2] Bill Stoller's PublicityInsider.com. (n.d.). How to Write a Great Press Release: A Sample Press Release Template. Retrived from http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp

Talking the Talk AND Walking the Walk: What the experts say on Persuasion

It has already established in past posts that your press release needs to look and sound credible. There are many experts that emphasize this point when speaking about press releases and making it persuasive. Experts identified some things that are important to keep in mind when writing your press release.

Avoid Clichés

Debra Goldblatt, founder of Toronto’s Rock-It Promotions, was quoted in a Toronto Star article, warning against using clichés and over-used phrases like “fashionista” or “food”. (Fischer, 2012)

It is important to keep away from this because it is not unique and catchy. You want your press release to stand out. It is also important to keep in mind that you need to be culturally appropriate as well. Your audience may include individuals from various backgrounds and clichés or western phrases may not make sense to them.

Keeping It Simple

It is best to keep your press release simple and straightforward. I personally have to keep reminding myself that I am not in university anymore. The high level and detailed writing required to write in my social sciences classes is a lot different from what I am required to write in the business world.

Some business institutes encourage using the ABC’s of business communication.

Authenticity: Be real and yourself. Sounding human builds your rapport with your audience.

Brevity: Do not overload your audience with information.

• Keep sentences short: aim for 18 – 25 words in a sentence
• Cut out excess words: Go back and edit your work and cut out unnecessary words
• Write within limits: set a word limit and practice to work within it. This will improve your skills of writing with brevity.

Clarity: Know what you message is and be clear in communicating it. Use plain, everyday language to communicate your message clearly.

(Business Writing Institute, n.d.)

Be Creative and Catchy

A Toronto-based Financial Planner Shannon Simmons offers her advice on creativity in a Toronto Star article, How to write a persuasive press release. She suggests to trigger the media’s curiosity you must be creative and your headline needs to be catchy; grabbing the reader’s attention in 5 seconds or less. (Fischer, 2012)

She also mentions to write in a tone to attract whoever you are writing to, which is exactly what the 3x3 writing process prepares you to do. In my posts Ready, Aim, Fire and Easy as 1, 2, 3 we talked about anticipating your audience and adapting your message to engage them.

Content should be engaging and straight forward, but looking visually appealing is also important, as discussed in my last post. Be sure to structure your press release in a professional way to look just as credible as you sound.

What other techniques can you think of that will help with your credibility when writing a press release?

References:

Fischer, Nathalie-Roze. (2012, Aug. 03). How to write persuasive press releases. Toronto Star. Retrived from http://www.thestar.com/business/small_business/marketing_sales/2012/08/03/how_to_write_persuasive_press_releases.html

Business Writing Institute. (n.d.). Business Writing Training: The ABC’s of Business Writing with Confidence. Retrived from http://www.businesswritingcourse.com/business_writing_training_The-ABCs-of-Business-Writing-with-Confidence.html

  

Catching Their Eye

A lot of press releases can be overlooked even when they have an attention grabbing headline and newsworthy content. Why? Because it's not visually appealing. Your content may be newsworthy, but if it's written in such a way that it hinders the audiences' readability you can be sure that your audience will move on to the next headline.

Just like our little red friend here, you want your press release to visually stand out to ensure your message is being communicated and viewed (ie. Listen To Me!).

Here are a few ways to make your press release visually appealing:

• Headlines: Make sure your headline is bold and prominent. You want it to grab the audience and intrigue them to read your press release.
• Graphics: Don't be afraid to add in a graphic or photo to enhance your press release. Be sure to make sure it is relevant.
• Length: Keep the text to one or two pages double spaced.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Kathleen Rhodes and Patricia Rogin emphasize some key techniques, in the Business Communication: process and product textbook, to enhance the look of business writing, as well as improve readibility for your audience.

There are a number of techniques to improve readability for your audience:

• Vertical list - for example: 
• Bullets
• Numbered lists
• Highlighting Words
• CAPITAL letters
• Underlining
• Bold type
• Italics

(Guffey, Rhodes, & Rogin, 2011)

Be sure to use some of these visual techniques to catch your readers' eyes. Your press release will have persuasive content, as well as a persuasive look, which will only add to the effectiveness of your message. 

References:
Guffey, M. E., Rhodes, K., & Rogen, P. (2011). Business Communication : Process and Product. (6^th ed.). Toronto: Nelson.

Helpful Tip for Writing: Easy as 1, 2, 3

It is always good to have a clear direction of where you are going. Processes seem tedious, but in reality it is the best way to ensure you are accomplishing your task efficiently. Everyone does it, some of us just have a little more practice at it. 

So what big process am I talking about? Well, if you are one of my fellow peers from my Business Communication class you already know I am talking about the 3x3 writing process. If you think about it, when we were younger we were brought up on this kind of process. First, we were taught to think about our idea and brainstorm. Second, we were told to draft and write your piece. Third, we were taught to revise and then to edit. Only then can we hand in a published piece of work. The 3x3 writing process is very straight forward and builds on these basics most of us were brought up on as children.

 

Phase 1: Pre-writing

1. Analyze: Why are you writing this press release? What is it's purpose? If you don't know what your press release is about then you have a big problem.  
2. Anticipate: Who are you writing to? We have already covered this in my post Ready, Aim, Fire! You need to anticipate who your audience is to ensure your messaging is targetting them.
3. Adapt: With the above steps you will be able to adapt your writing to ensure your message and purpose is framed in a way to engage your audience.

Phase 2: Writing

1. Research: In my post Where to start? Back to the Basics, you got a sense of your purpose for your press release, but you also started the research phase of your writing. There is probably a lot more information you will need to collect before you start composing your press release. Be sure to gather all the key information you will need before you start writing.
2. Organize: Remember Location, Location, Location? In this post we talked about organization and outlining. In the organizing step of Phase 2 you will need to organize your information and create an outline. Keep in mind location of certain information is key in a press release. Check out the post Location, Location, Location for more details.
3. Compose: Finally you are ready to compose! You have your outline and all the information you need so write away!

Phase 3: Revising

1. Revise: Take a breather and then come back to your press release. Is the message clear? Will this intrigue your audience? Is it in the right order? Take a look at your first draft and see what changes and additions you want to make to ensure your press release is effective in delivering your message.
2. Proofread: Once you have your content figured out, it is important to go back to proofread. Some individuals like to revise and edit at the same time. I find it helpful to do these two steps separately. This way you can ensure your content is exactly how you want it and you can spend the time to proofread with no distractions. You want your press release to be published, so be sure to set some of your time aside for proofreading.
3. Evaluate: The last step in the revising phase is to evaluate your press release. You need to ensure it attracts the audience you want. Will the press release be successful in getting out your purpose? How will you know if you succeeded in your purpose? I will be able to evaluate my press release by asking my event attendees in June how they heard about the event. Feedback can help you evaluate the success of your press release.  

Through the weeks you can see we have covered most of the steps in the 3x3 process. Look out for posts in the coming weeks that expand on Phase 3. When revising your press release there are some helpful tips you want to keep in mind to ensure you can engage your audience not only by your content, but by the way your press release looks as well.

Experiences are the best way to learn and practice. Share your wisdom...What are some challenges you have with press releases? Do you know of any helpful techniques that helped you overcome that challenge?

Getting the Lead

It's time to create our heading! In my second post I mentioned creating our heading and conclusion once the body of your press release has been completed. Now that we have the essence of our press release, we need to grab our audience’s attention. What is the first thing that will grab your audience’s attention? It's your heading, of course! It's the first thing that leads into your press release. It seems pretty straightforward, but I wonder how can I get the lead and make an eye catching heading?

Luckily, there are some great resources online with various helpful tips to create a bold and interesting heading. 

Here are several tips that I found helpful:

• Keywords: determine some keywords that relate to the subject, the audience, and will be picked up when entered into a search engine[1]
• Powerful Adverbs: Jot down a few strong adverbs that are relevant to the release[2]
• Relevant Heading: Be sure the heading relates to the content[3]
•  Be personal: Ask yourself what kind of headings would appeal to you as a person?[4]
• Actionable and Short: a long title might cause the audience to lose quickly before they even read the body of the press release[5]
• Do NOT Repeat Your First Sentence: Your heading should be one of a kind[6]
• Avoid Generic Cliché Words and Jargon: Make your heading unique and different. Give the people what they want![7]
• Be creative! Have fun with your heading, if your press release is light hearted maybe open with some humour

Check out the headings I used for various posts in my blog. I tried to be creative, but still keep to the theme of my writing. Attempt to create a few headings and see which one fits your press release. You can also ask friends and family to give their opinion on what catches their eye. These are some tips that I felt were very helpful for myself and hopefully will be helpful to you as well. One thing I would stress is using keywords. Most of our written material can be found online these days and individuals are constantly using google to search for key words. If you use the right key words, your press release will come to that reader’s attention and with a eye catching heading you can be sure to hook the reader in to read more.

What are some interesting headings from press release’s you have come across?

What was it about those headings that pulled you in?

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[1] PressDoc. (2011, July 25). How to create a #WINNING title for your press release. [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://blog.pressdoc.com/2011/07/how-to-create-a-winning-title-for-your-press-release.html

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid

[6] EzineArticles. (2009, May 7). How To Write The Perfect Press Release – Condensed [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqh0ADRfmvY 

[7] Ibid

Location! Location! Location!

A quick recap, we have covered a couple of components of a press release:

• What are we writing about? What are your 5Ws and 1H?
• Who are we talking to? Who is your target audience?

We have some of the key parts and now we have to put our press release together. One great technique I learned throughout university is organizing and outlining.  I know it seems like a tedious task, but it helps you organize your content and adds structure to whatever you are writing about. Trust me, for a 70 page honours research thesis organizing my content and outlining was the best thing I could have done to make sure all my content was readable and flowed. One thing I learned was that location is so important for the key points you are making. If you had three points to make in your essay your 2nd strongest point would go first, your weakest point next and then close it off with 1st strongest point. For a press release location is very important, but not in that order.

When you are organizing for your press release you want your important information to be first. The truth is your professor or TA might be required to read your entire paper, but your audience might not read your entire press release. So be sure to put your important information in the beginning, followed by your supporting information.

Here are a few helpful tips when outlining your press release:

1. Use Brainstorming Tools: These tools are very helpful in sorting out all your information and grouping important facts and data together. It makes it easier to place your points where they need to go in your press release. There are so many brainstorming tools out there, use the one that works best for you.  
• Cluster Diagrams is a tool presented in the Business Communication Textbook that is commonly use
• Affinity Diagrams are very similar to cluster diagrams, but are more for those Kinesthetic Learners who like to be more hands on. Check out the Inbound Marketing University Blog for more information.
2. Not sure how your press release should look? Check out these examples of press release outlines:
• Press Release Outline: Marketing Scoop
• Follow a standard press release format: AMEinfo.com
3. Put Your Important Information First
• You can read any blog out there or any article on press releases, they all will tell you to put the important information first. However, be sure you keep the audience's attention this will ensure your audience will read your piece right until the end. 

Organizing you information and taking some time outlining your press release or any type of business writing will pay off in the long run. Remember writing is a skill that is learned and practiced, so take your time and invest in your writing.