WRITING TIPS

What can you do to get your press release noticed?

With an ineffective release distribution, you have more to lose than the time it takes to write the press release. The skillful professionals at EWORLDWIRE help you attain success by ensuring your release is delivered direct to editors and writers covering your industry; your release must still have a dynamic headline and enticing, engaging copy to capture their full attention. Our media-savvy writers craft press releases designed to grab the media's attention and initiate a response. We are driven to providing you with extraordinary services. Every release distributed by Eworldwire receives a thorough review before distribution to provide you with a measure of comfort that your release meets the expectations of journalists for appropriate editorial style and formatting. If after you write your own copy, you're still not sure your press release meets the goals below, contact us for an affordable $49 comprehensive release review. Eworldwire's nominal fees for release review are just enough to cover our copywriters' time to read and make suggestions and revisions.

VISUALS.

Knowing that more than 60 percent of journalists are searching for photos to accompany a story, what are you doing to better position your press release when it does reach the hands of the editors? How many times have you stopped to read an advertisement because the picture spoke to you?

Publications are always looking for logos, charts and photos: make these items available for the journalists, either on your site or by some other means.

People are visual. They also like to touch, feel and smell. Studies reflect that the more senses you stimulate, by using pictures, sound or video clips and animation, you increase readers' response rates and reactions - by over 40%. (One of the most obvious places you see this transfer is in online advertising: advertisers have learned that increased click-through rates occur when using animation, and they incorporate it in every successful online advertising campaign.)

Repeat your message. Repeat your message. Repeat your message. Effective marketing campaigns put variations of the same theme in front of the target audience.

Include the most significant points of your release upfront. A strong opening or leading paragraph, the "hook" - contains a concise but strong summary of what your release is about. This is a critical element to your distribution's success. The opening paragraph should answer the who, what, where and why - clearly and quickly. Use the first paragraph to illustrate and emphasize to editors and writers why your release is important to their readers. You may be tempted to provide a history of your company or the industry at the beginning of your release; journalists that are educated about the industry most likely already have this information.

If your release is about a new treatment for the common cold, only send your release to health and medical writers and editors. Avoid spamming your distribution with a general blanket affect- try to avoid headlines such as, "Everyone gets colds so this affects everyone." Sending your release to non-relevant media can work very negatively for you. It can be considered spam and a waste of time, and it discourages the people you want to read your release from reading it. Negative publicity erodes the credibility of your publicity campaign and your reputation.

How does writing for journalists differ from writing for consumers?

In our everyday lives, we are already overburdened by emails, faxes and phone calls - imagine that compounded by being the focal point for people who want to have news written about their products or services.

It's not just important - it's critical to make sure your release provides the information a journalist needs - at the quickest of glances.

Clearly companies you readily recognize the names of are those which have done an effective job with their marketing strategies.

While everyone would like to think their releases are read in their entirety, understand that the first time relevant journalists see your company name, they may not recognize it. Depending on your topic, its timeliness and relationship to other stories, journalists may contact you immediately upon receipt of your release or a period of time may elapse.

The second time may bring recognition of your company's name, product or service. The third or fourth time may elicit curiosity. Maybe thereafter you may receive some type of response.

Receiving results from your marketing efforts and release distribution requires concentrated effort, and that translates into regularly directing releases covering a variety of angles or focus to the media. Repeated sightings of your company name through comprehensive, concentrated efforts over time will develop brand awareness.

Evaluate your release by truly focusing and re-reading what you have written. Ask yourself a few simple questions:

What creates a newsworthy story? Have you answered the who, what, when, where and why?

		Have you received significant recognition in your field?
		Has a member of your company or organization spoken or presented in front of a noteworthy audience, or been mentioned in a book or article?
		Have you testified as an expert witness at a trial or been involved in legislation?
		Are you running for office, not just politically for government but for a civic or business organization such as the local Chamber of Commerce or the National Association of Women Business Owners?
		Has your business or organization won an award or contest or been granted ISO 9000 certification?

		Do you offer an apprenticeship or internship to local students?
		Do you have a unique product or service, or do you have a unique way of selling it? Would most people agree it's unique?
		Have you got a great testimonial to tell?
		Do you offer free advice or a low- cost service to the public?
		Are you opening a new physical or virtual branch location or launching a website?
		Is the release really news worthy?
		If I were a reporter, would I find some intrinsic value in this?
		Would my readers and Editor or even Publisher think this is a valuable use of my time and effort?
		Is this what my readers will be interested in?

Does your release sound like marketing hype or as if you are trying to sell something?

Of course, your primary goal may be to sell your product or service, or to bring attention to your group or organization - but does your release sound more like a radio commercial than a news story?

Experienced journalists can identify that your release is a sales piece intended to garner new customers. Distributing a release along those lines can do more harm than good - well into the future. With subsequent releases, your company is likely to be ignored, even if the next release is truly news worthy.

		Would a press release be valuable if it contained information about a half price sale that you are having, or would it be more appropriate as a release about a new product you have developed that will save people time, affect their health or make life easier?
		Do you have any community value that you can tell about?
		Does your release include something good that was accomplished for the community by your expansion?
		What is the timeliness of your release? Is there a pending date, as with a scheduled event, or is it an ongoing activity, service or offering?
		Is this a one-time offer?

Take the time to think about the news articles about businesses you read daily. Notice how the articles include information about how the business will help the community.

Business news almost always includes a focus on the positive and beneficial elements the community will receive. Look through today's edition of your local newspaper and you will most certainly note articles about new shopping centers, factory expansions or business relocations mentioning how many new jobs will be created.

In the same token, major layoffs also make the news. This is all news that affects people, their families and the communities that we live in.

How can the media contact you?

If you met a potential employer for the first time, would you forgo providing that person with your resume?

Make sure this critical, key information is in your release. Provide as many avenues as possible for journalists to contact you or research information about your company as possible.

Releases need more than a daytime phone number.

WEB SITE ACCESSIBILITY.

The media is using the Internet more or just as much as other sources for news and information.

If you don't have a Web site, use the complimentary features that come with your account activiation - post your company's background and information, including your logo, on the EWORLDWIRE site in your Online Newsroom - an easy, affordable way to make your information available to the media at all times. Your HTML press release posting address and Online Newsroom, if included in your distribution option, is clearly identified with every release you send out.

If you do have a Web site, remember journalists may be looking for more information about your company and its background - not what your special of the month is. Don't forget to include details about your company in your Online Newsroom in the form of a brief two or three sentence summary.

USING A "HOOK".

Include the most salient points of your release upfront. A strong opening or leading paragraph, the "hook" - contains a concise but strong summary of what your release is about. This is a critical element to your distribution's success. The opening paragraph should answer the who, what, where and why - clearly and quickly.

Use the first paragraph to illustrate and emphasize to editors and writers why your release is important to their readers.

You may be tempted to provide a history of your company or the industry at the beginning of your release; the media covering your industry most likely already has this information.

TARGET.

If your release is about a new treatment for the common cold, only send your release to health and medical writers and editors.

Avoid sending your release to non-relevant media, trying to justify sending your release to them with statements like,  "Everyone gets colds so this affects everyone." Sending your release to non-relevant media can work very negatively for you. It can be considered spam and a waste of time, and it discourages the people you want to read your release from reading it. Negative publicity erodes the credibility of your publicity campaign and your reputation.

What does your headline say?
Write a headline that gets to the point and includes your company name. A focused headline leads journalists to read on. A vague or confusing headline is most likely to direct your release to the nearest recycle bin.

Avoid marketing hype. That bears repeating: AVOID MARKETING HYPE.

Avoid lengthy releases. Include the material that's needed to make your point and leave out the rest. Journalists don't have the time to read volumes about your company and may ignore those releases. Be concise, direct and to the point. If they want more information, they will contact you.

Are you sure you want to spend your valuable time writing a release that may leave out critical points and information, aside from keeping you from conducting your business? Contact us for more information about copywriting service options - either writing your release in whole or in part, or in conducting a comprehensive review.  

Call us today at 888.546.NEWS (6397), chat with us online, write us at info@EWORLDWIRE.com or complete our online inquiry form to find out more about how EWORLDWIRE can help you meet your goals for relevant media contact.

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