This document provides guidance on writing effective press releases. It begins by explaining what a press release is - a concise one-page article used to announce new information about a business, organization, product or service. It then details the standardized format for press releases, which includes sections for contact information, a headline, body paragraphs with pertinent facts and background, and a closing. The document emphasizes finding a newsworthy "angle" by thinking like a reporter and focusing on quantifiable achievements rather than promotional language. It also stresses following up respectfully with editors after submitting a release.
Tippie MBA Marketing Academy Guest LectureLydia Fine
These are the slides from my guest lecture at the Tippie Full-time MBA Marketing Academy session on December 1, 2011. Contact Lydia Fine at lydia-fine@uiowa.edu with questions or clarifications. Please cite Lydia Fine, University of Iowa as your source if you reuse any of this material.
Community Development Network recently released the 2014 industry snapshot. To help support groups to make the case for community development, a variety of communication strategies will be outlined related to crafting, controlling, and connecting messages. This offers tips for collaboration and connecting the dots within an organization's own communication strategy. #StrongerCommunitiesMD
These are the slides from our November 18, 2009 webinar with Mark Farmer of webness.biz.
This is an introduction to using social media for your organization using the (hypothetical) case study of Harvey Milk. How would he have used social if he were campaigning today? What kind of challenges would he face? Find out today!
The Revolution will not be Televised...but if you're lucky, it'll be memed.Tara Hunt
I gave this presentation at CTAM Canada's annual gathering at Corus HQ in Toronto on June 20th. I think it's safe to say that it was a bit...um...controversial.
In order to prepare for this talk, I poured over mutiple reports and studies about the state of the Canadian Media and Entertainment industry. These reports included a lot of hand-wringing over online and American VOD services (Neflix, etc), but really discounted "User-Uploaded Video" (or "User-Generated Content") as largely irrelevant (except for the CRTC, who seems to want to regulate and tax creators).
So...that's what I focused on in here: UGC, including Creators (and online influencers), remix/mashup culture, stans/super fans, and social media content in general.
Three points where I think the audience winced:
1. with the enormous growth in available content, we are seeing a huge appetite for diverse stories - we don't need any more content aimed at white people.
2. the biggest competitors for attention are your own audience, who are no longer "consumers"...they are creators. And there are many of them and growing.
3. stop worrying about people stealing your content. Content isn't where the value lies. Attention is where the value lies. You should be encouraging them to steal! It's free marketing!
I guess I can understand why my message was a little controversial, but I want to help, not hurt.
Tippie MBA Marketing Academy Guest LectureLydia Fine
These are the slides from my guest lecture at the Tippie Full-time MBA Marketing Academy session on December 1, 2011. Contact Lydia Fine at lydia-fine@uiowa.edu with questions or clarifications. Please cite Lydia Fine, University of Iowa as your source if you reuse any of this material.
Community Development Network recently released the 2014 industry snapshot. To help support groups to make the case for community development, a variety of communication strategies will be outlined related to crafting, controlling, and connecting messages. This offers tips for collaboration and connecting the dots within an organization's own communication strategy. #StrongerCommunitiesMD
These are the slides from our November 18, 2009 webinar with Mark Farmer of webness.biz.
This is an introduction to using social media for your organization using the (hypothetical) case study of Harvey Milk. How would he have used social if he were campaigning today? What kind of challenges would he face? Find out today!
The Revolution will not be Televised...but if you're lucky, it'll be memed.Tara Hunt
I gave this presentation at CTAM Canada's annual gathering at Corus HQ in Toronto on June 20th. I think it's safe to say that it was a bit...um...controversial.
In order to prepare for this talk, I poured over mutiple reports and studies about the state of the Canadian Media and Entertainment industry. These reports included a lot of hand-wringing over online and American VOD services (Neflix, etc), but really discounted "User-Uploaded Video" (or "User-Generated Content") as largely irrelevant (except for the CRTC, who seems to want to regulate and tax creators).
So...that's what I focused on in here: UGC, including Creators (and online influencers), remix/mashup culture, stans/super fans, and social media content in general.
Three points where I think the audience winced:
1. with the enormous growth in available content, we are seeing a huge appetite for diverse stories - we don't need any more content aimed at white people.
2. the biggest competitors for attention are your own audience, who are no longer "consumers"...they are creators. And there are many of them and growing.
3. stop worrying about people stealing your content. Content isn't where the value lies. Attention is where the value lies. You should be encouraging them to steal! It's free marketing!
I guess I can understand why my message was a little controversial, but I want to help, not hurt.
New Media Means Everybody's a Journalist, Critic, Friend - Why Healthcare Sho...Jen McCabe
Presentation at BIO 2009, Atlanta, GA:
"Spreading the Word - New Media Means Everybody's a Journalist"
Co-presenters for the panel included:
@brianreid
@pharmalot
@shwen
We all know that, thanks to technology, everything about everything is changing. You can pick up a million other books to describe the surface of those changes, or to wax poetic on what the changes might/maybe/could possibly mean. Most people still associate social with marketing when, in reality, it's much more than that. Social is... well, social. The way in which relate to one another and that affects business, leadership, and even your career.
This deck (co-created with the amazing Tara Hunt) is meant to complement the book, which was first published September 2012 (and named by Fast Company as a best business book of 2012).
It offers a clear breakdown of what the Social Era means now, and how best to take advantage of its benefits in the near and distant future. Each of us need to challenge traditional thinking and it helps if we use examples to show others what "future" (actually, present) looks like.
Every day brands create content with the hopes that it will "go viral". The prospect of a massive amount of earned media (i.e. free impressions) is provocative, but how realistic is it? In order to create content that people will share we must understand certain undeniable truths that are grounded in who we are as humans and how we interact with each other.
This presentation will uncover why, how, and when people share using psychological, neurological, and biological truths. I will then apply these truths to a simple set of principles that will help improve the likelihood that the content you are creating is more sharable. It might not go viral, but more people will see it.
See video from Austin here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twe5KL84BCY
How to tell your story in noisy digital worldRichard Meyer
The incredible brand awareness and bottom-line profits achievable through social media marketing require hustle, heart, sincerity, constant engagement, long-term commitment, and most of all, artful and strategic storytelling.
You Gotta Have Personality: how to connect to today’s customer with videoTara Hunt
Delivered at Digital Crossroads in Louisville, Kentucky on October 21, 2016. The core thesis of my presentation is that video is accessible for those who care about their audience (not for those who want a quick win) and, if you care, you should be making video...but only if you are committed to Hub content.
Channels featured:
https://www.youtube.com/l2inc
https://www.youtube.com/blendtec
https://www.youtube.com/user/Vidlers510
https://www.youtube.com/justinbendercpm (just launched)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYxXNXA0npMEZ7xY74Bq9KA (launching soon)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Ld0jjEoyc5J3hfdrZVJlw (launching soon)
Podcast Creator:
http://www.joangarry.com/
Articles/Resources:
http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/youtubers-teen-survey-ksi-pewdiepie-1201544882/
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2016_B2B_Report_Final.pdf (lots of stats)
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-gb/research-studies/youtube-brand-playbook.html
2016 was a ‘meme-ntous’ year. Memes saw people round the world pretend to be mannequins, they impacted the US presidential election, and nearly led the UK government to name a ship “Boaty McBoatface”.
Memes are nothing new: they have been a staple of culture and communications for thousands of years. What is new is the speed with which memes are created, adapted, and spread around the world via social media.
Today, Internet memes are being used to great effect by brands, third-sector organisations and political movements (from the “alt-right” to their far-left alternatives). Opportunities abound for entities who use them well. If you work in communications you need to understand where Internet memes come from, how they work, and how you can use them. This report answers those questions. Enjoy it and get in touch with queries.
How Nonprofits Should Adapt Their Social Media Strategy in 2020 - UMass Lowel...Julia Campbell
What we cover in this workshop:
The key changes in the current social media landscape that affect nonprofits.
The three seismic shifts affecting donor behavior and preferences in the social media age.
How to get started creating a social media strategy for your nonprofit.
Tools and apps for social media management and content creation.
You have something to say
Making yourself heard is a necessary component to success.
But where, to who, and how you will say it may elude you.
If only someone could give you a few pointers.
Allyson Kapin, founder of Women Who Tech, principal at the Rad Campaign and lead blogger at Frogloop, shares tips about how to become a social media/nonprofit rockstar through the lens of becoming a kick ass punk band. She shares tips to becoming a sought after expert on social media, online organizing, digital strategy, online fundraising and general nonprofit tech geekery.
Next-generation storytelling has arrived—and what we call content tomorrow might look vastly different than what your team has gotten a handle on creating today. We’ll dive into how brands are adapting to new forms of content consumption, whether that’s emojis, live-streams, memes, Virtual Reality, or drones.
How to Use Guerrilla Marketing to Grow your Deal Site, Build your Subscriber Base, Increase Your Numbers, and Run a Better Operation. By http://dailydealbuilder.com.
The internet is weird, transparent, and drastically changing the behavior patterns of hundreds of million of humans on earth. The way information spreads and is consumed is insane. The internet has drastically altered the way we shop, communicate, operate business, and learn. I believe 2013 is the year of the Hashtag "#" and the implications and opportunities are enormous for us as both business owners and consumers.
Questions, Comments, Support, or to set up a Demo, email: support@hcdesk.com.
Thanks,
Marc Horne
http://dailydealbuilder.com
Presented at Mind the Product Conference in London, UK (Sep 27, 2013), I knew this was going to be a hard sell. Often marketers and product managers don't "get along". I wanted to present marketing as part of the product as well as a necessity even for great products.
Couldn’t make it to SxSW Interactive this year? Don’t worry, the Social Media Club of Fort Worth has you covered! For our April speaker event, several SMCFW members who attended SxSW served as the presenters. Each speaker took five minutes to give their own mini presentation and talk to the group about their favorite SxSW session, speaker or conference experience.
The Social Retailer: what ‘social’ means for the future of commerceTara Hunt
Most retailers are having a tough enough time keeping their inventory fresh and up to date, let alone trying to figure out how to leverage the newest, latest, greatest social platform for reaching potential customers. The good news is that leveraging the social web isn't about hopping on the newest, latest, greatest social platform. It's about thinking about your business - internally and externally - as a social organization. And what does that mean? Tara Hunt, one of the pioneers of the social web will talk about how to become a social organization without having to keep up with Twitter and how harnessing the innate socialness of the web can help you connect with your customers and build your business.
You’re not special. Almost all businesses are online marketing these days—everyone tweets, posts to social networks, and blogs. What you’re doing now is not enough to make your business stand out.
Forget what all the self-proclaimed “social media gurus” are telling you. Being active on social media and being successful in social commerce are not the same things. Simply getting a bunch of followers or Likes doesn’t cut it anymore. In this session, award-winning digital media strategist John Lawson gives you a straight-shooting, no-holds-barred guide to social commerce. In other words, he shows you how to make money online using social media.
What you will learn:
--How to create a social marketing business plan using a simple, effective template, a proven blueprint for all stages of marketing—from start-up to empire.
--The importance of crafting messages for individual consumers and sharing them in real time to engage and convert.
--Employing the best social commerce strategy for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the hottest new social media sites.
--Expertly leveraging features such as Likes, Retweets, Follows, Shares, and Reposts
--How to building a thriving social based marketing strategy and keeping it vibrant and growing
The Future of Influence - how the audience, content + media is changing how a...Tara Hunt
In my November 2016 presentation at Ciudad de la Ideas in Mexico, I made the argument that though we are still influenced by the same fundamental things, the way they present themselves is very different. My talk is also up on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF2ZbO0bMok&t=25s
New Media Means Everybody's a Journalist, Critic, Friend - Why Healthcare Sho...Jen McCabe
Presentation at BIO 2009, Atlanta, GA:
"Spreading the Word - New Media Means Everybody's a Journalist"
Co-presenters for the panel included:
@brianreid
@pharmalot
@shwen
We all know that, thanks to technology, everything about everything is changing. You can pick up a million other books to describe the surface of those changes, or to wax poetic on what the changes might/maybe/could possibly mean. Most people still associate social with marketing when, in reality, it's much more than that. Social is... well, social. The way in which relate to one another and that affects business, leadership, and even your career.
This deck (co-created with the amazing Tara Hunt) is meant to complement the book, which was first published September 2012 (and named by Fast Company as a best business book of 2012).
It offers a clear breakdown of what the Social Era means now, and how best to take advantage of its benefits in the near and distant future. Each of us need to challenge traditional thinking and it helps if we use examples to show others what "future" (actually, present) looks like.
Every day brands create content with the hopes that it will "go viral". The prospect of a massive amount of earned media (i.e. free impressions) is provocative, but how realistic is it? In order to create content that people will share we must understand certain undeniable truths that are grounded in who we are as humans and how we interact with each other.
This presentation will uncover why, how, and when people share using psychological, neurological, and biological truths. I will then apply these truths to a simple set of principles that will help improve the likelihood that the content you are creating is more sharable. It might not go viral, but more people will see it.
See video from Austin here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twe5KL84BCY
How to tell your story in noisy digital worldRichard Meyer
The incredible brand awareness and bottom-line profits achievable through social media marketing require hustle, heart, sincerity, constant engagement, long-term commitment, and most of all, artful and strategic storytelling.
You Gotta Have Personality: how to connect to today’s customer with videoTara Hunt
Delivered at Digital Crossroads in Louisville, Kentucky on October 21, 2016. The core thesis of my presentation is that video is accessible for those who care about their audience (not for those who want a quick win) and, if you care, you should be making video...but only if you are committed to Hub content.
Channels featured:
https://www.youtube.com/l2inc
https://www.youtube.com/blendtec
https://www.youtube.com/user/Vidlers510
https://www.youtube.com/justinbendercpm (just launched)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYxXNXA0npMEZ7xY74Bq9KA (launching soon)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Ld0jjEoyc5J3hfdrZVJlw (launching soon)
Podcast Creator:
http://www.joangarry.com/
Articles/Resources:
http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/youtubers-teen-survey-ksi-pewdiepie-1201544882/
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2016_B2B_Report_Final.pdf (lots of stats)
https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-gb/research-studies/youtube-brand-playbook.html
2016 was a ‘meme-ntous’ year. Memes saw people round the world pretend to be mannequins, they impacted the US presidential election, and nearly led the UK government to name a ship “Boaty McBoatface”.
Memes are nothing new: they have been a staple of culture and communications for thousands of years. What is new is the speed with which memes are created, adapted, and spread around the world via social media.
Today, Internet memes are being used to great effect by brands, third-sector organisations and political movements (from the “alt-right” to their far-left alternatives). Opportunities abound for entities who use them well. If you work in communications you need to understand where Internet memes come from, how they work, and how you can use them. This report answers those questions. Enjoy it and get in touch with queries.
How Nonprofits Should Adapt Their Social Media Strategy in 2020 - UMass Lowel...Julia Campbell
What we cover in this workshop:
The key changes in the current social media landscape that affect nonprofits.
The three seismic shifts affecting donor behavior and preferences in the social media age.
How to get started creating a social media strategy for your nonprofit.
Tools and apps for social media management and content creation.
You have something to say
Making yourself heard is a necessary component to success.
But where, to who, and how you will say it may elude you.
If only someone could give you a few pointers.
Allyson Kapin, founder of Women Who Tech, principal at the Rad Campaign and lead blogger at Frogloop, shares tips about how to become a social media/nonprofit rockstar through the lens of becoming a kick ass punk band. She shares tips to becoming a sought after expert on social media, online organizing, digital strategy, online fundraising and general nonprofit tech geekery.
Next-generation storytelling has arrived—and what we call content tomorrow might look vastly different than what your team has gotten a handle on creating today. We’ll dive into how brands are adapting to new forms of content consumption, whether that’s emojis, live-streams, memes, Virtual Reality, or drones.
How to Use Guerrilla Marketing to Grow your Deal Site, Build your Subscriber Base, Increase Your Numbers, and Run a Better Operation. By http://dailydealbuilder.com.
The internet is weird, transparent, and drastically changing the behavior patterns of hundreds of million of humans on earth. The way information spreads and is consumed is insane. The internet has drastically altered the way we shop, communicate, operate business, and learn. I believe 2013 is the year of the Hashtag "#" and the implications and opportunities are enormous for us as both business owners and consumers.
Questions, Comments, Support, or to set up a Demo, email: support@hcdesk.com.
Thanks,
Marc Horne
http://dailydealbuilder.com
Presented at Mind the Product Conference in London, UK (Sep 27, 2013), I knew this was going to be a hard sell. Often marketers and product managers don't "get along". I wanted to present marketing as part of the product as well as a necessity even for great products.
Couldn’t make it to SxSW Interactive this year? Don’t worry, the Social Media Club of Fort Worth has you covered! For our April speaker event, several SMCFW members who attended SxSW served as the presenters. Each speaker took five minutes to give their own mini presentation and talk to the group about their favorite SxSW session, speaker or conference experience.
The Social Retailer: what ‘social’ means for the future of commerceTara Hunt
Most retailers are having a tough enough time keeping their inventory fresh and up to date, let alone trying to figure out how to leverage the newest, latest, greatest social platform for reaching potential customers. The good news is that leveraging the social web isn't about hopping on the newest, latest, greatest social platform. It's about thinking about your business - internally and externally - as a social organization. And what does that mean? Tara Hunt, one of the pioneers of the social web will talk about how to become a social organization without having to keep up with Twitter and how harnessing the innate socialness of the web can help you connect with your customers and build your business.
You’re not special. Almost all businesses are online marketing these days—everyone tweets, posts to social networks, and blogs. What you’re doing now is not enough to make your business stand out.
Forget what all the self-proclaimed “social media gurus” are telling you. Being active on social media and being successful in social commerce are not the same things. Simply getting a bunch of followers or Likes doesn’t cut it anymore. In this session, award-winning digital media strategist John Lawson gives you a straight-shooting, no-holds-barred guide to social commerce. In other words, he shows you how to make money online using social media.
What you will learn:
--How to create a social marketing business plan using a simple, effective template, a proven blueprint for all stages of marketing—from start-up to empire.
--The importance of crafting messages for individual consumers and sharing them in real time to engage and convert.
--Employing the best social commerce strategy for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and the hottest new social media sites.
--Expertly leveraging features such as Likes, Retweets, Follows, Shares, and Reposts
--How to building a thriving social based marketing strategy and keeping it vibrant and growing
The Future of Influence - how the audience, content + media is changing how a...Tara Hunt
In my November 2016 presentation at Ciudad de la Ideas in Mexico, I made the argument that though we are still influenced by the same fundamental things, the way they present themselves is very different. My talk is also up on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MF2ZbO0bMok&t=25s
This is my research summary and insights of the TV cabinet showing that the TV unit has a reason to fight and exist in this epic war between On the Cabinet VS The Wall mount look for the television
Benedict Evans, consultant with media and technology analyst firm Enders Analysis, talks about the fundamental shift in internet use to mobile and tablets and the ways in which that disrupts publishers.
Reporting research and advisory services firm FutureValue confers the Strategic Reporting Index Accolades to UK listed companies for the quality of strategy-related content in the narrative sections of their 2012 Annual Reports.
Over the last six years FutureValue has gifted its Index rankings annually for the 'strategic value" in corporate reporting awards. The 2012 Awards included a host of star achievers. In this year of impending major narrative reporting change FutureValue is pleased to join with Communicate for the first time to confer this seventh set of honours based on its Strategic Reporting Index
Let's Give 'em Something to Talk About: Get Covered by the MediaFLBlogCon
Jenn Ross of DajenEats.com explains how to get your brand covered by the local and national media. To see all of our speakers from 2018, go to FloridaBlogCon.com.
Podcasting, Internet Radio, You-Nique Branding and YOU!
by Butch Grimes
Presentation made to the National Associaition of Real Estate Professionals in Montego Bay Jamaica on Branding YOU!
The presentation covers all the elements to creating a you-nique podcast and internet radio show to empower and build educational ambassador status in the real estate community.
The presenetation covers all elements to build a brand. From show topics to social networking.
Be YOUNIQUE, "Be Informed, Not Surprised".
Whether you’re taking over a community asset, drawing up your neighbourhood plan or helping to reshape public services, drawing attention to your project through your local newspaper, radio station or television network can help you gain support from your community and influence decision-makers.
This guide and press release template will help you engage local journalists so they cover your story, giving your project a publicity boost.
Jonathan Marks is a “near futurist” examining emerging technology to see how it affects storytelling in the next 3-5 years.
Sharing these ideas with others passionate about building conversations - for good and for business.
Help companies look sideways. Breaking through preconceptions we have of Europe.
This is Jonathan's presentation during the Open Lecture session of AgroDesign's Brand it! event in Detrop & Oenos 2015 expo, Thessaloniki, Greece
Find out more about AgroDesign here: http://www.agro-design.net/
Find out more about Jonathan Marks here: http://www.jonathanmarks.com/
At The Wilbert Group, we are (at least) as good as any PR firm anywhere at media relations. In late 2014, we committed to also building the industry-leading program to amplify media hits on social and digital channels. In other words, how do we most strategically promote a client story in the AJC or the WSJ or on CNN?
Any PR person can slap a link on Twitter. But a more sophisticated approach generates way better results.
We have spent months analyzing what we were already doing to amplify hits, thinking deeply about how to drive bottom-line value to clients, building partnerships with the smartest digital firms out there, testing out tools and measuring results.
And at last, we are ready to introduce our own proprietary program called Wilbert Amplify. We’ll be sharing it with clients during the next few months and would love your feedback too.
We’ve always been great at telling client stories. Now we can tell them even LOUDER.
“Hashtag” was considered the 2012 Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society, but I firmly believe that 2013 is really the year of the hashtag. We’ve watched as Twitter popularized the term, and since then Facebook, Google +, Instagram, Flickr, Tout, and Tumblr all utilize hashtag capability and users are continuing to jump on the hashtag bandwagon.
The internet is weird, transparent, and drastically changing the behavior patterns of hundreds of million of humans on earth.
The way information spreads and is consumed is insane. The internet has drastically altered the way we shop, communicate, operate business, and learn. I believe 2013 is the year of the Hashtag “#” and the implications and opportunities are enormous for us as both business owners and consumers.
It is very easy to ride trends and waves on the internet. Attention spans seem to continually get shorter, making engagement an absolute critical factor to your marketing mix.
Building Trust Within Communities Through StorytellingBrian Huonker
Traditional communication channels are becoming ineffective in capturing and engaging the attention of today’s perpetually connected community residents. This, in turn, is making it increasingly difficult to communicate with them, to keep the community informed on upcoming elections, filing deadlines, fee increases, as well as changes in policies and ordinances. Additionally, today’s “fake news” generation does not trust information from traditional channels, only 6% of millennials consider traditional communications even to be credible. Today's municipalities must adapt their communication strategies in an effort to be heard in the face of the consumers’ rapidly changing media consumption landscape. To get out ahead of traditional media channels with the facts. And most importantly, become the trusted source of information within their communities.
In this session, you will learn
How to identify a topic to write about from the questions your community is asking but not talking to you about.
Strategies for transforming those topics into informational and persuasive “storified” content.
How to utilize those stories in blogs, infographics, social media posts, and videos that connect with the community and ensures they are informed
How to deliver those stories through a content marketing strategy that builds mindful scheduling habits.
Discover tracking methods to understand which stories, types of content are being read by your communities and use that information to develop future stories.
Through strategic, engaging content, you can stay connected with your community to keep them informed on your ever-changing community. Build a trusted relationship with them to ensure your messages are received and understood. And become an unmistakable and essential community partner in their eyes.
BRAND STRATEGY OVERVIEW: KICKER a Digital Media Start UpAnn Odell
Kicker is a digital explainer news platform for people who care about what's happening in the world & need to get up to speed quickly. The snapshot approach to what really matters today includes multi-media context & the back story for why it matters.
My role was Marketing Strategist, joining in it's second year of operation to guide cohesion through research, insights, content creation, design & implementation to help drive greater brand awareness, grow partnership networks & financial sustainability.
My approach included:
- missing research: user/non-user data, competitor, industry, influencers
- communications audit
- data interpretation
- competitive analysis
- persona development
- holistic strategy identifying user-acquisition priorities
- key message development
- voice-tone & design integration of all digital channels
- guiding branded content development
- facebook ad campaigns
- pitch development for sponsorship funding & advisory board
- program development for student campus reps network
Kicker's audience is 66% Millennial.
Effective advocacy not only includes working with elected officials, but also involves strategic interaction with the media and the public. This session is broken down into two sections. The first half of the training will focus on the tricks of the trade for effective media relations, including understanding the different types of media outlets, developing effective letters to the editor campaigns, and techniques for pitching local and statewide media to help gain increased coverage for your organization and its advocacy priorities. During the second half, the session presenters will talk about the use of social media and how to effectively use such mediums for advocacy with legislators, the media, and the general public.
2. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
Death by Press Release:
Gaining Killer Publicity
How to Write a Press Release that Gets Attention
by Amy B. Perrault
As the creator + editor of Life of Josie M. | Design. Fashion. Life,
adjunct business professor, veteran strategist and big idea lover,
Amy B. Perrault has spent close to twenty years empowering small
businesses, healthcare, non-profit organizations, luxury residential
realtors, and institutional investing brands. Her integrated marketing FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
communications approach fuses strategic planning, data collection @AmyBPerrault
via qualitative research and quantitative metrics with award-winning
collateral and outside-the-box creative applications.
www.LifeofJosieM.com | Share this!
3. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
Who should use this eBook?
Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity,
How to Write a Press Release that Gets Attention
includes step-by-step instructions on how to get started
with the basics of publicity and fundamentals of writing
for local editors, national reporters, newswire distributions
and social media outlets.
This eBook is perfect for anyone:
• Starting a new business
• Launching an a product or service
• With newly-acquired marketing responsibilities
• Wanting to cross off “Learn something new today”
on their bucket list
www.LifeofJosieM.com | Share this!
4. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
Let’s get one thing straight – I hate writing press releases.
It has been the bane of my marketing existence for the last
seventeen years.
“ 53% ofget their news
adults
all American
online. That is about
But what has been the most effective tool in synthesizing 71% of all internet
down of a brick of information into a 30-second elevator
pitch, creating a solid foundation for a sales presentations
and, more importantly, gaining the already over-stimulated
users.
” PewInternet.org
attention of reporters and media outlets?
You guessed it – the press release.
In order to effectively reach and get published by local
editors, national reporters, newswire distributions + social
media outlets, you need to contact them in the manner and
format they wish – electronically delivered killer content
prepared in the standard industry format.
www.LifeofJosieM.com | Share this!
5. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
What exactly is a press release?
A press release is concise, one-page article, written in third
person, used to announce new information, new facts or
?
milestones of you, your organization, product or service to a
specific individual or group to be distributed to a specific,
targeted or mass audience. With love at first headline, a
press release needs to grab attention and give brief but
pertinent information [the ole’ 5 Ws: who, what, where,
when and why].
WARNING: Press releases have had an unwavering,
time-tested standardized format passed down through
generations of Lois Lanes and Clark Kents. DO NOT attempt
to customize, extend the length or further change the format
thinking you will get noticed faster. You will only end up
deleted faster. Trust me. I’ve tried it.
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6. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
What is the standardized format?
TOP
• Using letterhead, make sure contact information
is complete + visible. Most important: contact
name, title, phone number and email. Social media
freak? Try including your social accounts as well
like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
• Add “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” [yes, in all caps]
at the top. You never know who is the first email
gatekeeper at news sources – Intern? Reporter?
Editor? The guy with the red stapler down the hall?
– I always put my label in a different color so no
matter who is overseeing, my press release will
stand out.
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7. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
HEADLINE
• Be a tease. Use a short and catchy headline that
includes you a compelling fact or news item.
BODY
• Start with the city of origin [all caps].
• In the lead paragraph, put your best foot
forward – summarize your most pertinent facts
and findings.
• In the second paragraph, give a brief history of
your subject, product of service.
• In the third paragraph, personalize your
message with a quote or testimonial from a human
involved, adding clout and credentials.
• In the fourth paragraph, add contact
information, costs/entrance fees, and purchase
specifics.
• The final paragraph is always your boilerplate
statement or mission statement.
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8. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
BOTTOM
• Add # # #, at the bottom of the press release to
designate the end of the news piece. [-30- can be
used as well. And no, I have yet to discover what
the symbols actually mean.]
Each paragraph should be no longer than two to
three brief sentences. Remember, journalist – and
the random guy with the red stapler down the hall
– want to read a story, not an advertisement, so
avoid repetition, use of fancy-pants language +
insider jargon.
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9. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
I memorized the format. Now what?
Most of us are too hardwired into our own little universe to
look at our business/product/service truly objectively to
create a newsworthy story.
Editors, reporters and news sources alike, all do the
same little dance when they see flackery, super hyperbole
and pure ridiculousness coming from a mile away –
they hit the DELETE button.
This means, you need to think like a reporter – you need to
develop an angle.
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10. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
What’s my angle? And how do I find it?
The sad and harsh truth is, the news world is not warm + fuzzy
with puppies being swaddled by babies at the bottom of
rainbows with Sarah McLachlan playing in the background.
The news world is matter-of-fact, cut-and-dry,
I-have-2.2 seconds, tell-me-something-I-haven’t-heard-before,
with the score from Network playing in the background.
In order to find an angle, you have to step back to gain a
newsworthy perspective.
Ask yourself: Why? How? And then, Why? again.
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11. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
! !
Ideas that won’t fly:
• “Low prices guaranteed!”
No dice – too common, too promotional, NOT news.
• “Always great service!”
No dice – ditto.
• “Wide selection of….”
No dice – double ditto.
• “We are THE best EVER.”
No dice – triple dog ditto!
• “Our three volunteers volunteered today!”
Getting snarkilicous for a moment because I hear this
!
frequently. Volunteers are suppose to volunteer, again,
no dice – too common, too promotional, NOT news.
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12. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
Getting warmer:
• “We offer specialized weight-loss formulas and diabetic
cookbooks.”
Inside stuff – decent topic, but can you dig deeper
and build a solid news piece?
Now you’re cooking with gas:
• “We specialize in 30-minute meal cookbooks with weekly
cooking classes for teens and adults with diabetes.”
Ah ha! – Now you’re standing out a bit.
• “Our three volunteers cured cancer today!”
STOP THE PRESSES! – Ask yourself, what did our volunteers
accomplish this month? Season? Year? Can you quantity
anything? “Served a record of over 500 families at the local
soup kitchen, the highest to date.”
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13. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
Snarkiness aside, the last demonstrates the gulf between
what you see as worthy of publication and what the news
world sees as worthy of publication.
Remember to think:
• Numbers, stats, anything to quantify your endeavors
• Rockstars! Is there a client, donor, community member
with some clout willing to give testimonial on your
behalf?
• Photos! Do you have a non-fuzzy, high-resolution photo
to attach with captions to further showcase my news
piece?
• Ditch the box! Are you the only one – in the local area,
region, world, universe – that is doing what you’re doing?
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14. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
I submitted my press release. Now what?
Here are two of the most important etiquette nuggets to help
you get the most out of working with the news world:
ONE
Email, DO NOT CALL, the contact name you used. Don’t be
that guy – “Hi. I’m just calling to see if you received my
emailed press release I sent 21 seconds ago.”
PLEASE NOTE: A news person is NOT going to alert you to tell
you your piece was published. You need to follow up by
reading their publication.
I follow up three to four days after submittal, and like to
include in my subject line, “FOLLOW UP” with the title of
my original email.
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15. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
TWO
Plan your submission around the news person’s and
publication’s deadlines. Do your research, all media outlets
have deadlines posted in their publications and on their
websites. Since online media is continually updated, plan
ahead – email ahead an inquire about deadlines or submit one
to two weeks ahead to ensure publication.
PLEASE NOTE: Do not suggest placement for where you think
your news piece should go within the publication. You have NO
control over placement, UNLESS YOU PURCHASE SPACE.
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16. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
Checklist
Do you have the format handy for reference?
What is your angle? What makes you stand out from the rest?
List your target publication(s). What are their deadlines?
List your target contacts.
Do you have all dates?
Do you have all places?
Do you have all costs/prices/fees listed?
Do you have any statistics, rockstar quotes/testimonials to add?
Do you have a non-fuzzy, high resolution photo to attach?
Do you have a caption to include with the photo?
Did you include your boilerplate?
Did you spellcheck and proofread all names, titles, dates, etc.?
Did you submit your press release in a timely manner?
Did you follow up appropriately?
What were your results? Did you get published?
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17. Death by Press Release: Gaining Killer Publicity
The beauty of a press release is its’ super efficiency [if you’re a
one woman show, you’ll appreciate the time saved by as a
multipurpose tool]:
• Use in press and sales kits
• Use as an elevator pitch
• Post as current news on website
• Post as blog post
• Post both website and blog links as social media bites
Easy peasy, right?
The only redeeming quality of writing press releases – well,
beyond the fact that they work – is once you write one and
submit it, you have mastered the format and process.
Are press releases still the bane
of my marketing existence?
UGH, yes. They’re like cockroaches and Kardashians
— not even a nuclear explosion would exterminate them.
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