Slide Show used in workshop entitled Writing the Modern Press Release. Discussed: Adapting your message for modern media, tailoring messages for markets, developing your own distribution channels, networking with bloggers and social media, various forms of content.

1. Welcome to
Writing the
Modern
Press Release

2. Journalism-University of Pittsburgh
Magazine News Editor
Stringer-Somerset Daily American
Publications Manager-Nonprofit
Self-Employed In Publishing since 1978
GotwaldCreation
Blog 2x2virtualchurch.com
Content editor for several companies
Judith Gotwald

3. What About You?
• What are your objectives
in attending
this workshop?
Tell Us About Yourself
?

4. How We
Communicate
Changes

6. Today’s World Has Many More Communication Options.
This baby holds in his
hands more power to
communicate than the
entire staff of
worldwide network
TELEVISION
20 years ago.

7. AND They Keep Changing!
Today’s World Has Many More Communication Options.
This baby holds in his
hands more power to
communicate than the
entire staff of
worldwide network
TELEVISION
20 years ago.

9. • Expensive
• Few choices
• Competitive
• Hard to Target
• Hard to Track/Measure
• Never Guarantees
Old Ways

10. New Ways
• FAR LESS expensive
per impression
• EASY to target
• MORE Media Choices
• LESS Dependent on
Gatekeepers
• MORE WORK (in some ways!)
• MORE CONTROL!

11. FIND THE ANGLE
If it’s not news, find a
way to make it news.
MAKE SURE IT’S
NEWS!
Fundamentals of a
Press Release

12. 6
HOW
5
WHY
4
WHERE
3
WHEN
2
WHAT
1
WHO
5 Ws (and if can Add the H)

13. The Basics
1
HEADLINE
Keywords
About 80
characters
2
FIRST
PARAGRAPH
Don’t bury your
lead!
3
Be Factual
Specific
4
Use
flawless
grammar
5
Spell
Check
6
Use quotes
7
Think
human
interest
8
Include
contact info
9
Keep It
Short

14. Understanding Today’s News Outlets
1
FLYERS
And
BULLETIN
BOARDS
2
LOCAL
NEWSPAPERS
(Neighborhood
And Regional
3
RADIO
4
TELEVISION
5
LOCAL
BLOGS &
WEBSITES
6
ONLINE
NEWS
(Patch)
7
LINKED IN
GOOGLE
Groups and
Circles
8
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
EMAIL
9
BLOG
Can you
think of any
others?

15. Style Checklist
Different Media Have Different Focus/Needs
JARGON
Recognize it
Don’t use it
VOICE
Spoken/Writt
en
AUDIENCE
Write as if you were
talking to someone
you met at a bustop!
SELF-PRAISE
STINKS
HISTORY
Don’t include
it. Point them
to your web
site.
POINT of VIEW
Adopt an
outsider’s
21 3
54 6

16. Ask yourself this question as you write.
Why should this interest anyone else?
SO WHAT?

17. If you use statistics to make your point,
double check them.
Build trust with editors.
BE TRUTHFUL

18. Don’t compare yourself to competition.
They might be advertisers!
STICK TO YOUR STORY

19. If your cause/event is part of something
broader, make sure you say so.
GIVE CREDIT WHERE DUE

20. Add something valuable
Develop a Sense of Feature
Tie It to Something Else
Study Tabloids!
Visual World
Photo/Video/Infographic

21. DISTRIBUTION

22. Email
Bullet Lists and Subheads break up text
Key Words
Elevator Pitch
Add Personal Note (don’t blast spam)
Attach Word Document or Include Text in Body of Email
Subject Line of Email must catch attention
Include contact info and links
Headline (Limit Characters)

23. Making Choices
ALWAYS Customize
Today’s world gives us many choices. Each
is a time suck. Don’t waste editors’ time
with press releases that do not fit their
editorial needs. Protect your relationship
with them.
Add a personal note that tells the editor
why you think your news is of interest to
their readers.
Rewrite the first paragraph to make sure
the lead fits their readers.

24. Know Your Local Gatekeepers
Different Media Have Different Focus/Needs
• Find out what each is looking for
• Ask what their deadlines are
• Find out any limitations (word
count, topic,
size/format/resolution of logos
and pictures)
• Show that you care about them!

25. Develop Your Own
Distribution Channel
Build Your List with Opt-ins
Use Twitter (follow the gatekeepers)
RECIPROCATE!
Start Blogging
Connect to Facebook/LinkedIn

26. What’s the
Next Big Thing
Video PR
Podcast PR
(Pay special attention to PATCH.com)

27. Online Resources
prdaily.com
Lots of good PR tips
PRWeb.com
Distributors-some good
articles
My business web
Gotwaldcreation.com
Portfolio, Résumé
socialmediaexaminer.com
Great source/community for learning
and keeping up with social media

28. Online Resources
Copyblogger.com
Lots of good PR/writing tips
hubspot.com/
Publish FREE resources for
learning social meidia
Can help you build lists
My blog!
2x2virtualchurch.com
Dozens of articles about using social
media (aimed at churches who rarely
have professionals doing this work)
patch.com
Find which neighborhoods in your
service area have a patch news outlet
and start posting your Press Releases,
photos and videos. Form relationship
with patch editor. They are hungry for
local news and their space is unlimited.

29. Connect Judith Gotwald
@jigotwald
creation@dca.net
215 487 0618
gotwaldcreation.com
2x2virtualchurch.com

30. Thank you!
Please don’t let me
forget to give you the
evaluation forms!

31. Photos Credits
newspaper boy
photo credit: ClaraDon via photopin cc
town crier
photo credit: Ennor via photopin cc
smoke signals
photo credit: americanartmuseum via photopin cc
tv
photo credit: x-ray delta one via photopin cc
computer
photo credit: larskflem via photopin cc
angle
photo credit: chrisinplymouth via photopin cc
Email
photo credit: ganderssen1 via photopin cc
baby with iphone
photo credit: DaveLawler via photopin cc
arrows
photo credit: piermario via photopin cc
square peg
photo credit: rosipaw via photopin cc
jargon
photo credit: Gavin Llewellyn via photopin cc
voice
photo credit: Beverly & Pack via photopin cc
conversation
photo credit: procsilas via photopin cc
queen
hoto credit: lisby1 via photopin cc
Praise
photo credit: annthrop via photopin cc
binoculars
photo credit: gerlos via photopin cc