By Katrina Olson

This article originally appeared 10/19/2015 as an Exclusive Feature on tedmag.com.

Last week we talked about different types of news releases and (generally) how they’re written. For those of you who’ve never written one or may need a refresher, this week’s Marketing Momentum is for you.

Answer Journalists’ Questions

Although the news release has taken many different forms, sometimes including digital bells and whistles, its primary function remains the same: to answer journalists’ (and ultimately readers’) questions.  That’s why, in its simplest form, a news release looks like this:

News releases are written using the inverted pyramid. The most important information is first and the rest presented in declining order of importance. What’s important? The facts—everything the reader needs for them to know what you want them to know, or take the action you want them to take.

Follow The Outline

More specifically, the copy in a standard news release follows this outline:

• Headline
  The headline should read like a news story headline and indicate what is new, relevant or interesting about the story to follow.
• The Lead
  The lead (or lede) is the first paragraph that includes the “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why”—the essential information.
• The Second Paragraph
  The second paragraph provides the rest of the necessary information. Explain the “how” or provide context or history readers need to fully understanding the story.
• The Remaining Paragraphs
  Use these paragraphs to accomplish your goals. Include quotes from key people inside and outside of the organization. Supply background on a person, product or service, or explain complicated concepts or technology. Offer a final word or drive home a point.
• The Boilerplate
  This final paragraph is a sort of corporate biography that offers basic company information, such as the year and city in which the company was founded, its mission, annual sales, key product lines and notable achievements.

Tips for Writing News Release
You can increase your likelihood of getting coverage by writing your release like a news story—as objectively as possible with no errors or inaccuracies, and in the proper style and format. If it’s well written, editors or journalists may even run your story with no changes. To increase your chance of success, follow these guidelines.

• Use plain language and straightforward, declarative sentences.
• Write in a simple and direct style.
• Keep your release to no more than two pages.
• Use tight, pertinent, insightful and attention-getting quotes to illustrate or elaborate on facts.
• Have those people who are quoted approve their statements.
• Avoid using superlatives (e.g. best, extremely, leading, top-of-the-line, etc.).
• NEVER say, “We’re proud/excited/thrilled to announce” something.
• If you must use superlatives, use them only inside quotes from people.
• Do not overstate your product’s, company’s or staff’s abilities.
• Double check your facts, statistics and claims and attribute them to reputable sources.
• Use specifics; avoid generalities.
• Be concise and to the point. Don’t include unnecessary or off-topic information.
• Do not write in a salesy or promotional tone.
• Provide “Notes to the Editor” to clarify or provide necessary information that doesn’t belong in the news release.
• Be sure to tell the reader what they need to know to help you achieve your PR goal.
• Write in third person.
• Include a human-interest angle, if possible.
• Eliminate fluff and filler.
• Make sure content flows logically.
• Make sure content is “on message.”
• Edit and proofread for clarity, word choice, grammar, usage, spelling and punctuation.
• Double check dates, days of the week, capitalization, and personal and company name spellings.
• Use AP style.
• Make sure you fully understand what you’re writing about so it makes sense to the reader.
• Believe in what you’re writing because if you don’t, it will show.
• Only write about what’s truly newsworthy; if it’s not, don’t write a news release.
• Don’t try to disguise an ad as a news release; journalists will know and you’ll lose credibility.

News releases also follow a specific (standard) visual format. Next week, we’ll look at proper formatting of a news release.

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Olson is a marketing and public relations consultant, and principal of Katrina Olson Strategic Communications. She has written for tED magazine’s print edition since 2005, judged tED magazine’s Best of the Best Competition since 2006, and emceed the Best of the Best Awards ceremony for a total of seven years. She can be reached at katrina@katrinaolson.com or via her website at katrinaolson.com.

By Katrina Olson

This article originally appeared 10/12/2015 as an Exclusive Feature on tedmag.com.

You’ve probably written, or at least seen, a traditional news release. It starts with “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why” and sometimes “how” (the five Ws and the H), includes a few quotes and some background information, then wraps up with a call to action. Done.

Not so fast. Depending on the purpose, you may want to consider writing a particular type or style of news release.

Public relations resources such as PR Newswire, PRWeb and Cision commonly recognize seven types of news releases (announcement, launch, product, human resources, expert positioning, event, company report), while the remaining types (feature, hybrid and social media) are more about a style of writing.

Announcement
Answering the five Ws and the H and supplying only the most necessary information, the announcement news release is written to recognize an occurrence within a company or organization that may be of interest to the media. The goal is to pique the media’s interest in hopes of getting more coverage. Topics may include a contest, a company’s investment in the community or an attempt to create awareness about an issue.

 

Feature
A feature is often longer than a general news release and features “soft news”—that which is less important, less immediate and often has a human-interest angle. After opening with an intriguing lead to draw in the reader, it tells a story in an objective and unbiased manner. This type of release often ends dramatically, providing closure to the story. A few examples are how-to stories, personal profiles or seasonally themed stories.

 

Hybrid
Starting with a short attention-grabbing lead, the hybrid starts like a feature by telling a story. It then becomes more like an announcement, continuing with the five Ws and the H. As the name indicates, it’s a hybrid of the announcement and the feature. The hybrid is good for hard news with a human-interest angle.

 

Human Resources
Companies send a human resources release to publicize staff changes, especially in upper management. The primary difference between a human resources (HR) and announcement news release is that the HR release contains more biographical information to support or justify the staff change and introduce the new staff member.

 

Launch
A launch press release often reads like an announcement but with a greater sense of urgency or timeliness. They’re written to provide information and generate buzz among corporate buyers and consumers about the launch of a product, company, website, organization or initiative.

 

Product
This type of release introduces a new product highlighting its merits and advantages over the competition in an objective and unbiased tone. It may include photos, specifications and even a sample. Product releases can overlap with launch releases when a new product is launched; but they’re also used when a product wins an award, reaches a sales milestone, or is recalled or upgraded.

 

Company Report
The company report may be short and simple or long and detailed, depending on the goals of the company and the subject matter. This type of release is usually focused on building the corporate image to attract investors or those wishing to acquire the company. It’s often focused on the company’s current status or future plans and may correspond with their annual report, highlighting financial success or sales growth.

 

Expert Positioning
The expert positioning news release is less urgent and may focus on a research study or report issued by the company or by a third-party organization, offering statistics and results with supporting quotes or information from the company or individuals. Not surprisingly, this type of release demonstrates the company’s or individual’s expertise in a specific subject and positions the company as a future resource for the media.

 

Event
An event news release announces the five Ws and the H, sometimes as a list or in outline form. They’re issued in hopes of convincing the media to announce event details to the public. This release may also include quotes, photos and background information on the organization.

Social Media
In 2006, Shift Communications released the first social media news release template that incorporated multimedia features and links to related information. The format has evolved but the goal is the same—to make information easy to scan, provide elements (text, multimedia, etc.) that are easy to share, and offer links to related and relevant information. Today, most news release distribution services provide templates or formats designed specifically for online media as well as offering tracking systems and other enhancements.

Some argue that the social media release (also called a digital or interactive news release) is unnecessary because the information can simply be shared via social media. Others claim the format provides a wealth of information and access to more in a format that corresponds with the needs of today’s web savvy audience.

If you’d like to learn more about any of these news release formats, conduct a quick Internet search for tons of examples, templates, guidelines and tips.

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Olson is a marketing and public relations consultant, and principal of Katrina Olson Strategic Communications. She has written for tED magazine’s print edition since 2005, judged tED magazine’s Best of the Best Competition since 2006, and emceed the Best of the Best Awards ceremony for a total of seven years. She can be reached at katrina@katrinaolson.com or via her website at katrinaolson.com.

By Katrina Olson

This article originally appeared 10/5/2015 as an Exclusive Feature on tedmag.com.

As a marketer or public relations practitioner, you have more tools than ever to communicate with your target audiences including snail mail, email, newsletters, blogs, websites, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to name a few.

News releases give readers useful and relevant information while helping you achieve your PR and marketing goals. But before you fire up that template and start typing, you should answer these six questions.

1. Why am I doing this?

Every news release should have a strategic purpose or goal. (Getting exposure is not a strategic goal—it’s merely the function of a news release.) How will it help you achieve your PR, marketing or communication goals? Why do you want that exposure? Will it reinforce your company’s position in the marketplace? Does it communicate or reinforce one of your key messages? What do you want to happen as a result?

2. Whom do I need to reach?

Determine your most important audiences. Who, strategically, is important to your company? Is it the financial community, the local community, your shareholders or your customers? For example, if you’ve hired a new salesperson or you’re offering a revolutionary new product, your audience is probably your customers—in which case, an email or newsletter article may be more appropriate. If you’re releasing sales or profit figures, your target audience is shareholders, or possibly the financial community.

3. What do they need to know?

News releases should answer questions and supply only the necessary information. What can you tell existing and potential customers to motivate them to help you achieve your sales goal? Can you provide proof, research or testimonials that show how the product will save them time, money or effort? What would you like them to do—visit your website, come to your location, or request a sample?

4. Where do I post my message to be noticed by those I want to reach?

Consider what media your audience is consuming. Most of the time, your subject matter is not so unique or universally appealing that it warrants mass media attention. Would your message be more effective if it were published in a trade publication or targeted regional medium? If the subject does warrant mass media coverage, will you release it to major metropolitan newspapers, women’s magazines, talk shows or national news programs?

 

5. When do I make my move?

Proper timing is essential. If you’re responding to an accusation, you may want to downplay your response by releasing it in time for the noon news when viewership is lower; or quietly and immediately post a response on your website. If you know a story will be published in a magazine, you may want to time your news release to coincide with the publication date.

 

6. How do I package the story?

There are several different types of releases (which we’ll cover next week). Is there a human-interest angle that would lend itself to a feature news release? Or is the subject matter more appropriate for a straightforward, just-the-facts, traditional news release?

Maybe a news release isn’t the best way to share the information. Could it be written as a feature story? Is the subject so controversial or forward thinking that it would make a good op-ed piece? Is the product so technologically advanced that it requires a video news release or another medium to illustrate how it works?

After working through these questions, you may decide not to issue a news release at all. And that’s fine; because when you submit sales pitches, fluff and non-newsworthy stories, it could damage your credibility with journalists and editors.

You may want to release the information in a different format, like a feature story in your newsletter or a Facebook post. In the end, the goal is to use the tool that will best reach your intended audience.

Next week: All news releases are not created equal.

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Olson is a marketing and public relations consultant, and principal of Katrina Olson Strategic Communications. She has written for tED magazine’s print edition since 2005, judged tED magazine’s Best of the Best Competition since 2006, and emceed the Best of the Best Awards ceremony for a total of seven years. She can be reached at katrina@katrinaolson.com or via her website at katrinaolson.com.

By Katrina Olson

This article originally appeared 9/28/2015 as an Exclusive Feature on tedmag.com.

The first and most important requirement for an effective news release is having a story to tell. However, if you work in PR or marketing, you’ve likely been asked to write a news release about a decidedly unexciting topic.

When faced with this dilemma, you have a few choices. You can write it and hate it. You can not write it (if that’s an option). Or, you can try to make it interesting to journalists and readers.

Several years ago a Panera franchisee wanted to hire me to secure publicity for every new sandwich they introduced. I declined the job, saying I was too busy at the time (which was largely true). I also thought it would be difficult to garner publicity for a new turkey and avocado sandwich.

Looking back, I could have found or created a story. For example, Panera is one of only two chain restaurants that publicly affirm that the majority of their meat is produced without routine use of antibiotics. And 100% of Panera’s chicken and roasted turkey has not been subject to antibiotics. Further, all poultry is 100% vegetarian-fed, and the chain uses no artificial preservatives, colorings, sweeteners or flavors.

Or, I could have created a story by suggesting that its bakery-cafes make an equivalent monetary donation to a local homeless shelter for every turkey and avocado sandwich sold during a specified week. That news release could also have highlighted the Panera Cares® Community Cafes (non-profit bakery-cafes that help feed those in need) and Day-End Dough-NationTM program. Giving money to homeless shelters—now that’s a story.

In addition to a great story, your news release must offer journalists and readers the following:

A news hook.
In journalism, a news hook is what makes the story relevant right now.  Can you tie it to, and perhaps add a twist to a trending news story? Can you provide insight on or address the minority opinion of a hot-button issue? Can your company serve as a case study that reinforces or contradicts the results of a newly released research study?

Emotion and passion.
A brain-imaging study by University College London revealed that the brain’s wiring emphatically relies on emotion over intellect in decision-making. Try to make people care about your story by weaving in humor, personality, visual imagery, fear, self-preservation or any other emotions that will bolster your story. Be enthusiastic and passionate about what you’re writing and it will show.

Clear benefits.
Offer benefits that directly affect your reader. Does your product make their work easier or their lives better? Benefits can also be indirect. If you write about developing new green technology that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, this reflects well on your company and industry, and appeals to environmentalists.

Simplicity.
If you’re introducing a complex technology, make it seem simple. That means you must fully understand what you’re writing about so you can break it down. It may take hours of learning and research to write a simple, one-page news release—but if you don’t understand what you’re writing, neither will your reader. Also, using declarative sentences written in plain and simple language will make your release easier to read.

Objectivity.
You goal is to garner exposure for your company, but your news release should be objective and unbiased. Sound like a contradiction? It’s not. A new release presents information you choose to release, written in an objective style. You don’t have to cover the opposition’s point of view or tell everything you know, but your claims should be true and supported by facts, research or statistics.

Interesting visuals.

Even the most mundane products can look interesting with good photography. Whenever possible, include a photo of people, an action shot, unique product shot, product-in-use photo, “big check” photo for contributions, infographic or pictures with kids (if relevant). Readers have short attention spans and get bored quickly; images tell a story in seconds.

So now you know the difference between good and bad news releases. Next week: Six questions you should answer before writing a news release.

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Olson is a marketing and public relations consultant, and principal of Katrina Olson Strategic Communications. She has written for tED magazine’s print edition since 2005, judged tED magazine’s Best of the Best Competition since 2006, and emceed the Best of the Best Awards ceremony for a total of seven years. She can be reached at katrina@katrinaolson.com or via her website at katrinaolson.com.