CAPITAL Punishment

Nothing kills a reader’s momentum quicker than a section of text in all caps. Blocks of capital letters are extremely difficult to read, and tend to immediately turn readers off. On average, upper case type is read approximately 13 percent slower than lowercase text. The reason for this is simple: Readers are used to lower case type, and actually view words as pictures, allowing them to put sentences together ahead of the point they’re reading. Using large blocks of capital letters cause readers to focus on individual words rather than taking in a whole sentence. Don’t let your message get lost in capitalized text!

Did You Know: that when you write a release, you shouldn’t use all capital letters in your headline? It’s standard industry practice to write headlines in upper and lower case. Your headline is the first thing your readers see, and its goal is to lead them smoothly into the body of your release. Make sure it’s easy on the eyes!

Your Audience Is Listening

Create press releases that appeal to people outside of the media. Your releases aren’t only a sales pitch to news media, selling your story. Having news media pick up your story is still your primary goal, but nowadays your releases can be read by anyone with an internet connection. Keep in mind that your target audience can read your release directly online. As you compose your release, you’ll want to try to connect with all of your potential readers. Connecting with your audience will build your press release’s credibility.

Did You Know: that any person reading your press release on readMedia’s website can subscribe to a RSS feed of your organization’s news? RSS subscribers will automatically get a copy of your story every time your organization issues a press release.

Follow Through

When you issue a press release that you’d like to see the media pick up, you’ll want to contact the reporters/editors who your release went to. A follow-up call can help a press release turn into a full news story. When you call, indicate that you’re calling to answer their questions about your release. If you simply ask a reporter/editor if they received your release, you may sound like a telemarketer and turn the reporter off immediately. Always be enthusiastic about your story! Your interest in the subject matter of your release can spark their interest, and enthusiasm can spread like wildfire.

Did you know: that when you issue a release through readMedia, an automated distribution report (including phone numbers) will be generated two hours after your release goes out. When you log into your account online, you’ll see a listing of your previously sent releases on your dashboard. To view a delivery report for a release, click on the recipients link on the right side of your screen.

The KISS Principle

We all heard the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) in English classes growing up. This teaching tool reminded us to avoid unnecessarily complex language and convey our message in crisp, clear grammar. When proof-reading your press releases, look for opportunities to break up long sentences (over 20 words) into shorter ones. Keep in mind that your releases will be read on a computer screen as well as in print. Short sentences are easier to read and digest. That said, it’s also good to vary sentence structure. Too many short choppy sentences distract the reader and your message may get lost.

Did You Know: that paragraphs in newspaper stories are rarely more than two sentences long? That’s because today’s busy readers resist large blocks of print. It’s a good idea to use the same approach when writing press releases.

Worth 1,000 Words

You’ve heard the adage… a picture is worth a thousand words. In the world of PR, a picture can do something words cannot – they can help you stand out among your peers! Including a photo with your story makes your release unique. In an online world crawling with press releases, an image makes your material personal to your readers. Photos and graphics help attract the attention of both media and non-media readers. Here’s a few things a photo can do for your release:

• Give your readers a feel for what took place at your event
• Introduce a new member of your staff to your audience
• Show an example of one of your products
• Attach a face to the name of a person quoted in your release;
• And much more!

Did You Know: that when you include a photograph or graphic with your press release through readMedia, that your release will include a live email link to a web page containing your image? For your readers, your photo is only a click away!

Ten Commandments For The PR Professional

by Vera Nuspliger

1. Thou shalt not obfuscate, exaggerate, jargonate or speculate.

2. Thou shalt include the five W’s in thy first paragraph of any news release-who, what, where, when and why.

3. Thou shalt transmit thy news releases via readMedia.

4. Thou shalt remember that nothing is “off the record”.

5. Thou shalt keep in mind that ink and air waves rule. Restrain thy urge to engage in a spitting match with a reporter.

6. Thou shalt not go over a reporter’s head or allow thy client to pull rank. “Let me give her editor a call – we were in the same class at Yale.”

7. Thou shalt not rely on spell check lest thou wish to cause snide remarks in the newsroom. Thou shalt keep a dictionary and recent style book on thy desk.

8. Thou shalt return all calls and emails promptly even if it is to say “I don’t know yet but I will try to find out and let you know by your deadline”.

9. Thou shalt include evening contact information on all news releases, fact sheets and backgrounders.

10. Thou shalt not turn thy spokesperson loose without thorough training and an arsenal of information.

Vera Converse Nuspliger Nuspliger Associates 518-882-9816 www.nuspligerpr.com

Did You Know: that you can speak to a readMedia editor at any time of day? Our editorial staff is available 24/7 to help you with urgent matters. Give us a call at (800) 552-2194 and follow the prompt for immediate service. You’ll be immediately sent through to one of editors. Help is only a phone call away at any time!

Make Headlines

At readMedia we’ve enforced an 120-character limit for press release headlines. This may create a few minor headaches for some users who will need to shorten some headlines in order to meet these enforcements, but there’s a method to our madness. When you issue a release through readMedia, your headline appears as the email subject line to all media who receive your release by email. This gives you control over the very first thing your readers will see, but regular email restrictions limit the number of available characters to 120.

Did You Know: that whenever possible, you should include your organization or business name in your headline? This brands your news, and makes it easy for web browsers to find your release!

Five And Dime

“Five and dime” is a phrase used in Hollywood which means that movie moguls will make an assumption based upon the first five pages of a script as to the overall quality of a screenplay. The same theory applies to press releases. The very first sentence of your release is the most important part. Make sure it’s effective! A good opening paragraph can draw the reader in, and pique their interest in your entire release. Think of your first sentence as the bait, and your press release as the hook.

Did You Know: that on readMedia’s breaking news page, a portion of your release’s first paragraph can be seen by web viewers, allowing them to get a feel for the contents of your release before opening the document? Make sure to include your keywords!

Heads Up

When you have an upcoming event, you’ll want to publicize it well in advance and more than once. The biggest complaint we hear from the media is that releases don’t give them enough notice that an event is coming and don’t remind them to cover it. Make sure you send out a press release well in advance of an upcoming event, giving the media time to plan accordingly, and then send them a reminder closer to the day of the event.

Did You Know: that when you issue a release about an upcoming event in New York State or Pennsylvania through readMedia, we include the event in our Empire State Daybook or Keystone State Daybook, respectively?

Be A Keyword Master

To understand the importance of keywords in a press release, keep in mind that in addition to going to the media, press releases issued via readMedia are read by Google and other search engines. As a result, people can find your releases online through keyword searches.

To maximize your visibility in the search engines, be conscious of incorporating words and/or phrases that people are likely to search for into your releases. Not sure what people are searching on? For help, visit: http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-suggestions-google/

The potential payoff when people find you online through your releases is worth the extra effort involved in composing them with the search engines in mind. Make your keywords work for you!

Did You Know: that releases sent out through readMedia and hosted online at readmedia.com often appear as a top ranked story on Google News within a half hour of when a release goes out?

The Missing Link

Always include links in your press releases to deliver readers to pages on your website. When your release appears online, you’ll want to make it quick and easy for your readers to access your website while their interest is piqued. Your website holds more details about your organization than your press release typically will, and nowadays, people don’t want to wait for additional information. Make it easy for them to move directly from your release to your website by including links appropriately.

Did You Know: that if your company logo is included in press releases issued through readMedia, it gives web viewers the ability to either subscribe to an RSS feed or view a webpage containing only your news? So make sure you use your logo!

Big News Vs. Small News

Don’t send press releases only when you have “big news” to report. “Small news” is just as important. It keeps you fresh in people’s minds and “no news” is “bad news”. Several press releases of “small news” that each tell a story are much better – and more effective – than one “big news” release that tries to cover everything about your organization.

Did You Know: that heading into summer, news articles about high gas prices and energy costs are on the rise? Does your organization have an interesting angle on these issues? If so, now’s the time to spread the word!

Let Your News Sell You

Not the other way around. When you sit down to write a release, remember that you’re writing a press release, not an advertisement. Facts that are backed up in your story will spread the word about your business more effectively than adjectives. Your readers are tuning in to get the news – not the commercials – so avoid language that will remind them of ads. Don’t try to be a salesman… a good press release sent to the right people will sell itself!

Did You Know: that you can send anyone a copy of a release issued through readMedia by taking advantage of our blind carbon copy (BCC) feature? This allows you to keep (up to) three people in your organization “in the loop” by sending them a copy of your press release at no extra charge.

Take Aim

It’s always hard to hit a target without aiming first. This holds true in the world or PR too. You should never issue a news release without first figuring out who to send it to. You’ll want to target specific media personnel who’d be interested in your type of news. To do this, contact the media outlets that you plan on sending your story to, and determine who the appropriate reporters and editors are. Keeping these individuals up to date is a daunting task, but the results are worth the effort.

Did You Know: that readMedia does all of your media management for you? Our comprehensive up-to-date media database includes editors and reporters of all varieties. Our editors make sure your news is delivered to the appropriate media personnel based upon the topic(s) of your release. This ensures that health editors and reporters receive health-related news, and so on…

Filtered Out

When you write your releases, try to avoid using words like “free,” “buy,” and “sale.” Including this type of language in your release can cause your news to be labeled as spam in an editor’s or reporter’s inbox. These words are extremely dangerous in headlines. If you’re having trouble trying to figure out which words to avoid, take a quick look through your email spam folder – you’ll find plenty of examples!

Did you know: that readMedia takes precautions to help keep your release from being filtered into a recipient’s spam folder? All releases issued through us are delivered to media personnel from our Newswire domain. Newsrooms are flooded with emails from hundreds of addresses daily, and reporters and editors look for the readMedia Newswire name.

Beating The Buzzer

There’s one second left on the clock and you have one shot to win the game – a last second bucket. Everybody loves a great buzzer beater, right? Wrong. In the world of PR, it’s best to take your shot before the clock starts running down. If you want your story to appear on the evening news or in the morning papers, give the media as much time as possible to work with it. When deadlines roll around, reporter and editors are frantically dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s. This is no time to unload a major news story. Get the word out early!

Did You Know: that through readMedia, you can schedule a release to go out to the media at any time? Got a release to send first thing in the morning? Save yourself an early morning headache and get it ready to go in advance. Your story will go out to the media at the time you specify… and you won’t lose sleep over it!

Charted Waters

by Sandra J. DiNoto

Attaching charts, graphs and bulleted points with a release is a good addition to a release, as long as the graph material is pertinent to the release subject. Provide the media with the source of the information, if it is not your company or organization. They are overworked and under paid, and graphs and charts give them a snap shot of information without requiring loads of research.

Sandra J. DiNoto – Director of Public Relations – New York State Dental Association

Did You Know: that – due to popular demand – you can now view an archive of every issue of “From readMedia’s Tip Vault” online? If you missed tips along the way, or want to jog your memory, visit www.readmedia.com/readme/pr-tips/

Get Recognized

The goal of sending a press release is always to get your news, and ultimately your name, out to the public. The more people see your news, the more they’ll remember your name. Always include your organization’s name in the first paragraph of your release, and use it in headlines whenever possible. Another good idea is to attach your company logo to your release. Your readers will learn to associate your logo with your organization. And remember… images are more recognizable than words!

Did You Know: that you can attach your company logo and letterhead to any release sent out through readMedia? These images brand your news and provide readers everywhere with a “face” to go with your name!

One Size Fits All

You hear the phrase all the time, but you’ll never hear it used in relation to PR. Taking a “one size fits all” approach to distributing press releases can see your story headed directly to a recipients spam folder or worse… their ignore list. The reason for this is simple: Reporters and editors have very different interests depending upon the topics and areas they cover. Take the time to create multiple distribution lists that target specific geographical areas and media types. Not only will the recipients in that area be thrilled to get news that is important to them, but your media contacts outside that area will be less likely to believe you’re “spamming” them with news they’re not interested in.

Did You Know: that you can use readMedia’s list builder to create any type of list you’d like. Build a list of media in any area (down to a county level); a list of specific types of news media; a list containing your personal contacts; or a list of media interested in only your topics. It’s 100% customizable and completely free to use! Dive into readMedia’s sandbox and see what you can build!

Long-Term Storage

It’s always a good idea to have an archive of your press releases on your organization’s website. Keeping a keyword rich archive of your news can help drive traffic to your site. People will inevitably search for words and phrases that appear there, so take the opportunity to get them hooked on your news! An archive also gives readers a chance to get up to date on any news they’ve missed. Allow your readers to gather all of the facts they need in one place… your website!

Did You Know: that you can take advantage of readMedia’s RSS feeds to automatically upload press releases to your website? After some initial effort, you’ll never need to worry about posting a story to your website again. If you don’t know how to integrate this feed into your website, ask your webmaster, or give us a call at (800) 552-2194.

Error Proof

One goal of every press release is to build the credibility of the organization issuing it. Errors in spelling and grammar can distract readers from your message, and ultimately take away from your release’s credibility. After you’ve written your story, reread it several times, double-checking facts, dates, and names. Correct all spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors in your story. You should always write your release on a word processor and use spell check, but remember… it’s not perfect. One good way to catch spelling and grammatical errors is to read your release backwards. This allows you to review your story one word at a time!

Did You Know: that readMedia offers users several methods of error checking releases before they’re sent to the media? A spell check is built into the draft stage, allowing users to correct typographical errors. The preview stage gives the sender an opportunity to review their entire story one last time. Take advantage of this preview to make sure your release appears exactly as you want it to.

From The Horse's Mouth

Never underestimate the power of a quote in a news release. Journalists love to use quotes in news stories because they give facts a human touch. Press releases are designed to provide detailed information about an organization, and quotes inject them with opinion and emotion. They ultimately provide weight to the facts you’ve stated throughout your story, and enhance the credibility of your organization. Plus, quotes included in releases often make their way into published news articles. Don’t pass on a chance to drive your point home with a powerful quote!

Did You Know: that you can also attach audio and video files to releases sent out through readMedia? High quality audio and video is more important than ever due to the increasing number of online news sites streaming audio and video feeds.

Tech Talk

Jargon is defined as technical language specific to an individual profession, trade or group. It’s a series of words and phrases that’s commonly used by one group that may not be common knowledge to people outside their circle. Never assume that your readers are on the same page you’re on. Use plain, simple, and clear language that all of your potential readers will understand. One method of catching jargon in your release is to simply reread your story. As you reread, imagine yourself in your average reader’s shoes… what language would they find confusing?

Did You Know: that your news is automatically archived on readmedia.com? To find this archive, simply upload your logo and attach it to any release you send. Your logo acts as a link to an archive of your press releases on our site. You’ll also find an easy-to-use RSS feed of only your news that you can integrate into your website. To learn more visit our PR Tools section.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

So you sent out a powerful news piece and a major media outlet wrote a compelling story about you. Your work is done, right? Not even close. Making headlines gives you more to write about! Take the time to write a press release about the media coverage you received. This gives you an opportunity to reinforce your thoughts or offer additional feedback. It also keeps you fresh in your readers’ minds and lets other media know what they missed the first time around!

Did You Know: that readMedia allows you to save a copy of any release you’ve written by clicking on “Save for Later” while preparing your release? This will store that release in your Saved Press Releases section, where you’re able to copy, edit, delete or send it.

Tip Of The Iceberg

People who read press releases want to get straight to the point. Reflect this in your release by writing it in inverted pyramid style. The first two sentences are your lead, and should contain your most important information. However, your lead is only the tip of the iceberg… there’s more beneath the surface. Move on to other important points in descending order. If you’re unsure if your release follows inverted pyramid style: Hold a sheet of paper up to your screen and block out all but the first few paragraphs. Can you still find your important points?

Did You Know: that you can add or remove individual reporters and editors from your created readMedia distribution lists? Simply click the “View/Edit” link while creating or editing a list, and you’ll see a breakdown of every organization and individual available.

Writing for Robots

Thousands of press releases are found online every day as a result of people using search engines. But how do the search engines find the releases in the first place? Search engines use automated programs or “spiders” to search websites like readMedia’s Breaking News page. These spiders examine the words and phrases found in online releases and rank each page using criteria such as how often a word is used and where it is found on the page. As you write releases, there are a few things you should keep in mind to make them more appealing to human and machine readers:

• Use proper names and carefully chosen keywords in your headline
• Make sure the first three paragraphs of your release contain essential keyword rich content.
• Place your keywords well. Use them at the beginnings of sentences, and the ends of paragraphs.
• Use your most important keywords at the top of your release, but
• Don’t overuse your keywords. Your release will be kicked out altogether if it smells of spam.

For more information on Keywords, readMedia recommends these articles: http://www.talentzoo.com/website/columns/ColumnContent.aspx?Id=2074 http://www.talentzoo.com/website/columns/ColumnContent.aspx?Id=2106

Did you know: you should choose your keywords BEFORE you write your release? Come up with a list of 10 or more words and phrases that a web surfer might search for. Use combinations of those keywords and phrases throughout your release.