There is something newsworthy happening at your organization right now. Here are some tips on how to tell your story.
First, make sure your story contains all the relevant facts. Ask yourself: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How?
Next, make your story readable. Here's how:
? Use short sentences. (Best single thing you can do...and easiest.) Research shows sentences of 15-20 words or less are easiest to comprehend. If you must write a long sentence, punctuation - like colons and dashes - can help the reader.
? Use short paragraphs. Usually one or two sentences per paragraph is enough. Otherwise, the reader sees a solid, gray mass when looking at a narrow newspaper or magazine column.
? Use easy words. Avoid multi-syllable and/or technical words that are hard to understand. If you must use them, explain them with simple definitions or by using analogies.
? Use personal words. These are human interest words: e.g., "I," "you," "me," "they," names, quotes.
? Use active verbs. These are words that show action. Examples are easily found in recipes or on sports pages (mix, stir, blend, whip, hit, run).
? Get to the point...fast! Readers and editors don't have the time or inclination to wade through a bunch of words before finding out what a story is all about.
? Use an "inverted pyramid" style. Most editors usually chop stories - to make them fit available space - from the bottom. So put the most important points first, second most important next, and so on down to the least important.
Now, alert the media.
About the author: Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR, http://www.hoover-ink.com. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Duke Energy, Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX and Verbatim.
top rated cleaning service Des Plaines ...Demand that it pull its own weight in your boat... Read More
Sorry about my otaku with this issue (otaku = more... Read More
If a reporter was writing a story about you and... Read More
You are in business for yourself, but how well do... Read More
Ain't a gonna happen unless business, non-profit and association managers,... Read More
Something that results in your most important outside audiences doing... Read More
You know that getting publicity is vital to the health... Read More
Why You Should Write Press Releases: A press release is... Read More
The words are pop culture heroes.Movies such as "The Insider,"... Read More
Recently I had a craving for... Read More
?makes the rules, of course.But when the gold takes the... Read More
What is the true purpose of public relations and how... Read More
A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More
Imagine you're the technology reporter at a daily newspaper. You... Read More
Is that what we are? Fanatic, over-the-top disciples of some... Read More
FIVE WAYS TO GET ON THE RADIOHere are five basic... Read More
Photographs are essential for getting good publicity in the print... Read More
You have a story to tell. Your company has developed... Read More
Media relations, simply put, is the business of building and... Read More
When most people think about marketing, they think advertising. While... Read More
What's REALLY potent for a business, non-profit or association manager... Read More
And the best way to mind your own business is... Read More
Done right, it helps modify the behaviors of your most... Read More
As someone with expertise in media relations, I've been asked... Read More
Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More
best value cleaning service Park Ridge ...The fast changing dynamics of the world economy is forcing... Read More
Recently, I told a friend (who's a business owner) that... Read More
If your reading this, you must be online and most... Read More
Have you ever heard of the saying, "One person's trash... Read More
The Internet may have opened worlds for businesses and consumers,... Read More
If you're an online business using public relations (PR) to... Read More
Although I still believe there is a place for advertising... Read More
While awaiting economic recovery, business needs to attract the attention... Read More
Maybe it played for Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams,"... Read More
Andrew Bogut, the Australian basketballer is now officially in the... Read More
Managers ? the business, non-profit and association sort ? really... Read More
I say to business, non-profit and association managers, a key... Read More
Media relations, simply put, is the business of building and... Read More
It's safe to say that we live in interesting times.... Read More
The Acai Berry is starting to gain world wide recognition... Read More
"Cindy, where's that story? I need it yesterday!""Coming right up,... Read More
"I want a pony, a tree house and the fastest... Read More
And show it for what it is - a humdinger... Read More
NUMBERS, NUMBERS EVERYWHEREYou just placed a terrific story on the... Read More
The public relations goal and strategy make sense; the message... Read More
At the core of any successful public relations campaign is... Read More
Business, non-profit and association managers are in a stronger position... Read More
So many restaurants spend money on publicity and then practically... Read More
When outside audiences important to your operation do not understand... Read More
When a group of outsiders behaves in a way that... Read More
Public Relations |