Say what you mean - and keep it simple
About a year and a half ago, Tom Foremski (former Financial Times writer, now publishing the Silicon Valley Watcher blog) put out a call to trash the traditional press release and replace it with "new media communications releases." Essentially, releases would be deconstructed into special sections in order to make it easier for journalists to get the info they need - the news itself, quotes, financials etc. Since Tom's call to arms, there has been plenty of chatter in new media and PR circles about these new announcements. The current ruckus has to do with sneaky PR firms trying to have their new media releases picked up as items that appear to have been written by a reporter. This may be fascinating stuff for those in our business (actually, it isn't), but it's going to be awhile before we see any dramatic change in the lion's share of press releases.
What can be done to improve everyone's lot? A few suggestions...
Organizations issuing press releases:
* Listen to what journalists and good PR people are saying - stop stuffing every empty cliche, buzzword and acronym into your announcement.
* Tight, clear headlines - assume the reader only sees your headline and sub-headline, will they know who you are and what's newsworthy?
* Less is often more - trophies are not awarded for the most words used in a release. You will, however, pay higher distribution fees and put your intended audience to sleep.
* Embed links in your press releases - it's a great way to bring interested parties to your web site where they can obtain more information.
PR agencies:
* Stop writing to impress the client - it's not important that the VP of Marketing knows you can speak their jargon. It is important that you tell their story in a clear and compelling fashion to the outside world.
* Push back - if the VP of Marketing scoffs at your draft and insists on more jargon, you have a responsibility to explain why the campaign will benefit from news that is written in English.
* But they're demanding we issue junk - if they ignore your counsel, move on. Let's face it, you're going to pitch the story the way you think is going to maximize coverage. If the release is a stinker, don't include it in your pitches. Which brings us to our final point -
* Use some of the tactics Foremski advocates - after the conventional release crosses the wire, send the reporter what they need to write the story. If all it takes is a quick pitch and the release, fine. But for most reporters, it's better to send a quick pitch with a variety of pre-packaged components (quotes, financials, graphics etc.).
Press releases are an organization's official announcement of news. They are not designed solely for journalists. The audience also includes investors, customers, prospects, employees, communities and analysts. Companies should issue news that is concise, compelling and easy to understand - and PR professionals should promote it accordingly.
Posted by John Moran on October 25, 2007 at 7:21 AM
