| Write to the Point - News Release Tips Get Your Story Printed and On the Air |
| by |
| Jodi L. Rudick, MAS |
The press release is the primary public relations tool. Park and recreation marketing and publicity expert Jodi Rudick shares these tips to help you write news releases that will get aired and printed:
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1. Don’t send too many. Be selective with media submissions. No editor wants to see a story he has selected, in every other competitor’s publications.
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2. Put the solution or benefit up front in the headline or lead paragraph. Paul Cook, Marketing Director, Eagle Radio San Diego explains that he receives dozens of news releases every day. He and other media staff do not have time to search through a news release to find the benefit to his listeners.
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3. The most important thing in the news release is the peg. The peg is the focus, the main point, the unusual idea, the new material, the explanation of how the story will have impact on the audience. The peg is the justification for the release
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4. Learn to write in editorial style. This means that your writing should be concise and answers the following questions: Who, What When Where Why and How. Because your releases will focus on benefits you will highlight the following kinds of questions?
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| Who is effected by the program? |
| Why the program is so important to the community? |
| Why does the facility improves lives of individuals? |
| What outcomes are realized? |
What would happen if this program were not available to participants?
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5. Keep your copy objective. Phrases such as the best program around, an incredibly popular place, the only choice you’ll ever need definitely do not belong in a news release. Concentrate on things that are documented or can be proven - for example, “two time award winning program,the highest grossing public golf course in the country.”
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6. Say more with less. There’s no need to use big, fancy, unnecessary words.This is not a contest to see how many multi syllabic words you can use in a single sentence. Nor is it the place to show off your wide vocabulary.
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7. Read your release out loud for clarity and flow. Write in the active voice.
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8. Write in the positive, not the negative. Leave out items you do not want to promote as long as it does not mislead.
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9. Use facts and statistics to support your claims. Instead of saying Many of the children who participate in the KidKamp after school program will improve their grades, say 75% of all children who participated in KidKamp improved their academic performance in a study done in conjunction with the Funtown School District. Facts should be verifiable and sources known.. Accuracy is crucial. Double check names, dates, places and times.
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10. Make sure your information is accurate. A good rule of thumb is: if you can’t verify it or provide a source, don’t include it.
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11. Point out the human interest side of every story
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| Who will be affected? |
How will this change lives?
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12. Your writing should help the reader visualize. Colorful language helps propel the story. Here’s an example of a unimaginative lead: “There is new playground at Main Street Park.”
Here’s the same lead using with multi-sensory.language..
“A Pirates Ship dry docked right in the middle of Main Street Park. It’ not the kind you think. This bright orange, yellow and blue boat is the latest piece of playground equipment complete with slides, rope swings, and talking mechanical parrots.”
The editor and reader can’t help but getting a mental picture of this thing. More importantly they probably won’t be able to resist checking it out, the first chance they get!
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13. Don’t be intimidated by the writing process. Writing scares everyone at some point in time. The important thing is to tell the story. Reporters and journalists are professional writers. Let them aim for the Pulitzer Prize while you promote park and recreation benefits.
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| Jodi Rudick is the author of BAM! Benefits Activated Marketing and Broadcast the Benefits Publicist-in-a-Box. To find out more about Jodi’s award-winning ideas, easy-to-use manuals or in-service training programs call 760-730-0333 or email jodi@advisorsmarketing.com. Or visit the ADvisors on-line at www.advisorsmarketing.com. |
