The Five Pieces of the Press Release Puzzle: Part 1 of a 2 Part Series

I thought you might enjoy reading an article I wrote which was published in the February 2008 issue of PMA (The Independent Book Publishers Association).  Since the article was lengthy, I’ve split it up into two parts so that it is easy to read.  This is part one:

Most people seem to believe they can write a press release, mail or email it to a radio or television station, and sit back and wait for the avalanche of phone calls.  But as time passes and no producers are beating down the door, they make a few phone calls only to discover that no one even read the release.

The following are components of radio and TV press releases that will make your show idea come to life for producers and hosts, and also position you ahead of the pack.

1.      Headline! Headline? HEADLINE!!!

Arguably the most important aspect of your press release, headlines are so vital that entire books and seminars are dedicated to the art of constructing the most effective ones.  Now, don’t let this scare you.  Writing a killer headline is definitely a skill that can be developed; all you need is a clear and concise overview of your topic.

Write down your show idea and look it over.  Now look it over again, remembering that it should be an idea for an interview that relates to your book but most definitely not a summary of the book’s theme or content.

What is your key message? Is your show idea newsworthy? Are there any well-known people you can tie into your topic?  Do you have any impressive statistics that are relevant?  Does anything controversial tie directly into your subject?  The answers to these questions will help you develop a headline that will capture the attention of producers and hosts.

First and foremost, your headline must instantly communicate the topic of the show.  The test is, if you can envision what the conversation will be about just from the headline - you’ve got it!

Generally, headlines should be no longer than one sentence.  As this is a lot of weight to put on a single sentence, sometimes you will need a subhead to support it.  The result is that anyone who reads the headline and subhead together will immediately click on the concept of the show.

Here are two examples of the successful headline and subhead combination:

Global Economic Chaos?

Expert Reveals Predictions on Grim Future of US Economy

Are Personal Conflicts Ruining Your Life?

How to Successfully Resolve Squabbles in Everyday Life

2.      Topic Summary

This is your chance to present a concise summary of your show topic.  It should continue naturally from the headline and expand on it.  The headline gets the attention, and the discussion topic gives the reader more.

The discussion topic component of your press release should be two or three sentences, tops.  Again, try to tie your topic to current events, big names, big money, or controversy.  Don’t be worried about repeating yourself in different sections of the press release. After all, you want to get a cohesive point across!  Tip: Try writing the headline and topic summary together.

Here is an example of a headline with a topic summary.  Notice the bolded words and how they tie the two together.

Global Economic Chaos?

Expert Reveals Predictions on Grim Future of US Economy

The United States is about to move into a period of major economic chaos and poverty that will wake up people to overthrow the rule of money in society in a ballot-box revolution.  Let an internationally renowned expert reveal predictions on the grim future of our economy.

3.      Talking Points/Question

These are an absolute must for radio and TV because they are the shaping tools that guide the host through your topic.  Often, hosts read directly from press releases during an interview.  This not only makes them look knowledgeable; it saves them heaps of time.  So why not have them ask you questions you’ve created, enabling you to get your specific message heard?  This makes you look knowledgeable and makes for a great interview!

Yet again, you will need to tie in current events and any controversy that will stir interest.  Generally, it is good to give no more than 7 or 10 of these conversation shapers.  For instance, here are a few questions that were used in a release for a radio show on “How to Find the Perfect Pet for Your Lifestyle”:

• What are the primary reasons people decide to get a pet?
• What criteria should people follow when choosing a pet to make sure it fits into their lifestyle?
• What can families do ahead of time to determine what type of pet is best for them?
• How can families prepare children for the responsibility of caring for a pet?
• What are some of the things people need to consider before adopting a puppy or other young animal?

If you do get invited as a guest, your interviews will generally last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes for talk radio and 3 to 5 minutes for TV.  So, concise is a word you should keep in the forefront of your mind.

Remember: The more you focus your questions on the topic of your book, the more interested listeners will be in it.

Well there you have it: the first 3 pieces of the press release puzzle!  Coming up: the final two pieces.

In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about how we can get your non-fiction book the media attention that it deserves, please call my partner Steve at 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  Nothing beats a real-life conversation!

June 27th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Positioning, Press Release, Public Relations, Publicity, Radio, Related PR, talk radio | No Comments

The Power of Publicity Series: Compelling Press Releases

Chances are that whether you are the owner, manager, or public relations director of a company, you are always looking for ways to be in the public eye.  While advertising is important, it doesn’t provide the credibility that PR can.  Al Ries, marketing guru and strategist says in his book The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, “For most companies today, PR is far too important to take a backseat to advertising.  In many ways the roles are reversed, PR is in the driver’s seat and should lead and direct a marketing program.”

A smart way to apply Ries’s advice is to secure valuable publicity for your company by appearing as a guest on talk radio.  It’s a great vehicle for speaking directly to thousands (and sometimes millions) of listeners tuning in to hear what you have to say!  In the enthusiastic words of one of our clients Dr. Cass Ingram, “Our sales have grown into millions per year from talk radio interviews alone!  Regular, consistent radio publicity really works!”

Imagine that being your success!

Appearing as a guest on talk radio is a fantastic marketing medium, but if you are not media savvy it is difficult to know where to begin.  The first step would be to know how to write a powerful press release for this specific medium.

When it comes to press releases most people believe they just can write one, email it to a list of radio stations and sit back and wait for the avalanche of phone calls.  But as time passes and no producers are beating down their door, they make a few phone calls to the producers and hosts only to discover that no one even read the release in the first place.  So, all of that time and work goes down the drain bringing you back to square one.

How to Get Started

The most challenging part of writing anything is getting started.  Looking at a blank page with a head full of ideas can be frustrating.  Which one do I use?  Which one will get the response that I need?

The first step is to understand that you’re writing to radio hosts and producers who are inundated with press releases and phone calls every day.  They are looking for the hottest show ideas that their listeners will enjoy.

So, come up with a show idea.  Easy?  Well not necessarily easy, but it is your chance to flex those creative muscles.  Think about how you can tie your product, service or message to a newsworthy story that would grab the attention of a producer.  Think outside the box a bit…some of the best radio show ideas live there!

Now that you have your show idea there is something else to consider: why should a producer interview ME?  The answer is simple: Radio shows need experts, not unqualified guests sharing opinions.

And, you are an expert!  Think about it: who knows your product better than you?  You can talk about the problems your product solves with more knowledge and enthusiasm than anyone else out there.

With a good show idea that ties your message into the news — combined with your experience and expertise on the subject — you now have the tools to start working on a radio release that will get producers calling you!

For nearly 20 years my company has been arranging interviews for clients on talk radio, and as talk radio specialists we know to get the job done.  If you would like some professional help to arrange interviews for you, call Steve at 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com and find out about our guaranteed interview campaign for your company.

June 27th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Public Relations, Publicity, Radio, talk radio | No Comments

The Five Pieces of the Press Release Puzzle: Part 2 of a 2 Part Series

As I promised, here is part two of the article I wrote, recently published in PMA (The Independent Book Publishers Association):

4. Topic Overview

Once you have gained attention with your eye-catching headline, topic summary, and talking points, it is time to present your full show idea.  This is when to position yourself as an expert on the topic.

Do not write a sales piece here.  Write the show.  Work the author’s name, personal quotes, and book title into the overview.  Use the following liberally to build your topic and profile: statistics, testimonials, current facts, specifics from relevant news stories, and professional credentials.  Use anything that will interest the producer, the host, and their audience.  Try to limit this section to no more than a page; the ideal range is four to six paragraphs with no more than four sentences in each one.

A Topic Overview for the show on pets discussed earlier read:

For some people, “cute” is the only criterion they follow when choosing a new pet.  But deciding which pet to adopt based solely on the animal’s appearance can set new “pet parents” up for disaster.  After all, puppies don’t look quite so cute when they’re chewing your furniture!  Lack of foresight is one of the top reasons an estimated 6 to 8 million unwanted pets end up at local animal shelters each year.

Enter pet expert Dr. Diane Pomerance, author of the new book Pet Parenthood: Adopting the Right Animal Companion for You.  As a bonafide animal lover, she wants to help prospective pet owners understand how to make the best decision when choosing a new pet - and to recognize that adopting a pet is a lifetime commitment and responsibility that requires much thought and planning. 

“There’s no denying the attraction to a cute puppy or kitten,” says Dr. Pomerance.  “But people need to be fully prepared for what’s truly involved in caring for that animal.  Realistically speaking, they are bringing a child into their home.  If you don’t have the temperament, the schedule, or the space requirements to meet those needs, you should consider a pet that does fit your lifestyle.”

Another important factor that often goes overlooked is how children in a family will interact with a new pet.  Pets make wonderful companions for children and can help teach them compassion, responsibility, and respect for all living creatures, as well as boost their self-esteem.  But it’s important to determine ahead of time what type of animal best suits the household and what role each family member will take in caring for it. 

Money also comes into play when adopting a new pet.  Vet bills can be expensive, and upkeep for some animals can be costly if they develop health problems.

“The reality is, pets can be expensive and time intensive.  When you love your pet, obviously you want to provide the best care possible.  So it is important to understand the costs and responsibilities ahead of time when choosing your pet.”

5.      Biography

Oddly, this is the element people tend to forget, underplay, or overplay.  It is important to position the author as an expert.  You can cite a variety of qualifications - education, career, relationships, memberships, travel history, odd pets, and more.  If the book is about religion, for example, anything the author does that pertains to religion is applicable.

Two warnings: Sensationalizing and author’s credentials will immediately turn producers and hosts off; and simply rehashing a resume with bullet points is an absolute no-no.

If you take your time developing exactly what a book related interview segment will be about, and then put lots of thought into developing a press release that clearly reflects your planning, you will command more media attention.

Well there you have it: the final 2 pieces of the press release puzzle!  If you are interested in learning more about how we can get your non-fiction book the media attention that it deserves, please call my partner Steve at 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  We would love to hear from you!

June 27th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, talk radio | No Comments

The Power of Buzz Marketing

You hear from me all the time about the power of publicity and how it is a great, cost-effective method of creating “buzz” for your books, products or services.  But I want to share another tip: the importance of staying in the public eye.

Why?  Every year the American public is hit with nearly 300,000 newly published books and an endless number of products and services.  The point is that no matter what you sell or promote, you have fierce competition to contend with.  Your challenge then is to stay ahead of your competitors and continuously be in the face of your prospective customers.

How do I know this?  As a business owner for nearly 20 years, I know the effect that “buzz” marketing has had on my own businesses.  And, like many companies, without a large marketing budget my challenge has always been to think out of the box and find cost effective marketing solutions that keep my company and name in front of my audience.

Any “buzz” marketing starts with a little “Marketing 101.”  Simply put, identify your audience and then make yourself known to them - over and over again. But stay in front of them with quality information that will benefit them.

How do you do that?  I think you know my answer: THE MEDIA!  You’ve probably heard me say a million times that the media is the pathway to consumers… and it’s true!  How else can you gather a captive audience of thousands or millions at one time, who listen to you talk about your book or product for 10 to 20 minutes?  That’s some powerful buzz marketing.

But, it’s media exposure on a continuous basis that creates this “buzz”.  It provides credibility you can’t put a price on and at the same time, generates a valuable level of brand awareness.  And, unlike consistent advertising, on-going media exposure won’t kill your marketing budget.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m not suggesting that “buzz” campaigns will supply instant sales results.  I’m saying, if you are consistently in front of your customers with valuable information, eventually the “buzz” will bring them in.

Let’s stay in touch and of course call or email me if you need help with creating more “buzz” in the media!

June 19th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Positioning, Print, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, Related PR, Television, talk radio | No Comments

Exciting News…EMSI’S PRINT CAMPAIGN DELIVERS…LOS ANGELES TIMES, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, COSTCO “Household Almanac”, QUICK & SIMPLE and More!

Every week we get more and more exciting reactions from the media about our clients.  In fact, just this morning we received the latest issue of COSTCO’s “Household Almanac” with a two page feature article about our client and their service!  This magazine has a readership in excess of TWENTY FOUR million people!  To our delight they even used the headline we crafted and the article as we originally wrote it!With that said - if you think that securing this feature article for our client was a “quick and simple” task then you are mistaken.  Being featured in a popular national magazine of this quality takes more than just a few hours, or days of work!  Every article we secure is the direct result of a focused and professional approach…with relentless pursuit thrown in for good measure.

For example, this placement in COSTCO’s “Household Almanac” took close to 5 months of dedicated effort to secure!  That may seem like a long time, but in the world of print publicity this is not uncommon.  To obtain such valuable coverage in a major magazine, you must have a professional, active and organized approach.  Through years of experience we have developed a hard hitting print campaign that focuses on the following 3 key elements:

• We write an attention grabbing, “print-ready” article. Our creative team first does a thorough review of your company to develop an angle about your products, books or services that’s newsworthy. Then, they write an article in the same journalistic style of newspapers and magazines. The headline is created to grab the journalist’s attention while the balance of the article provides the quality content a journalist needs, in order to keep his or her own readers interested!
• We put it in the right hands. Who your article is distributed to is vital. As industry experts with nearly 20 years of experience, we know the importance of sending articles to a targeted list of journalists and publications that would be interested in your topic.
• We love the thrill of the chase! Next, we do relentless follow up: pushing for interviews and stories to secure that valuable coverage. In many cases, such as the campaign for our client featured in Quick & Simple, it can take months…but we don’t give up easily.

Of course successful campaigns are not built on these elements alone.  There is a lot of “behind-the scenes” work and professional know-how involved in securing good results.

In just the last two weeks we secured articles in the following publications:

COSTCO’s “Household Almanac” (Readership: over 24 million!)

Chicago Tribune (Readership: nearly 4 million!)

Los Angeles Times (Readership: over 3 million!)

Quick & Simple (Readership: over 1 million)

In addition to these placements, we’ve also received interest in our clients from the following journalists and publications:

Readers Digest (Readership of nearly 40 million!)

American Baby Magazine (Readership of over 8 million!)

Woman’s World (Readership of over 6 million)

Chicago Tribune (Readership of nearly 4 million)

Los Angeles Times (Readership of over 3 million)

Scientific American (Readership of over 2 million)

Family Magazine (Readership of over 2 million)

The Boston Globe (Readership of over 1 million)

Although it’s important to have a professional team in your corner that knows how to pitch the media on your behalf, a more important factor is having a good product, book or service geared to consumers.

If your company fits this criterion then we would welcome the opportunity to get the print coverage you deserve.  Call my partner Steve at 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email him at steve@emsincorporated.com.  You’ll find our rate is unbeatable!

June 18th, 2008 | Posted in Clients, Newspapers and Magazines, PR, Positioning, Press Release, Print, Public Relations, Publicity | No Comments

No-Risk PR! Guaranteed Results on Talk Radio and TV!

What if you could get first-class publicity for your product on television and talk radio shows that deliver high audience numbers…with zero financial risk?

If you’ve ever dealt with public relations companies, you know many would just laugh at such a proposal.  You know there’s usually a steep up-front charge and monthly retainer fee.  Plus you typically have to sign up for a long contract - even though you don’t know whether they can deliver on their promises.

EMSI has a completely different approach to obtaining national media exposure for your company - using “No Risk PR.”

The risk is on us.  With radio interviews we guarantee that you will be booked as a guest on the number of shows you paid for…or your money back!  And with TV appearances you are only billed when we secure a confirmed date for you!

A client of our, Dr. Arnold Goldstein, founder of E-Z Legal Forms and best-selling author of numerous financial books said, “Dollar for dollar, EMSI’s talk radio campaign provided a far superior return than our advertising.”

Publicity can make or break your product promotion.  Marketing consultants, ad agencies and even other PR companies use EMSI because we deliver results.

And there is no time like the present to get your product in front of millions of consumers!  Call me today on 727-443-7115, Extension 202 or email me at steve@emsincorporated.com to discuss a GUARANTEED, NO RISK PUBLICITY campaign your product deserves.

June 9th, 2008 | Posted in Free Tips, Marsha Friedman's Public Relations Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Advice, Radio, Related PR, Television, talk radio | No Comments