When you are going to write a press release probably the most important thing you can do is create a killer news hook. A press release without a news hook is just blatant advertising, plain and simple. There is nothing that turns off journalists more than a press release that's just advertising, and when you turn them off, they're often off for good.
So, with this in mind, creating a news hook for your press release and media plan in general is probably the most important thing that you can do. But, how do you do it?
A news hook can be defined as the property in your press release that really makes a person read it and say, "I'm glad that I read this. This is really news." A news hook does not directly try to sell something, but to put some real news in front of the reader and encourage them to learn more about you.
If you are a major company, almost anything you do could be considered news. Take Google, for example. Everything they announce tends to be front-page news, no matter how small it is. However, your probably not so lucky, so you have to look pretty had.
If you are selling cars in a local dealership, a news hook could be if a local celebrity if performing a function at your dealership or even if they are long time and outspoken customers. If you are selling hair dryers, upgrading your model form XD1000 to XD1001 is not news outside of the hair dryer community. However, there are plenty of ways to generate news out of something that normally cannot be considered news.
To do this, you must ask yourself the 6 questions that every journalist is always asking
-Who
-What
-Where
-When
-Why
-How
If you are able to answer all of these, then you have something that can go onto the next stage. If you are not able to adequately answer these questions, then you have to try again and find something that can legitimately be considered news.
When you have this, then what you must do is think about
-What a member of the general public would think about this news
-What journalists would think
-What a member of your target demographic would think
When you get this, decide how you will address each group. If you want PR, then you will typically have to go through the journalist. The journalist should have a good idea of what the general public wants and what the target demographic wants, so if you have news, they will pass it on.
With this in mind, if you are selling something specialized, and then you should target publications and media that focus on that specific industry. If you have something more general, then you should focus on the more general media.
Bryan Thompson is a young entrepreneur and founder of Press Release Writing Online ( http://www.prwritingonline.com ). In his experience as a freelance publicist, writer and entrepreneur, he has worked with dozens of small, medium and large companies. He is also writing a book on the basics of publicity for small businesses and is also managing several other online businesses at the same time. You may contact him at info@prwritingonline.com.
Chances are that you are making many, if not all,... Read More
Freelance writers are a strange group of people when it... Read More
My name is Ann and I'm a grammar geek. There,... Read More
Thinking of hiring a staff writer? Think again. Below, I... Read More
Your prospect has emotions? and you MUST touch these emotions... Read More
Many people feel uncertain when dealing with copywriters. Like any... Read More
Most salespeople have great ideas, but when it comes to... Read More
Whether you're an executive or a small business owner, chances... Read More
On the Internet programmers and designers rule, not the writer.... Read More
Would you like to get more sales from your online... Read More
A significant reason behind websites that fail is the lack... Read More
The notion on the great artist, Pablo Picasso's quote, "Bad... Read More
Writing headlines for your ads is the most important part... Read More
I know, I know. Times are tough. You have to... Read More
If you have done your homework then you are ready... Read More
At times, it can be frustrating to find freelance business... Read More
Your sales copy is the life source of your business.... Read More
Every week I receive a couple of emails from people... Read More
Putting out a high quality product is a given these... Read More
No doubt, the headline is the most important part of... Read More
Whether you're wet-behind-the-ears or a seasoned copywriter, your craft will... Read More
As a freelance copywriter in New York, your work is... Read More
Persuasive copywriting is what draws the attention of prospective customers.... Read More
Market identification Custom writing services market is a sector of... Read More
Sometimes it's a struggle to figure out what's the best... Read More
Quotations are expressions, usually in the spoken form or in... Read More
The huge demand for writers online is really for ghostwriters.... Read More
Did you ever wish you could afford to hire one... Read More
People tend to read your ads and sales letters in... Read More
Why Some People's Ads Almost Always Make MoneyDiscover the Master... Read More
So you finally built a website for your home-based business.... Read More
In order to get ahead in your copy writing business,... Read More
If you made it this far, the headline for this... Read More
Your sales letter is the most important component in your... Read More
Content is king. Without content your website is an empty... Read More
Here's another drill ripped out of the Field Guide for... Read More
Now that your website is up and running, it's time... Read More
I know, I know. Times are tough. You have to... Read More
Network marketing is an art as much as it is... Read More
When I show some people my advertisements, I sometimes get... Read More
In order to maximize your sales efforts and fully seize... Read More
Lets start with copyright infringement.It is easily explained as copying... Read More
Do you ever have brilliant ideas for articles, books or... Read More
Hands up if the title to this article made you... Read More
Have you heard the good things about the field of... Read More
In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as... Read More
One of the most important aspects of a website today... Read More
If your ad is not generating a lot of sales,... Read More
Here's a critically important copywriting technique I use when writing... Read More
Lately, I've been getting emails from other copywriters who ask... Read More
When you're writing or evaluating copy for a B to... Read More
Last quarter I talked about interviewing / gathering data. So... Read More
Your definition may differ, but I define a lapsed donor... Read More
What ever happened to good old fashion, fundamental copywriting? Has... Read More
If you have done your homework then you are ready... Read More
1) Don't just hire a good designer. Hire someone who... Read More
The single most important element of your website's copy is... Read More
It's arguably the most important word in the copywriter's arsenal.... Read More
WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?How do you begin a dialogue with a... Read More
I have been in the ad game for a long,... Read More
New to tech-writing, or thinking about starting? The key to... Read More
Ask yourself these questions:Are you an experienced writer?Do you want... Read More
One of the least talked-about areas in copywriting education is... Read More
As a freelance copywriter in New York, your work is... Read More
You know what it's like, you're reading the sales material... Read More
I went to Google and entered a couple of different... Read More
Copywriting |