Catapult Public Relations - PR Tips

Focus your message.

Mary — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:28:38 -0600

The best way to make your message easy to understand is to stay focused on just one topic. Three supporting main points is usually enough to back up your story with adequate information. If you have several ideas, you may want to break it into different announcements.

Click below to see archived PR tips:

http://www.catapultpr-ir.com/resources/

messaging pr tips communication

Respond Promptly.

Mary — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:01:02 -0600

Always call back the press promptly. even if you cannot answer their question immediately. Let them know you will try to find the needed information or contact. By responding quickly and respecting deadlines, you will become a reliable source and increase the likelihood that a story will run.

www.catapultpr-ir.com

pr public relations journalists catapult pr

Tweet Your News

Mary — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:46:19 -0600

If you are a twitter user, tweet your news. Do this in addition to your other methods of distribution, like the wire service, RSS feeds and direct journalist contact. Just be careful not to put on too many social media vehicles at once, so you are sending to the same people over and over again!

http://www.catapultpr-ir.com/

http://www.catapultpr-ir.com/blog/

twitter news news releases social media pr catapult pr

Consider Your Content

Mary — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:02:07 -0500

In the era of self publishing, quality writing is key to getting pick up in both print and online publications. With shrinking editorial staff, news releases are often printed as published or only reworked slightly. Well written content will be more likely to be used, since it saves editorial effort.

http://www.catapultpr-ir.com/

http://www.catapultpr-ir.com/blog/

pr public relations marketing writing content

Costly Errors

Mary — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:25:13 -0500

Far too many companies put out news releases containing spelling or grammar mistakes. Poorly written news releases, regardless of the news value they may contain, are a reflection of the entire company. Distributing a sloppily prepared release indicates to journalists that the company does not have high professional standards. Consider having a professional writer or PR firm work on your news releases. The end result will be well-crafted releases that grab the media's attention, and cast your company in a positive light.

http://www.catapultpr-ir.com

http://www.catapultpr-ir.com/blog/

writing pr public relations news release press release spelling

Help your Editor

Mary — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:26:56 -0500

Give reporters a clear story idea that you know their readers (and editor) will like. Think of yourself as their editor before you pitch them and you'll stand a greater chance of getting your idea accepted.

journalists news releases positioning messaging catapult public relations

Hold the Attachments

Mary — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:39:01 -0500

The proliferation of computer viruses and worms has made everyone leery of opening email attachments, even if the message is from someone they know. Some magazines have installed software that automatically removes attachments before forwarding the message to the intended recipient, but more often than not the entire email will simply be deleted. What that means for PR professionals is that they should always paste their releases in the body of their emails when sending them out to reporters. If there's an image to go with the release, let them know that artwork is available upon request.

writing journalists ap style pr marketing media relations

Alma Maters matter

Mary — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:28:22 -0500

If you are sending a news release from your organization that features a member, employee, board member, staff, etc. of your organization, remember to send the release to the alma mater(s) and hometown media of the person featured. This will help expand visibility of your organization to many other outlets and readers gain further visibility of your organization's featured person, helping to further spread your news.

pr communications public relations marketing news release alma mater catapult pr

Advisory or News Release?

Mary — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:45:34 -0500

Not sure if your news should be in the form of a media advisory or news release? Here are a couple of guidelines to follow:

A media advisory is usually an alert sent to the press about an upcoming event. It describes Who, What, When, Where and How the event will take place in the form of brief paragraphs.

A news release is a more descriptive piece about a new product, personnel or newsworthy change within a company.

www.catapultpr-ir.com

pr news release writing ap style catapult pr

More is better!

Mary — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:27:27 -0500

Don't assume that reporters (or even analysts) will know and understand basic facts about your industry, company or product/service. Oftentimes, they know less about the topic at hand than you think! It's good practice to always "start at the beginning" by providing a quick snapshot of your company and product overview while incorporating your key positioning messages throughout the discussion. Better to error on the side of repeating information they may know (in which case, they'll tell you) versus assuming they understand. It can make the difference not only in the coverage results you get, but also help to position you as a potential source they can call on in the future.

journalists news releases positioning messaging catapult public relations

Seasoned Executives need media training too

Mary — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:06:44 -0600

CEO's often feel they don't need media training because they are in the public eye frequently. This can be a pitfall due to the fact that they often are caught off guard by the questions a determined reporter can ask regarding a launch. Media training can assure a polished, complete story is presented to the press.

media training pr communications public relations marketing

Target the "Right" journalists

Mary — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:11:18 -0600

Take the time to create a clear and appropriate target list of journalists. Your company objectives should guide you in determining which journalists are your most important targets. Often emerging companies want coverage in the Wall Street Journal, but for many companies national business press is the wrong target. If you need local recognition, then go after the local press. If you need recognition within your industry, you need to target vertical trade press.

pr ir writing journalists

News Release Writing 101

Mary — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:53:31 -0600

Avoid adjectives when writing a news release, such as "exciting", "tremendous", "amazing", "revolutionary", "leading", "end-to-end", "turn-key", or "mission critical". Journalists are bombarded by words like these everyday and are turned off by them. Remember that you are not writing ad copy for consumers, but the simple facts for the media.

pr writing public relations journalists news release writing press release writing

Keep Your Headline and Lead Focused

Mary — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:53:03 -0500

The lead paragraph in a news release should support the headline and sub-head. Make it clear, concise and avoid jargon. Too often, due to the typical number of changes in the review process, the headlines and lead paragraph often end up disjointed and unrelated. This can cause frustration to journalists who are trying to "find the news" and prevent them from reading on.

writing headlines pr news release press release catapult pr

Service Your Customer

Mary — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:51:21 -0500

Think of media professionals as customers, and strive to provide quality service that fits their individual needs. If you promise images by the end of the day, deliver what you say. Demonstrate to your "customer" that you work for them and do everything possible to make them look good.

journalists pr media catapult pr

Keep Everyone Informed

Mary — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:10:36 -0500

Have regular informational meetings with your PR firm or department so that every newsworthy event is recognized. Events that could be publicized are often passed by or discovered by PR and marketing departments too late to be utilized by the media. Some events an executive may not see as important could be newsworthy and support the company's PR goals. Provide frequent updates so that these items are recognized.

pr event marketing marketing public relations catapult pr-ir pr launch

Leveraging Editorial Calendars for PR Opportunities

Mary — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:34:04 -0500

Editorial calendars are published by every trade publication and offer a great way to see what editors will cover in upcoming issues. Editorial calendars are included in a magazine's media kit to help advertisers better schedule their promotions. If used correctly, editorial calendars provide a great avenue for PR because you can pitch story ideas in line with the topics you know will be covered by the magazine.

Every magazine has different editorial calendar guidelines. Monthlies usually work anywhere from one to four months in advance of items listed. Weeklies, on the other hand, work ahead only one to four weeks. Once you've identified an item, find out who's assigned to write the story and when they'll be working on the article. Then, with a quick email or call, make contact with the writer to briefly introduce your company and how it can be a source.

public relations editorial calendars media relations pr catapult pr-ir

ColoradoBiz Article on incorporating social media

Mary — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:09:00 -0500

Take a deep breath
Strategy is key when incorporating social media

By Rebecca Cole

Companies caught up in the whirlwind of social media and Web 2.0 tactics can stray into the danger zone of ignoring strategy, messaging and the continued importance of personal interaction.

Link to Full Article:

http://www.cobizmag.com/articles.asp?id=2237

social media new media pr public relations blogs web 2.0 pr 2.0 rss catapult pr-ir

Competition is Good!

Mary — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:49:15 -0500

Many company execs make the mistake of saying "We don't have any competitors." If you don't have any competitors you either aren't being honest or you don't have a market for your product. The willingness to identify who your competitors are gives you credibility and builds trust.

pr public relations marketing journalists communications analyst relations media relations identifying competition catapult pr-ir

Let the press know how good you really are

Mary — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:06:49 -0500

First, recognize that people want to know about your accomplishments. Second, understand that getting the word out about your recognition helps to build your credibility.

pr public relations marketing journalists communications

Read the (Journalists') Bible

Mary — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:32:18 -0500

First published in 1975 and updated annually, the Associated Press Stylebook remains the journalists' bible for editorial standards. It provides clear, consistent and simple rules on how to handle technical terms, abbreviations, punctuation, spelling, capitalization and more.

PR pros should abide by the rules of this invaluable guide when writing pitches, news releases, bylined articles and white papers. Have a copy of the AP Stylebook on your desk and refer to it often. Okay? No! According to the Stylebook, it's not okay, it's OK.

ap style associated press pr public relations marketing writing

PR Launches are more than just news. . .

Mary — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 17:04:34 -0500

When planning a company or product launch, don't confine your strategy and editorial efforts only to news coverage. Other publicity opportunities you should pursue to ensure maximum publicity, but also, a well-orchestrated launch include:
- Analysts briefings
- First Looks and/or product reviews
- By-lined articles, feature stories, case studies

launches public relations pr editorial product reviews catapult pr

Features of an Online Press Room

Mary — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:58:13 -0500

Make it simple for the press to find your company information. Reporters often request the following features on an online press room:
- News releases
- PR contact information - phone, e-mail and after hours
- RSS feeds
- Product data sheets
- White papers
- Market statistics
- Downloadable high-resolution images

If it's easy to find your information, there's a better chance it will be included in an article.

pr writing public relations strategy online newsroom white papers media journalist research

Media Training 101

Mary — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:39:29 -0500

Preparation is key to any successful presentation or sales call. When it comes to PR, media training is an essential tool to prepare executives and other employees to handle press calls, briefings or tours. A PR pro will develop messaging topics and potential questions that may be asked during a briefing to increase the likelihood that a positive, "on-message" story will appear. It also can help prevent executives from being caught off-guard by probing questions a determined reporter might ask. Media training, even for the most seasoned executives, can help ensure that a polished, complete story is presented to the press.

pr high-tech pr public relations media training speaking journalists

Make Contact Info Visible

Mary — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:06:21 -0500

Clearly display media contacts on your releases, Website and other PR materials. Make it easy for reporters to find out how and where to get more information (including after-hours). Also post pictures, logos and other supporting documents reporters might use to fine-tune a story.

pr reporters pr strategy public relations communication media relations