Catapult Public Relations

Create a Content Calendar

Fri, 13 May 2011 17:27:39 +0000

Magazines create editorial calendars each year, and your company can too!
Plan your content calendar around tradeshows, new hire announcements and other key items that occur regularly. You can fill in with timely items to keep your public informed about your company's news.

For more PR tips:www.catapultpr-ir.com/resources/

Off the Record?

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:19:47 +0000

No such thing. Anything you say to a reporter can be used in their story. If you have information that is time-sensitive, incomplete, or not yet approved, save it until your company is ready to release it.

Localize an Existing Story.

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:50:40 +0000

Stay updated on national trends and how they might impact your local community. If there's a story angle that can be localized and you have something compelling and of value to say, consider a quick news release and email pitch to a local reporter. Journalists love trend-driven, time-sensitive and local story angles relating to national trends.

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

Consider Your Content

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:02:07 +0000

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/

Costly Errors

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:25:13 +0000

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/

Hold the Attachments

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:39:01 +0000

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.

Read the (Journalists’) Bible

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:32:18 +0000

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.

Avoid Buzzwords, Hype and Superlatives

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:17:20 +0000

Journalists and analysts alike have limited patience with news releases and pitches that are filled with jargon and outlandish claims. Some journalists even use a filter to detect and weed out releases that have too many buzzwords. To keep your release from being zapped, here are some words to avoid: end-to-end, customer-centric, nimble, robust, Web-centric, leading edge, revolutionary, state of the art, future proof and mission critical. The best advice? Try and write like a journalist. Use plain English to describe your product or service and the benefits it provides. Editors appreciate this approach and are much more likely to use your release when it's written in a straightforward fashion.

Features of an Online Press Room

Tue, 20 May 2008 17:58:13 +0000

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.