THE MONONEWS E-GUIDE�TO THE LIFESTYLE�PRESS RELEASE�A review of and an ultimate resource guide to the new �generation of lifestyle Press Releases�

TABLE OF CONTENTS�INTRODUCTION� 4�

WHY PRESS RELEASES?� 5�

WHY PRESS RELEASES ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR LIFESTYLE NEWS�

6�

CHAPTER 1: THE BASICS OF WRITING A LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE�

7�

WHAT IS A PRESS RELEASE?� 7�

THE MONONEWS DEFINITION OF A PRESS RELEASE�

8�

WHY SEND OUT A PRESS RELEASE?� 8�

THE COMPOSITION� 10�

THE AUDIENCE� 11�

CHAPTER 2: HOW TO WRITE A GREAT LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE�

12�

PREPARATION FOR WRITING YOUR PRESS RELEASE�

12�

THE MONONEWS VERSION OF THE PRESS RELEASE�

14�

FINAL CHECKLIST� 18�

5 IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR A BETTER PRESS RELEASE�

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TABLE OF CONTENTS�CHAPTER 3�WHY SEND OUT A LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE?�

22�

LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASES ARE AN IMPORTANT TOOL�

22�

CHAPTER 4�DISTRIBUTING AND MONITORING YOUR LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE�

24�

CONSIDERATIONS FOR LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTION�

24�

MONITORING THE RESULTS OF YOUR PRESS RELEASE �

25�

THE MONONEWS DASHBOARD� 27�

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS� 28�

THE MAIN REASONS YOUR PRESS RELEASE WONʼT GET PICKED UP�

29�

CHAPTER 5: HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT JOURNALISTS AND HOW THEY USE PRESS RELEASES�

32�

CHAPTER 6: THE HISTORY OF THE PRESS RELEASE� 34�

THE FIRST PRESS RELEASE� 34�

LEEʼS DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES� 35�

CONCLUSION� 36�

INTRODUCTION�

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Evolution in Social Media and technology has resulted in a whole new landscape when it comes to communications and Public Relations, especially in the arts, entertainment and lifestyle industries. PR professionals are not only looking to reach the media by targeting high-circulation publications, they now also

Social Media.�

Through all these changes, Press Releases still remain an

communication of news directly from the management or leadership of a company/organization. But in order to stay relevant, the Press Release needs to evolve and become even more effectively written and highly shareable. �

mononews was launched three years ago, with the goal of

entertainment and lifestyle Press Releases. Until then, other

and Press Releases about consumer goods, arts and lifestyle got lost in the crowd. �

With a community of more than 7,000 Canadian lifestyle reporters,

beauty, health, lifestyle, arts, travel and other lifestyle-related topics.�

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WHY PRESS RELEASES? �Research has told us news releases remain the most credible source of news for reporters and journalists. (The State of Journalism in 2011 Oriella PR Network Digital Journalism Study). This is because the information they contain has been crafted and vetted for accuracy by the owner of the news.�

Further, according to research conducted by mononews among 7,296 Canadian journalists, 66 % of respondents reported using Press Releases at least once a week, making the Press Release a important and valued source of news for media.�

Vehicles like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest - among other social networks/communities - represent an amazing opportunity to dialogue, inform, solicit and share. While companies and organizations should participate in this dialogue, it is also crucial to

Press Release comes into play. �

It is also important to note that there is an opportunity in crafting lifestyle Press Releases that are "shareable", in the same way that articles or blog posts are written to reach a broad audience (more on this later!).�

While new channels of communication continue to open up, there will always be a need for information “straight from the horseʼs mouth”. �

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WHY PRESS RELEASES ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR LIFESTYLE NEWS�

While Social Media provides new vehicles to allow companies to communicate directly with their customers via Social Networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and others, what about the potential consumers who are not “fans”, “friends” or “subscribed” customers?�

How do they learn about the great new product that they canʼt live without?  Yes, they may see the ads, but they need more than just a beauty shot, they need details.  They require information. They need an understanding, a reason, something compelling. Advertising doesnʼt tell the story, PR does. Social Media may create interest, but PR provides the “whatʼs in it for me?” to make it relevant.�

WHY PRESS RELEASES? �The intention of this document is to provide a review of and an ultimate resource for the new generation of lifestyle Press Releases. The mononews e-Guide to the Lifestyle Press Release provides an understanding of where the Press Release originated, how it evolved and what it is now, along with recommendations and suggestions for preparation, format, content and assessment. �

This document provides a comprehensive summary along with clear and actionable steps to produce the best possible lifestyle Press Release for the current environment.�

CHAPTER 1�THE BASICS OF WRITING A LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE�

7�

Let's start at the beginning. If you have never written a Press Release before, you might wonder where to start. In this section,

appropriate to send one, how it is built and for whom it is intended. �

If you are already familiar with the fundamentals of the Press Release, you can immediately skip to Chapter 2, where you will

targeted and compelling lifestyle Press Release.�

WHAT IS A PRESS RELEASE?�

statement issued to newspapers giving information on a particular matter."�

According to Wikipedia: "A Press Release, news release, media release, press statement or video release is a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something ostensibly newsworthy. Typically, they are mailed, , or e-mailed to assignment editors at newspapers, magazines, radio stations, television stations, and/or television networks."�

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newsworthy nature from a company, organization or group. �

Its content is approved by the management of the company or the organization the news is about.�

The information is sent out to the media, journalists, reporters and/

information via their vehicle (newspaper, magazine, radio, TV, website, blog) to the consumer.�

The information can be distributed directly by the company/

distribution services (newswire services).�

THE MONONEWS DEFINITION OF A PRESS RELEASE�

WHY SEND OUT A PRESS RELEASE?�

A news release is sent out to share relevant news and to help ensure the accuracy of information provided to the public. It

the story.�

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WHY SEND OUT A PRESS RELEASE?�

Some of the key reasons companies/organizations send out Press Releases:�

  Crisis Management: To provide factual, truthful information about the crisis or situation/event and to try and avoid speculation or inaccuracies in the reporting.�

  Business and Financial news: Annual (quarterly and semi-annual) results, mergers, acquisitions, IPOʼs (initial public

investment.�

  Special contest or promotion�

  �

  Appointment notice, management change�

  Sponsorship, collaboration, special project�

  �

  Philanthropic projects and efforts�

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A Press Release starts with a headline that is both comprehensive

should include the brand/product and/or company name, and be as attention-grabbing as possible.�

The body

key details and spokesperson quotes, while the third paragraph provides background and history.�

The boilerplate completes the release and is a brief paragraph providing a synopsis of the company/organization.�

Contact information should include the name of the person to contact for additional information or details, along with the phone number(s) and email address where they can be reached. Don't forget to add any Social Media information, such as a Twitter

�

Photos and video have become critical elements to include and �

Adding supporting documents, like fact sheets, recipes, or other background material is also appreciated by reporters, who like to

job easier and if making their job easier gets your release picked up, itʼs well worth the effort.�

Links to your companyʼs website, blog, Facebook page or �other site which might provide additional information are �useful, once again, saving the journalist valuable time.�

THE COMPOSITION:�

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Press Releases are sent to journalists, in order to provide them with information that they can use to write their stories.�

Press Releases are written for their (the journalistʼs) ultimate audience, the intended end user or consumer of the product, service or offering. This is a very important consideration when making the decision to issue a news release and when composing

�

THE AUDIENCE:�

CHAPTER 2�HOW TO WRITE A GREAT LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE�

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Now that you are ready to write your Press Release, here are

of this chapter will highlight some key preparation that you need to

basic "tips" for writing a strong lifestyle Press Release. Finally, a �

PREPARATION FOR WRITING YOUR PRESS RELEASE�Just as you would for a big presentation or a key meeting, you need to prepare to write a lifestyle Press Release. This is your opportunity to tell your story, to get your information across, so the prep work is important. Hereʼs what you should consider:�

1. Understand your target audience. Learn as much as you can about your consumer: demographic information from research, data from Social Media. Are they female, male? Young, middle-aged, mature? Where do they live? How do they use your product? Where do they purchase it? What is their educational level? What stage of life are they living? How do they shop? How do they get information about your company and brand? What are their interests? Knowing all this and more will help you �

�

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2.  Have a complete picture of your target customer and understanding their needs, desires and how they interact with your product can help you determine what to say in your Press Release. It allows you to concentrate on conveying the information most meaningful and important to them, which is

�

3.  Knowing your audience also provides you with guidance and direction on how to talk to them in manner that resonates. Use appropriate language that is easy to understand.

receptive to and which strikes a chord with them, rather than the technical terms, buzzwords or jargon used within your organization.�

4.  Make it interesting, educational even. People appreciate knowledge, especially when and how it pertains to them. You

Effectively engage your consumers by picking the information that is most relevant to them, with a clear understanding of their wants and needs. Tell your target audience about those

�

5.  Make it easy for the journalists to do his/her job. Provide

Include contact information, links, telephone numbers, photos, video and support documents. �

PREPARATION FOR WRITING YOUR PRESS RELEASE�

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6.  Target your release to the right journalists. Write for the reporters who cover the lifestyle topics and news read by your customers. �

7.  Be available. The purpose of all of this effort is to get journalists interested so they will cover your news. If they have questions, this is an opportunity to tell them more, engage them, even start to build a relationship for the future.�

PREPARATION FOR WRITING YOUR PRESS RELEASE�

THE MONONEWS VERSION OF THE PRESS RELEASE�

In case you havenʼt noticed, communications has changed - dramatically. Itʼs time to acknowledge this and make some much needed adjustments. Giving the traditional Press Release an overhaul is an important opportunity.�

If you want to go beyond the "good" Press Release and write a "great" one, especially pertaining to the lifestyle beat, here are tips to create a release in the mononews style, which was developed to be the optimal format for Social Media. �

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THE MONONEWS VERSION OF THE PRESS RELEASE�

Based on the insight gained at mononews, a service that hosts��

lists of journalists customized for each release, here are the key�recommendations: �

1.  Headline: primary message you are trying to deliver. What is the information you are announcing? What is the key message that encapsulates the “reason for being” of the product or service? The crucial element that people need to know, in words that everyone can understand. Think “tweet”: use the

help facilitate and encourage retweets. Use action verbs, create a mood, evoke an emotion, provoke a reaction.�

2.  Write the Press Release as an Executive Summary: A spare, but comprehensive, factual top line. The document

scanned and absorbed in 3 minutes rather than a proposal. It should be as objective and free of bias as you can possibly make it. The tone should be neutral.�

3.  Short and Sweet: Press Releases should be in the neighbourhood of 300 words. This is more than enough to get your points across, if you choose your words carefully. Edit down your information to the bare bones. Enforcing the discipline to be concise, clear, direct and reduces the incidences of “sell copy”, jargon and valueless �self-promotion. This is the stuff that either gets �ignored or increases the speed of the mouse to the �“delete” button for your entire news release.�

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THE MONONEWS VERSION OF THE PRESS RELEASE�

4.  Tweets = “Sound Bites”: Information should be prioritized and presented in short paragraphs that would be appropriate to tweet. Tweets are the 2012 equivalent of the ubiquitous “sound bites”. Remember them? Short, digestible statements of crucial information provided to the press to reduce the possibility of misunderstanding or misquote. Use 140

although itʼs recommended NOT to use the full 140 characters so that people can retweet (forward along) your information with their (brief) comments. If this is too much of a challenge,

standard.�

5.  Customize – Address Your Audience: If you have a new device or app for tracking blood pressure and heart rate, consider doing two versions of your Press Release: one that

for consumer health, which will interest the reporters writing

product works, relevant for the tech writers. News about a food product can be oriented towards strictly “food” writers, however

�

6. of your company/organization that you are posting on LinkedIn or Google+. Answer the who, what and why �effectively, in as few words as possible. Use it �consistently with every release until a �

�

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THE MONONEWS VERSION OF THE PRESS RELEASE�

7.  Add Photos: Relevant photos that clearly communicate the product. Make sure reporters have access to high-resolution photos that reproduce well. Standard formats are jpeg, gif, tiff.�

8.  Add a YouTube Video Link. Have good quality footage of the product in use? This will do wonders to help journalists understand and get a feel for your product.�

9.  Add any supporting documents that might help the interested journalist write your story. Product specs? Research summary? Fact sheet? Be sure to include them.�

10.  Add links to your product/company website. Do you have

�

11.   Contact Information. Make sure that the contact provided is accessible and available. Iʼd recommend that the message on the contactʼs voice mail change every day “This is Robin Thornton on September 24th, 2012…” This conveys the message that your representative is responsible, accountable and that responding to voice-mail is a priority.�

12.  Provide a Spokesperson or “Source” for your news. Quotes add interest, personality and a certain credibility to your Press Release – especially for lifestyle news. Providing the name access to a resource or spokesperson for the media to interview or quote may help with �

�perspective that is particularly relevant for their � �audience, resulting in coverage. If the�

�spokesperson or resource is local, is an ��

association with your company, even better.�

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THE MONONEWS VERSION OF THE PRESS RELEASE�

13.  Include your Social Media Contact Information. Do you

LinkedIn? Make sure you include this information as part of the contact information of your release, along with the URL to your website.�

Journalists are inundated with information at every moment of�every day. Providing them with a well-thought-out and clearly�written Press Release could very well be the best way to get their�attention.�

FINAL CHECKLIST�Before hitting the send button, here is a list of things to check, one�more time:�

1.  Is the Information simple, clear and concise? Does it clearly state what the Press Release is about in the headline

accomplishment, the event you are announcing mentioned your Press

Release, is everyone capable of answering the following questions. �

  WHO is the release from (company/organization)?�  WHAT is the release talking about?�  WHEN is the activity, event, action taking place?�  WHERE is it happening?�  WHY is this important to, or relevant for �

journalists and their readers.�

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FINAL CHECKLIST�

2.  Does the Press Release contain jargon? Delete it! Remember, youʼre not talking to your colleagues who are plugged in to your culture, you are writing for your ultimate consumer. Make sure youʼre talking to them. �

3.  Does the text make sense to ”outsiders”? Have the press release read by someone who knows nothing about the

sentences, youʼve been successful in making the essential message clear.�

4.  Are you using the “reverse pyramid”? The best way to present information is to start with the general and most

are less important. From the 30,000-foot-view to ground level perspective.�

5.  Do you have photos? Relevant images (company logo, pictures of the product or event) are crucial support to include. Visual elements may heighten the journalistʼs interest and make his/her job easier at the same time – no need to go looking for material to accompany the story. And providing your own photo means you potentially control the visual, rather�

�than leaving it to chance.�

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5 IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR A BETTER PRESS RELEASE�

1.  Think Social: Create a Social Media Savvy Release -- Social Media has become a crucial way of spreading information. As a result, it is important to create a Social Media savvy lifestyle Press Release! Think key words when creating the title and

handle and chosen hashtag(s), include great photos and a potentially viral video! Check out this great title and suggested tweet on Lancôme's Press Release. �

2.  Surprise Your Audience: In today's world, information travels very, very quickly. If everyone on Twitter already knows what your Press Release is about, you might not achieve the hoped-for level of response. Try choosing a different angle or giving

�

3.  Take Advantage of the Calendar: The "when" is as important as the "what". Your audience is looking for green Spring-cleaning tips in April and cool gift-wrapping ideas in December. It's important to offer timely information. Remember that when pitching to long-lead reporters, you will need to think three to four months in advance. �

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5 IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR A BETTER PRESS RELEASE�

4.  Write for Everyone: If your lifestyle Press Release is good and contains interesting, relevant information, it will be shared on different platforms. This means that your Press Release will not only be read by reporters, but also by the general public (your consumers!). �

It's important to write your lifestyle release with this in mind, so you can really connect with your audience. Itʼs not enough to just put the information out there, itʼs crucial to make your reader understand why this is important/relevant/useful to him/her. Ask yourself if the reader will understand the information without doing research (because chances are that they wonʼt). It goes without saying that people feel more engaged when

address the different concerns or needs for different groups of

”Whatʼs in it for me” and give them more reason to use your release. Because itʼs relevant.�

4.  Be Aware of Trends: Using what's trending in your industry, or even in pop culture right now, is a great way to spike the interest of your readers. One great way to stay up-to-date on

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CHAPTER 3�WHY SEND OUT A LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE�

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LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASES ARE AN IMPORTANT TOOL�

environment, and to obtain a general feeling of the state and Social Media,

mononews took to Social Media to ask “Are Press Releases an Important Tool in Your Marketing  . The answer, crowdsourced via LinkedIn Answer, MarketingProfs -- a resounding “Yes”. �

Here are the principal reasons given by our respondents about the reasons why Press Releases are important:�

1.  They are key for SEO purposes.�2.  Press Releases help promote new products or show how it

meets the needs of a particular reader.�3.  They are useful in building brand awareness.�4.  They can assist in opening the door to other editorial

opportunities with the media.�5.  They provide editors and journalists with information that they

�6.  They are a credible source of information.�7.  Press Releases are an additional means of communicating

about company, brand or product.�

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LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASES ARE AN IMPORTANT TOOL�

These are the “Best Practice” suggestions provided by respondents.�

1.  Ensure the content is really newsworthy/relevant.�2.  Share the release with your contacts via Social Media.�3.  Target the release, information and style to the right audience.�4.  Slant the release, information, style for different target

audiences (i.e. customize the release for different interest groups).�

5.  Include photos and video.�6.  Keep it brief.�7.  Follow-up personally with the reporters you know may be likely

to pick-up your release.�

*mononews  �“thank you" to all who took the time to weigh in on the question via�Social Media.�

And, to help add value to your Press Release, here are some�of mononewsʼs own suggestions:�

1.  Make sure your Press Release is targeted to the reporters who cover your particular topic.�

2. special interest groups, geographic regions, or populations (urban versus rural, East Coast versus West). Make sure to answer the question “Whatʼdifferent target audience.�

3.  Ensure accessibility of media contacts.�4.  Answer queries promptly.�5.  Use every contact as an opportunity to create a �

relationship.�6.  Use local spokespersons/use local people a�

spokespersons.�

CHAPTER 4�DISTRIBUTING AND MONITORING YOUR LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE�

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTION�1.  Most companies have a list of journalists who cover their

newspapers, magazines, trade or industry journals, websites, blogs and or associations and compiling a contact list. Should you have a PR or Communications Agency, this is one of their key responsibilities.�

2.  These are your preferred media contacts and, are, over time, the journalists with whom you want to develop a relationship. �

3.  Newswire services are companies that will distribute your news to a wider audience for a fee. In Canada, there are two major newswire companies CNW and Marketwire. Principally

traditional news dissemination services that have been around for years. Hereʼs how they work: CNW and Marketwire originally delivered the news, literally, over the wire. They were established as wire services that delivered news releases to the editorial desks of major news vehicles, like �newspapers, radio and TV stations. As times changed �and news organization converged and centralized, �leading to fewer, but far larger media outlets and more �

�services went online in order to allow journalists to �

�

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR LIFESTYLE PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTION�

mononews recognized some important gaps in the news �

1.  By addressing the underserved lifestyle, arts and

�2.  By providing convenient direct delivery via e-mail, ensuring

journalists receive the news, rather than having to go

customized target list of relevant journalists.�3.  Finally, by addressing the prohibitive cost of sending out a

Press Release via a news distribution service. mononews prices are eminently affordable.�

.�MONITORING THE RESULTS OF YOUR PRESS RELEASE �

After putting so much effort into crafting your Press Release and disseminating it, it's only normal that you would want to evaluate how it performs.�

There are many reporting/monitoring services that can help you assess how many pick-ups and impressions your release prompted. However, it is important to note that these services are

through a service or via the PR or Communications agency they work with who co-ordinate reports on behalf of their clients.�

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If you donʼt have the resources to afford a monitoring or measuring service, here are some suggestions for evaluating �your Press Release:�

1.  Set some goals or objectives. These should be agreed on by your management team. Here are some suggestions: �

  Number of reporters who accept/read/open your press �� release�

  Number of inquiries or follow-ups you receive�  Number of visits to your Press Release, if posted online �  (in a limited/ �

�

2.  Have people scan the print media for pick-up. Collect/purchase copies of all the print vehicles you have on your media list, or check them out online, to see if your news received coverage and make copies of the clippings. �

3.  Use some of the online tools to monitor Social Media for mentions: Hootsuite, Social Mention, Social Bro, Social Oomph Service, Klout or others. �

4. service inquiries. �

5. stations now post story clips online. There are services that monitor TV and radio, but again, there may be �

ʼt �have ongoing news, it may not be worth it. If youʼve �done an interview or broadcast media has covered �your event, youʼll have to watch the �network(s)/station(s) programming to catch it. �

MONITORING THE RESULTS OF YOUR PRESS RELEASE �

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If you are looking for a practical, yet economical option to monitor your lifestyle news release, mononews offers a Dashboard that details some of the activity around your Press Release. �

The mononews Dashboard is a performance report presented in a practical, easy-to-understand format. This tool can help you judge how successful the distribution of your Press Release was.�

mononews monitors several key metrics related to the activity around your release and compiles these metrics for you in your mononews Dashboard. The performance of your release is compared with the results of all other releases sent out on mononews, so you have a benchmark to see where you stand.�

Here are the metrics provided by the mononews Dashboard:�

1. received your release, which you select when you post your

reporters for your news. �

2.  Number of reporters to whom your release was sent and Percentage of reporters per media type (print, broadcast and web). Each time we receive a new release, we create a customized list of reporters from our database of 7,000 contacts. On average, a release is sent to 1,200 reporters.�

3.  Open Rate. The percentage of reporters who opened your release. We have noticed that the more targeted the release is, the better the Open Rate. �

4.  Click Through Rate. The percentage of reporters �who clicked on the email to see more information �about your release.�

THE MONONEWS DASHBOARD�

28�

5.  Number of Unique Visits directly on your release at your custom URL on the mononews website.�

6.  Average Visit Length. The average time spent by visitors on your Press Release.�

7.  Interactions and Social Media Sharing. The number of times your Press Release was shared by email and/or Social Media.�

8.  Number of Impressions: The number of times your title was viewed on our "Home Page" and our "Recent Releases" page (Average for the monthly period). �

THE MONONEWS DASHBOARD�

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS�One of the biggest challenges youʼll face is the stiff competition you encounter in getting your news picked up. Sometimes, this is a result of the environment and isnʼt really your fault. And sometimes, harsh - but it has to be said - your news is just not relevant or interesting enough, and that is under your control. �

Management often has the idea that anything that is new or interesting to the company or its shareholders is newsworthy. Letʼpersonʼchildren? Divorce? Death? If over an average personʼs lifetime

news needs to be at a comparable level to one of these important life events.�

Discuss this with management, try and agree on realistic��

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THE MAIN REASONS YOUR PRESS RELEASE WONʼT GET PICKED UP�

1.  The news isnʼt relevant or interesting�

2.  The release doesnʼt contain a “hook”: a key piece of information that draws the reader in, immediately capturing their attention�

3.  You didnʼt send your news release to the right journalists (the �

4.  The news release is not well written�

5.  There are no accompanying photos or video�

6.  Thereʼs a catastrophe and your news gets lost/pre-empted�

7.  Your news is of a “seasonal” nature and gets buried in the clutter of competitive releases�

In the recent survey conducted among Canadian Journalists,�mononews asked reporters what their biggest pet peeves were�about story pitches. Canadian journalists responded that their�biggest problems with news stories and pitches they received are�content-related. �

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THE MAIN REASONS YOUR PRESS RELEASE WONʼT GET PICKED UP�

biggest pet peeve is that the information they receive is not �

With reporters handling ever-increasing workloads (78% of US journalists - 58% in Canada - state their workload has increased versus year ago, PR Week Media Survey 2010), they donʼt have time to waste sifting through all the Press Releases and pitches

Itʼs just not productive.�The solution to making sure journalists receive the news that is relevant to them is to ensure Press Releases and pitches are well targeting according to subject matter. This can be done by organizing the reporters and editors on your media lists according to the category of news each individual covers and being selective in your distribution. The alternative is to engage a service that can create customized media lists by topic.�

2. information they receive is too self-serving.�Press Releases, like any content, must have value for the target audience. If the information contained in the news release conveys information that the company/organization/brand/product wants to share without establishing a clear understanding of how this

ultimate reader (the consumer), then the Press Release is satisfying internal needs, while missing out on the needs of the public the company is trying to reach. �Write your Press Release from the perspective of “whatʼs in it for our customer”. Answer the needs or requirements of your �user franchise by provide educational information that �can help them use your product or services, better, more �often, longer or just simplify how they use it. Add value, �make it about them.�

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THE MAIN REASONS YOUR PRESS RELEASE WONʼT GET PICKED UP�

3. Not only do you need to communicate what is compelling about your news for your target audience, you must be obvious about connecting the dots in order for them to get it. You need to couch your principal point in terms that are meaningful for the ultimate reader so that your main idea is easily understood. Determine how your news most meaningfully corresponds to the needs and requirements of your users and focus on this. Does it solve a simple problem? Save time? Increase convenience? This is your key communication point – your hook.�

4.  Press Release is not well written”. Typos, spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, style issues or poor translations reduce the chance that your Press Release or pitch will be read all the way through, never mind used. If youʼnews release, donʼt neglect the basics. Have someone with

Spell check and grammar check will not catch homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled differently), or telling mistakes like “your” versus “youʼre”. Itʼs obvious from the survey results that Press Releases and pitches are a valuable and well-used resource for Canadian journalists. In turn, weʼve been provided with valuable feedback on how to

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CHAPTER 5�HELPFUL INFORMATION ABOUT JOURNALISTS AND HOW THEY USE PRESS RELEASES�

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A Survey on the Preferences of Canadian Journalists was�conducted by mononews, in collaboration with PR in Canada and�The Canadian Journalists Association between April 26 and May�25th, 2012. It was sent to 7,296 Canadian Journalists, (6,865�journalist in the mononews database and 440 members of The�Canadian Journalists Association). A total of 292 reporters�responded, 190 in English and 102 in French). �

1.  Two thirds of journalists use Press Releases at least once a week. Press Releases are reportedly used at least once a

use releases “Very Often” (more than twice a week) and 24 % use them “Often” (at least once a week at 24%). �

2.  Journalists prefer to receive pitches and Press Releases by email. In the survey, 95% of the respondents indicated their preference to receive pitches and Press Releases by e-mail.

State of Journalism in 2011 Oriella PR Network Digital Journalism Study, which indicated that 84% of reporters in the US preferred e-mail for pitches and news releases. �The principal reasons given for the preference to �receive news or pitches by e-mail is that e-mails are �1.  �

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3. response time of PR contacts. There is general satisfaction with the ease of reaching the PR contact for additional information (77 % Always easy/Usually Easy) and with the response time if questions have been asked of the contact (86% Immediately to Within 24 hours).�

4.  Journalists biggest pet peeves are with the content of pitches and Press Releases, 24% of reporters surveyed said that their biggest pet peeve is “story is not relevant to their

of reporting “there is no obvious hook for our readers”. �

5.  While Canadian reporters use Social Media as a resource

important way to reach journalists and provide them with information. The survey found that 25% of journalists

stories online, followed closely by Google+ at 24%. Facebook

commonly cited alternate sources include the internet/search engines and other media outlets.�

6.  Supporting information, in order of preference: The

and French journalists. English journalists rated background information as most important, with images coming in second. For French journalists, it was the reverse. Video was a distant third. �

CHAPTER 6�THE HISTORY OF THE PRESS RELEASE�

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THE FIRST PRESS RELEASE�

In 1905, Ivy Lee and his partner, George F. Parker, both former newspaper reporters, partnered to establish the U.S.ʼs third Public Relations �

The Pennsylvania Railroad was a client of Leeʼs. After a derailment in Atlantic City, New Jersey on October 26, 1906, Ivy Lee advised the owner of the railroad to pre-emptively release information to the media about the accident with the hope of controlling the story before reporters got the “scoop” elsewhere.

�was born and distributed via wire to media all over �the country. �

News management is believed to have had itʼ1919 at the Paris Peace Conference and the appearance of what have come to be known as Press Releases, date back to the 1880's. �

It was quite common, at that time, for members of the U.S Congress to drop by Newspaper Row, located on 14th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and F Street in Washington D.C., with the odd piece of information, generally about themselves and their agendas. Their purpose was to provide and manage the news. Many went so far as to interview themselves (Schudson 1978: 20). �

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LEEʼS DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES�

In brief, our plan is, frankly and openly, on behalf of business concerns and public institutions, to supply to the press and public of the United States prompt and accurate information concerning subjects which it is of value and interest to the public to know about.

Corporations and public institutions give out much information in which the news point is lost to view. Nevertheless, it is quite as important to the public to have this news as it is to the establishments themselves to give it currency.

I send out only matter every detail of which I am willing to assist any editor in verifying for himself.

I am always at your service for the purpose of enabling you to obtain more complete information concerning any of the subjects brought forward in my copy."

Sherman Morse, "An Awakening in Wall Street: How the Trusts, after Years of Silence, now speak though authorized and acknowledged Press Agents" The American Magazine, vol. 62, September 1906 p. 460 (Thank you to Karen Miller Russell for providing the article and the reference http://www.teachingpr.org/teaching_pr/2006/09/100th-anniversa.html)�

CONCLUSION�

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The Press Release has been around a long time, at least since the early 1900ʼs. According to journalists, it is the most credible and preferred vehicle for the communication of information from a company/organization/group to reporters and on to the public-at-large. The Press Release has, and continues to have to this day, incredible staying power. �

While language, tone, and subject matter change, the basics do

that is clear, accurate, relevant and well-organized accompanied by key support documents and complete contact information are the consistent components of a strong lifestyle Press Release. �