RSS FEEDS: Whither Thou Goกest?

RSS FEEDS: Whither Thou Goกest?

by: Tony Dean

I open up the กFeed Readerก every day on my laptop and cruise the กnews feedsก I กsubscribeก to. The amount of information is now overwhelming, I need to just กsubscribeก to only the กfeedsก that are of immediate interest, else I would be reading กfeedsก twenty four hours every day.

When I click on a link to find out more about a news item, I am taken to a web page with the article of news on it, also there are banner ads, advertising icons to click on, and other side news items to click to take me elsewhere.

The potential for advertising on those web pages for interested marketers is great, not withstanding the change in the news article each day on that web page. One day it might be about Amazon and the กoutageกsก they kept getting, or the next it could be a pending court case about กcybersquattingก a brand name. Whatever article is shown the advertisers get their message across. It may not be part of the advertising ploy to sell goods and services from that advert, but to กbrandก their products, or name, for future sales.

One research company predicts internet advertising revenues will rise by 19% next year, they also predict that newspaper advertising will drop considerably.

Future habits of net cruisers will be to immediately open up the กfeedsก and cruise all the latest news, in contrast to going for Google and Yahoo, inputting search terms, and then cruising only those web sites that come up. Please! Don’t laugh, most of us still do this!

If a web site has not got itกs own กnews feedก, it will not get any กeyeballsก.

Those interested in marketing to the masses should think about trying to get adverts placed on pages of those sites with a กnews feedก, with their name, or web address written prominently, for cruisers to come and visit, but the main objective is to create กbrandingก.

The usage of search engineกs for locating web sites will decline, unthinkable at the moment for most internet users, but their rss feeds directories will be the most sought after to be able to access more กfeedsก. So search engineกs will still survive, but usage habits will change.

The กbigdogsก in rss feeds update news on their กfeedsก every fifteen minutes or so, they know that to keep a captive readership that they have to update frequently, or they will lose กeyeballsก to some other service thatกs giving out more frequent news. This is critical from an advertisers point of view who wants his ads showing on web pages with updated news as frequently as possible.

I can feel the nudging elbowกs already as advertisers are trying to get the best กspotsก.

The most money to be gained from rss feeds is by the person who owns one, the advertising revenue from กspotsก on the web pages the กfeedก points to will be flooding in, and with the decline in effectiveness of newspaper advertising, the rss feeds are the only place most advertisers are going to spend their money. The younger techsavvy 1824 year oldกs don’t buy newspapers, they also don’t switch on the television as much anymore, so television advertisers are looking at rss feeds, especially the big media companies who have millions of ad dollars to spend.

Remember this, anybody, even you, can put up a rss feed.

About The Author

Tony Dean is a published author and runs a website at: http://www.ebooksales.com. He is author of the ebook:’really Simple RSSก available from his web site.

This article was posted on December 10, 2004

by Tony Dean

How To Crank Out Killer Web Copy That Sucks In Mon

How To Crank Out Killer Web Copy That Sucks In Money Like Crazy! Part 1

by: Dan Lok

Do you have writer’s block?

Do you have trouble staring at a blank piece of paper and don’t know how to get started?

You’re NOT alone.

Believe me, I know how tough it is to sit down and create killer copy from scratch, especially if you’re green. There are times in my life when my mind is completely frozen and I can’t write squat.

Therefore, I’ve dug around in my Bags of Tricks and come up with 11 battletested ad themes that will help you blast through your writer’s block and crank out brilliant, cashproducing copy in no time flat!

Plus… I’ll give you suggestions on how to adapt these concepts to your own business for maximum effectiveness!

======================================

KILLER CONCEPT #1

Problem, Magic Solve

======================================

This is one of the marketing professionกs oldest and probably most widely used ad themes. It has three distinct sections: you state the problem (usually a pain your target market is experiencing), you stir up the problem, and then you offer your stuff as a solution for the problem.

Here’s a great example…

Case Study #1 Craig Proctor’s Real Estate Success System

กHow You Can Make Well Over $ 100,000.00 Per Year As A Real Estate Agent Working Less Than 40 Hours A Week…. Have A Top Income AND A Life….. And NEVER Have To Make A Call You Dread Or Waste Your Time With Unrealistic Sellers Or Insincere Buyers, Ever Again.ก

The Problem: Most real estate agents are frustrated with the income they’re taking home. They’re working their butts off and they’re totally burnt out. They hate cold calling. And they want to work less and make more.

The Solution: If you buy Craig’s stuff, you’ll never have to make a cold call again. You’ll have dozens of highly qualified prospects calling you. You’ll be able to take weekends off. You’ll be able to get out from under the ridiculous workload. Most importantly, you’ll finally be able to make a 6figure income as a real estate agent.

The Lesson: Most people are looking for a quick fix. John Carlton put it this way: กMost guys would like to eat a MAGIC pill, go to bed, and wakeup in the morning with a beautiful spouse and a million bucks in their bank account.ข

Always keep that in mind when you write. The quicker and easier you can make it for ‘em, the better. (And if you know where to find that magic pill, PLEASE give me a call!)

======================================

KILLER CONCEPT #2

Tell Me A Good Story, and I’ll Give You My Money.

======================================

Remember when you were a little kid? What was your favorite thing? That’s right. You asked your mom, ขRead me a bedtime story.ข

Stories sell. People love to hear a story. A story paints a picture in the mind of the reader/consumer. A GOOD story can communicate your message subliminally, by stimulating thoughts and emotions. And the BEST stories remove the skepticism and barriers that can prevent sales.

Here’s a fantastic ‘tell me a storyก headline example:

Case Study #2 – Grandma Ruby’s Magic Pain Relief Cream

How An 82YearOld Great Grandma From Iowa Accidentally Discovered An Amazing Secret That Will Almost Instantly Erase Your Back And Joint Pain!

The ad goes on talking about how a little grayhaired, 82yearold great grandma named Ruby Zimmerman from remote farming town in Iowa was mixing up a batch of moisturizing cream from her kitchen table… and how she accidentally stumbled upon a formula that ends chronic joint and back pain. And so on.

Does your product or service have an interesting story?

======================================

KILLER CONCEPT #3

กIกve Got A Secretข

======================================

Pssst. Hey, come here…closer. You wanna hear a really juicy secret?

Gotcha!

You’re probably leaning in to this newsletter right now, ready to กget the secret.ก The desire to know is a powerful force. Itกs led to the word กsecretsก being WAY over used, but that is why it is used.

People are nosy as hell and they love to feel กin the know.ก Everyone gets a kick out feeling like an insider and getting special treatment because of their กsecretก knowledge.

If youกve got something, don’t FLAUNT IT…TAUNT with it. Make it appealing, alluring, and most of all TOP SECRET…and youกll make the sale.

Check this out…

Case Study #3 GuyGetsGirl™ Guide

ขDiscover How To PickUp Beautiful Women So Easily, and So Fast, You’ll Have THREE Dates By The End Of This Weekend… And a Girlfriend (if YOU want one) Soon After!ข

Uncover Powerful Insider Secrets That Will Skyrocket Your Sex Life And Make Wonderful Women Beg You To Date Them – Even If You’re Bald, Fat Or Ugly!

Pretty intriguing, huh? Every Mr. Wrong has dreamed of being Mr. Right and has probably wondered กWhat do THEY have that I don’t?ก

If you can identify an information pocket and then create the กdesire to know,ก in your prospects, you won’t have to overcome any objections they may have…theyกll do that themselves!

======================================

KILLER CONCEPT #4

Put Your BIG Money Where You BIG Mouth Is Guarantees

======================================

If you’re selling stuff that delivers overthetop, measurable results that your customers can see, touch, smell, feel, or count… then you’re in a position to use this amazinglyeffective concept.

Case Study #4 – Marlon Sanders’ Amazing Formula

Your Products Sell Like Crazy Or TripleYourMoneyBack!

Discover the Amazing Formula that Sells Products Like Crazy!

ขOh no, Dan. I can’t offer a guarantee. What if people rip me off?ข

You chicken…or should I say กChicken Little.ก The sky isn’t falling!

Listen closely: People WILL rip you off no matter what you do. It’s part of the business. It doesn’t matter what the hell you do, some morons will use your product, return it, and ask for a refund. Period.

You can’t protect yourself from the กbad guys,ก but you can let the กgood guysก know that you’re a กwhite hat,ก too. When you offer a guarantee that you will reach into your own pocket to กmake things rightก… you will flip a lot more customers who would never otherwise consider trying your stuff. That’s because your guarantee has nudged them over the dividing line between ‘trustก and กNo Trust.ก

Think about it: do you seriously give a damn if making a handful of refunds will bring you an EXTRA onehundred more sales? Do the math. Calculate your numbers and you’ll know if this concept will work for you.

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KILLER CONCEPT #5

ขWhat’s New, Pussycat?ข

======================================

Most of us are interested in news of some kind. Thatกs why weกve got newspapers, magazines, and 24hour news channels. And why do we buy ขnewsข papers and watch television ขnewsข everyday? Because new discoveries fascinate us…especially, news that is related to our individual preferences, biases, and personal interests.

Press releases are the most common application for the news headline, but they can also work in many other areas.

Case Study #5 – The AntiAging Super Serum

Amazing AntiWrinkle Breakthrough!

ขDoctors Are Shocked By New 30 Second FaceLiftInABottle That Turns Back The Clock 10 Years In Only 60 Daysข

ขRecent Discovery Reverses Aging Beats WrinkleReducing Retinol By 150% It Surpasses Botox (While Being Safer)… And You’ll Save A Small Fortune! Read The Astonishing Story Belowข

You get the idea?

If you have news to share a new product or a new use for an old product, for example be sure to ขinstallข that news into your headline in a big way.

See you in Part 2.

Dan Lok

Copyright 2005 Quick Turn Marketing International, Ltd.

About The Author

Dan Lok is known as ‘the Worldกs #1 Website Conversion Expertก, with a proven track record of selling over $25.7 million dollars of merchandise and services. Dan has resuscitated copy that was previously in กcritical conditionก and helped his clients to double and triple their conversion rates… some as much as 417%!!! More than 200 websites have been กLokedก and loaded for Internet action. Go to: http://www.WebsiteConversionExpert.com

This article was posted on April 20, 2005

by Dan Lok

Time Your News Release For Maximum Publicity

Time Your News Release For Maximum Publicity

by: David Leonhardt

กCindy, whereกs that story? I need it yesterday!ก

กComing right up, boss. Iกll have it to you soon,ก Cindy shouted back.

กYesterday isn’t soon enough!ก

Cindy clicked on her screen. กYou have mail.ก She looked at the messages. ‘three news releases,ก she murmured. กI don’t have time for this now.ก [delete] [delete] [delete]

Stop! Was that your news release Cindy just deleted? Too bad you sent it to her at the wrong time. You may have heard that ‘timing is everythingก and that is even more true in a newsroom. But how do you know when is the best time to send a news release?

Media relations is an art more than a science, so there is no single rule. If there was, everyone would be a media star. Here are a few guidelines to help you zoom ahead of your competition for the mediaกs attention:

Each type of media and each type of journalist is different. Here are just a few of the variables:

National or local media

TV, newspaper, radio or magazine

News reporter, features reporter or columnist

Consumer magazine or trade journal

Daily, weekly or monthly publication

Print or electronic

Each company or organization is different, as is its news. Here are just a few of the variables:

Local, national or international operations

Prescheduled news release, or lastminute reaction to todayกs news.

Product announcement, policy announcement, financial announcement

Bearing in mind the wide range of news you might announce and the wide range of media targets, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. tends to be the best time of day to release news. You want to give the assignment editor time to send them out to cover your news. If you hope to get into the noon news, you don’t want to go too late, because you run into TV deadlines. Early afternoon is a secondbest time, but if you get much past 2:30, you will catch Cindyกs [delete] button at most daily newspapers and television stations.

I have been asked about the best day of the week to send out a news release. There isn’t one. I have seen plenty of debates on this. From personal experience, the only difference I ever noticed is when I could pick a slow news day. For instance, if in your city the daily newspaper can be reached on Sunday and not too much tends to happen that day in your subject area, you may find it easier to get into Mondayกs newspaper than if you try later in the week. But on average, there is not much difference.

Best time of month, year, etc? Again, there is no single best time. There is one golden rule. Do not send out a release when the world is wrapped up in some allconsuming event like the death of Princess Diana or the attack on the World Trade Center. Remember how much TV airtime and newspaper print space were devoted to those events? The media and its audiences had other things on their minds than your news. You can’t control events, but you can control the timing of your release (most of the time).

How far in advance should you send out your release? Some book reviewers usually need several months. Others don’t want to see your release until the book is on the store shelves. Many consumer magazines have a sixmonth editorial preview. Features editors often run several weeks ahead of time, but sometimes squeeze things in on short notice. News departments want only breaking news. Yesterdayกs news is … well, yesterdayกs news. Your release is already forgotten.

Does all this sound confusing. It is. The bottom line in any marketing is to know your target market and give it what it wants. Same with the media. The guidelines above give a very abbreviated list of what you need to consider. If you are still unsure, a media coach might be a good investment. But be forewarned – find someone with enough experience and success to coach you in the right direction.

About The Author

After a decade and a half as one of Canadaกs top consumer advocates, often conducting over 600 media interviews each year, David Leonhardt is sharing his knowledge with others. Pick up a copy of his special report กGet In The News!ก at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/PR.html. Home page is http://www.TheHappyGuy.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on December 05, 2002

by David Leonhardt

Could there be a new way of hearing the stories we

Could there be a new way of hearing the stories we feel are relevant in our lives?

by: Jesse S. Somer

If you’re anything like me you are really getting tired of the mainstream media’s onevoicetomany analysis of life on Earth. First of all, it’s just too negative! I read a survey recently that stated that fourteen out of fifteen newspaper and TV News stories had negative fearbased stories. I don’t know about you, but if I look at my everyday life, the amount of good and bad I experience seems to be much more balanced. Why does the ‘big’ media think we all love hearing the dark side of things so much?

If you look at what news stories truly are in historical terms, it is a person sitting around the tribal campfire at night telling a tale to inform the people both in wisdom and knowledge. In any tribe there were many storytellers, so different perspectives were always available to the masses. Well, if you think today’s media sources are too monopolized in their power of authority over the stories we are told, there’s a new option for humanity. The answers and views we are seeking in our daily lives could lie in the Internet. This Internet thing really could be the key for humanity to evolving into a species that thinks independently, leaving this age of fear behind.

It’s time to bypass the main media sources. On the Web we can access nonprofit news organizations, we can hear personal views of individuals in news forums and blogs, we can even express our own views on world issues as well as sharing our own personal experiences! With this newly accepted technology called RSS Readers we can start to get the type of information that we feel is most relevant to ourselves as individuals. It comes straight to us and then we can sort through it and decide which people and sources we want to hear from on a regular basis. This is awesome as it means we don’t have to search through a bunch of stories that have little interest to us. It also means if we want to hear more positivism, we can push the negative views out of our perceptions.

Although this idea is in its infancy, the repercussions once realized could have a mammoth impact on how individual humans see and live their lives on Earth. Imagine a society that stretches across the globe where a collective consciousness speaks to itself in an informative manytomany communicative process. There are a lot of happy, positive, intelligent people in this world who are interested in similar things to you. Wouldn’t you like to hear their stories and share their knowledge as a way of constructing your view of reality?

Let’s leave behind this era of negative perspectives and singular authorities telling us how life on Earth should be viewed. It is interesting that some of the most overwealthy, greedy individuals media moguls who tell us what is important. Don’t you want to have a say in how you look at your life while you are here? Positivism and wisdom surrounds us at all times. Would the Universe exist otherwise? Lets reconnect with that source of energy that makes us smile so many times each day. If life were meant to have so bleak an outlook, would there even be stars in the sky?

About The Author

Jesse S. Somer

M6.Net

http://www.m6.net

Jesse S. Somer is a writer thinking about how all this new technology could one day be utilized by the masses of technologically challenged people like him. If it could be incorporated into everyday life in a positive way, life itself could evolve to a higher plane. Please visit www.thepowerofeverythingthatis.com to see Jesse’s personal blog.

This article was posted on September 03, 2004

by Jesse S. Somer

Getting a Killer News Hook

Getting a Killer News Hook

by: Bryan Thompson

Getting a news hook.

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, ขI’m glad that I read this. This is really news.ข 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 frontpage 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.

About The Author

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 managing several other businesses at the same time. You may contact him at [email protected].

[email protected]

This article was posted on September 11

by Bryan Thompson

Benefits to RSS

Benefits to RSS

by: Sharon Housley

RSS streamlines communication between publishers and readers. Since RSS has had a popularity surge, webmasters have been experimenting and using RSS feeds to deliver content in new and innovative ways. Typically, RSS feeds contain news headlines and content summaries. The content summaries contain just enough information without overwhelming the reader with superfluous details. If the reader is interested and wants additional information they can click on the item in the feed, accessing the website which contains additional details. RSS readers aggregate multiple feeds, making it easy for individuals to quickly scan information contained within each feed. Feeds are generally themed, allowing users to optin to feeds that are of interest.

The big benefit to RSS is that individuals optin to content of interest, totally controlling the flow of information that they receive. If the quality of the content in the feed declines, users simply remove the feed from their RSS reader and they will not receive any additional updates from that source. The RSS reader acts as an aggregator, allowing users to view and scan multiple content streams in a timely fashion.

RSS is a great supplemental communication method that does not burden the publisher with maintaining lists or following strict privacy guidelines. RSS feeds are compiled according to the userกs choices, removing any burden that is placed on publishers of email newsletters. Publishers no longer need to be concerned with spam, privacy policies, and age guidelines.

Publishers using RSS as a communication vehicle are able to create keywordrich, themed content, establishing trust, reputation, and ongoing communication with current and prospective customers.

What Kind of Information Can be Delivered in RSS Feeds?

Blogs Feed

Many blogs are catalogued in an RSS feed, with each blog entry summarized as a feed item. This makes it easy for visitors to scan blog posts for items of interest.

Article Feed

Articles are often placed into feeds to alert readers when new articles and content are available. The feed entry is typically an article summary or introduction. Readers can then ascertain if the article is of interest and read further.

Forum Feed

Many forums now have addons that allow participants to receive forum posts via RSS. The RSS feeds often will show the latest discussion topics; if users are interested they simply click to enter the forum to participate in the discussion. As the topic is updated they will see new entries in the RSS feed.

Schedule Feed

Schools, clubs and organizations will often use feeds to communicate meeting times, places and events that might be occurring. The RSS feeds are often used to publicize events, notify the community of schedule changes or meeting agendas.

Discounts / Specials Feed

Retail and online stores have begun using RSS feeds to deliver their latest specials and discounted offers. Some online retailers have taken this a step further, allowing users to create their own feeds based on keywords or phrases.

For example, this service will generate a URL than can be entered into a news reader. The feed is updated each time an item is added to Amazon that meets the specified criteria or keywords Amazon Search Feed http://www.oxus.net/amazon/

Ego / News Monitoring

Companies or individuals interested in receiving headline news based on a specific brand or keyword can use RSS feeds to monitor news sources.

For example, users can use the following tool to create a feed that will allow them to receive filtered news from Google News. They will only receive items related to a specific keyword or phrase they setup http://www.justinpfister.com/gnewsfeed.php

IndustrySpecific RSS Feed Uses Include:

Technical professionals in specific industries have also developed RSS feeds as way to market, promote or communicate within their specific industries. In many cases, this has expanded their reach and increased communication with current and prospective customers and clients.

RSS feeds can be used by realtors to communicate the time and location for open houses, announce new property listings or promote decreased mortgage rates. Content feeds can also be used by universities to communicate sports scores or event schedules. Computer service professionals can create feeds to notify clients of potential security breaches, virus risks or outbreaks. Ultimately, RSS is molded to meet the communication needs of many sectors. Consider how RSS can benefit your business and supplement your communication needs.

RSS feed creation tool for publishers interested in creating fresh content FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com.

About The Author

Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. http://www.notepage.net and FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com.

This article was posted on December 08, 2004

by Sharon Housley

Make front page news by NOT inviting the media

Make front page news by NOT inviting the media

by: David Leonhardt

Not a single reporter showed up at our news event. And we were THRILLED!

Not a single photographer showed up to capture the moment. And we were pleased as punch!

Not a single newspaper knew about the event. And we received front page coverage in every one!

You can make front page news by keeping the media away. But how did we do it? Here is the media relations plan we used:

BACKGROUND: A few years ago, I was working for a politician. In fact, he was a Canadian Member of Parliament (MP). That was about the time that Canada Post decided not to deliver mail to homes in new developments. Instead, new homeowners had to pick up their mail at community กsuperboxesก near the end of their streets. After laying down big bucks for fancy new homes, people expected the same doortodoor service they were used to, and my MP took the heat . . . even though Canada Post was an armslength organization of the government.

GOAL: Our goal was to demonstrate that my MP cared, that he was on their side, that he was doing everything he could to help them.

IDEA: One of the complaints the new residents had was that they were not receiving their junk mail (Go figure!), including weekly grocery specials and, by coincidence, my MPกs mailing to constituents. This gave me an idea. Why not send my MP door to door to deliver his bulletin, explaining how he, too, was frustrated that Canada Post would not deliver his bulletin to them.

CHALLENGE NUMBER ONE: But what about the majority of people who would not be home to see how my MP shared their gripes? We needed media coverage, so that everyone would read about it in their local newspaper.

CHALLENGE NUMBER TWO: This is a juicy story for reporters. Imagine the headlines: ‘resident sock it to MPก. Imagine the photos of angry residents waving their fists in rage against Canada Post. My MP would not look good one bit. The media had to stay away. But how would we get media coverage?

METHOD: We would have to report to the media กafter the factก that my MP had just gone doortodoor. We would have to supply everything the newspapers would need so that they have no need to recreate the event, search for angry residents to interview or ignore the story altogether.

First I wrote a news release. OK, so it did not read quite like a typical news release. It read like a newspaper article. Actually, it read like five different newspaper articles, because I wrote a completely different story for each of the five newspapers in the area. To some degree, I was able to emulate each oneกs style.

Next, we decided to provide photographs. We dressed my MP in a postal cap and had him carrying a postal bag. I snapped shots of him at doorways chatting with residents. This was just too กhuman interestก for any newspaper to ignore. Off to the onehour photo developer, then we chose the five best shots and attached one to each of the news releases.

Zoom, zoom. We hand delivered an envelope to each newspaper. The entire process took us just five hours from knocking on the first door.

RESULT: Each newspaper had its own, unique, original story with its own, unique, original photo. This made the journalists happy. Four out of the five editors even used the headlines I provided! It also made readers, many of who received two or three of the newspapers, believe the media had been there in person . . . making the story all the more credible.

Can you repeat this success? Yes. If you want to get great media coverage, but you are afraid the media will pick up a negative angle, this is the recipe to use:

Position your business as you would like to be seen.

Find a way to demonstrate your position or characteristic.

Write the story for each newspaper as the newspaper would write it, but place it in the format of a news release.

Get some great visuals, going for action or something with a twist, and ensure each newspaper has a unique photo.

Let the newspapers know that no other media outlet has the same photograph.

Of course, it is always best to invite the media to your event and serve donuts, but sometimes NOT inviting them is a better way to get not just กaก story, but the กrightก story.

About The Author

David Leonhardt offers dozens more creative ways to make your business front page news in the media relations กhowtoก guide Get In The News! at http://TheHappyGuy.com/publicityselfpromotionreport.html . For basic media interview training, visit http://TheHappyGuy.com/mediarelationsvideo.html, or find out more about David Leonhardt at http://thehappyguy.com.

[email protected]

This article was posted on June 06, 2003

by David Leonhardt

Press Releases for Every Occasion

Press Releases for Every Occasion

by: Bill Stoller

To many marketers, the press release is something of a กone size fits allก proposition. You want to get media coverage, you knock out a press release, send it to some journalists and sit back and wait.

Of course, smart Publicity Insiders already know that’s a prescription for failure. You know that your press release has to have a กhookก, be wellwritten and sent to appropriate journalists in an active, not passive, manner. But there’s another part of the puzzle that even savvy publicityseekers sometimes miss you can’t just write กa press releaseก, you have to write the right kind of press release.

There’s no such thing as a กone size fits allก release. Smart publicists have variations of the press release model ready to be go, depending on the occasion.

(Note: for a general introduction to press release writing and formatting, see: http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp

Letกs look at some releases suitable for กharderก and more timely news…

The News Release

To some folks, กnews releaseก and กpress releaseก are interchangeable. Not to me. I use the phrase กnews releaseก to refer to a release that, well, carries actual news. Let’s face it, most of what a business has to say to a journalist isn’t exactly กstop the pressesก kind of stuff. But, on occasion, something of real significance occurs. A merger, a stock split, a major new contract, winning a national award…something that’s truly timely and important. For these sorts of events, don’t mess around. Craft a solid, hardhitting News Release that’s written in pure journalistic style (lead includes กwho, what, when, why and howก, language is in 3rd person and completely free of hyperbole). Use journalism’s กinverted pyramidก most important information at the top, next most important info in the second paragraph and so on down.

Tell the entire story in the headline and subhead. Again, don’t get cute get straight to the point. The headline กAcme Corporation Selected by Pentagon to Supply Troops with Widgetsก is far better than something like กGuess Who’s Making Widgets for Uncle Sam?ก or something กcleverก like that. In the subhead, fill in some details: ก$18 Million Contract Largest in Company’s Historyก. Talk about getting straight to the point! You’ve just given the journalist the meat of the story before she’s even read your lead.

Add a กdatelineก (Akron, OH) at the beginning of your lead (first) paragraph. In the dateline, use your company’s home town (or the location where some news has broken. You can be a bit creative here, if it helps maximize your impact. For the above example, you can dateline it Washington, DC and say that ‘the Pentagon today announced that it has selected an Akron company…ก).

In distributing the release, use email, fax, distribution service such as PRWeb or PR Newswire, or even overnight courier. The goal is to get it into journalists’ hands on the same day you distribute it.

Executive Appointment Release

Most businesses send out a brief release and headshot when someone new is hired or a major promotion is made. That’s fine, and it will get them in the กPeople on the Moveก column on page 8 in the business section. It’s an ego stroke for the employee, but that’s about it. Savvy publicity seekers use the Executive Appointment release to generate real publicity. Here’s the key don’t just announce that someone’s been hired or promoted. Rather, explain why the move is significant to the company and perhaps the market as a whole.

For example, Jane Smith has been hired as your company’s new director of sales. Not so exciting. However, the reason you hired her is because she came from a major online retailer and is planning to overhaul your sales system to compare with the state oftheart systems used by the big guys. Hmmmm…that’s a lot more interesting. So why not tell the media about it?

The key ingredient is context. Your headline may still look like that of a typical Executive Appointment release (Acme Names Jane Smith New Director of Sales), but starting with the subhead, you begin your journey off page 8 of the business section and onto page one (Hiring of Key Figure in Online Sales Explosion Marks Important Shift in Acme’s Sales Strategy). Ah, now you’ve entered the realm of news, not business as usual. And a sharp business editor will see that a local company is doing something far more significant than just making a hire.

Dateline the release, fax (or even messenger), email or regular mail it over to your local business editor and follow up with a phone call. Offer Jane Smith for interview, too.

The Media Alert

The Media Alert is a deceptively simple creature. It’s essentially a memo from you to TV, radio and newspaper assignment editors, city desk editors and others who decide whether a particular news event is worth covering. They’re used to alert the press about news conferences, charity events, publicity กstuntsก and other events.

The point of the Media Alert is to, in just a few seconds, tell a journalist about the event, how to cover it and why it’s important that the media outlet, in fact, covers it. Most publicists are pretty good on the first two points almost all media alerts do a decent job of telling what the event is, where it will be held and what time it starts. It’s the third aspect the กwhyก that will make the real difference, though. And it’s the thing most publicists do a lousy of job of conveying.

First, a word about format. Use standard press release headings (contact info, กFor Immediate Releaseก and headline). The rest of the document should be a few paragraphs, spaced at least three lines apart from one another. The first paragraph, should begin with What: and continue with a one or two line description of the event (WidgetFest 2004, a celebration of young minds). Next paragraph, When:, after that Where:

Now here’s the key paragraph,

Why You Should Cover WidgetFest 2004: The brightest young minds from around the region will gather to present their inventions, as Acme Corp. celebrates the state’s top high school science students. The event will be a visual feast, with a host of awe inspiring inventions, many colorful, active and exotic, on display. As part of the event, more than $10,000 in scholarships will be distributed to budding Einsteins by John Smith, Ohio’s Science Teacher of the Year.

The key? This line: ‘the event will be a visual feast, with a host of aweinspiring inventions, many colorful, active and exotic, on display.ก I just spoke an assignment editor’s language, telling him that this will provide lots of cool visuals, making for great video or photos. The bit about the scholarships and the Science Teacher of the Year assures him that this won’t just be a promotional stunt. So what are we offering? A nonpromotional, feelgood event with great visuals. Just what an assignment editor is looking for.

About The Author

Bill Stoller, the กPublicity Insiderก, has spent two decades as one of Americaกs top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for PRHungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp heกs sharing for the very first time his secrets of scoring big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and much, much more, visit Billกs exclusive new site: http://www.PublicityInsider.com

This article was posted on January 04

by Bill Stoller

Resources For Staying Current of IT Advancements F

Resources For Staying Current of IT Advancements For Online Business Owners

by: Dan J. Fry

The internet and associated technology changes at a relatively fast pace. For anyone working in fields that make extensive use of IT technology, it is crucial to always stay one step ahead of the game. Keeping up the pace can be challenging and seem utterly impossible at times without the help of resources to pull from.
For instance, small online home business owners frequently rely heavily on search engines to produce quality traffic to their site. Because all major search engines strive to deliver highly relevant search results to surfers, index algorithms are in a stage of continual evolution. Resources for staying abreast of changes is a must.
(1) ClickZ News is one of the primary online resources for internet marketers. Part of Jupitermedia Corporation, ClickZ provides highly insightful news articles on topics ranging from search engine marketing, web host providers, email marketing, web site design, current spam laws, idea branding and consumer spending habits across a broad range of IT and electronic devices. Signing up for their newsletter entitles you to receive the latest news right to your inbox.
(2) Search Engine Watch is undoubtedly the top site regarding new evolutions in search engine algorithms. I highly recommend frequenting this site if you are like me and performing all search engine optimization (SEO) yourself. Search Engine Watch is also owned by Jupertermedia, Inc. The lead editor is Danny Sullivan, well known throughout the SEO community as an expert on search engines and ranking. He and associate editor Chris Sherman conduct interviews with sources at search engines on a regular basis and analyze SE news across the web.
(3) Search Engine Optimization, Inc (seoinc.com) is another leader in search engine placement. Founded by CEO Garry Grant, a leader with years of experience in web development, internet communications and search engine optimization. They offer a free periodic newsletter, InSites, packed with optimization strategies and current developments in search engine technology.
(4) Tech Review is the online version of MITกs Magazine of Innovation Technology. Covering a broad range of new innovations in the field of information technology from software to major hardware platforms, this is geared more towards big business systems rather than small business owners. They do however, offer a free newsletter, discussing new advancements and applications, making this resource relevant to online businesses.
(5) Useit is the site owned by Jakob Nielsen of the Nielsen Norman Group, providing resources regarding humancentered IT development. Highly insightful, this site is wonderful as it addresses IT development from the perspective of the people who will use it. Useit also contains a nice compilation of other IT related resources.
What is crucial without a doubt is to keep current on ideas and ideologies that exist throughout the IT corridor. It is not necessary to know the explicit details or กinกs and outกsก. If you have the correct resources at your disposal, you will stay one step ahead of the game of current online trends. Use these resources to stay ahead of your fellow online home business owners. Striving for new and better ways to reach your target market will ensure that your business stays on top.
by Dan J. Fry, c. 20032004, All rights reserved.

About The Author

Dan J. Fry is an independent researcher and owner of eKinetic.com, a site devoted to providing resources for small budget home businesses. He has a PhD in Physics and is married with two daughters and two cats. Subscribe to his free EZine on home business resources at mailto:[email protected] or by visiting his Infopreneur site at http://www.ekinetic.com. He can be reached at mailto:[email protected].

This article was posted on June 01, 2004

by Dan J. Fry

Media Training 101 The Secrets Of Writing A Goo

Media Training 101 The Secrets Of Writing A Good Press Release

by: Sandra Stammberger

Does the thought of trying to get publicity for your business seem like something that you can’t do yourself, and would have to hire a professional for? Do you think that writing a press release is totally outside your ability to do? Does the thought of talking to the media about your business make your mouth go dry and your stomach clench? If so, take heart, because you’re about to learn how you can take care of your own publicity, simply and easily.

Getting publicity for your business can seem like an impossible task something that only happens for กbigก companies that can afford to hire publicists.

The reality is, getting free publicity for your business isn’t that difficult. Welcome to กMedia Training 101 The Secrets of Writing a Good Press Releaseก. By the time you finish reading this article, youกll not only understand the basics, youกll know what goes into the process, and what you have to do to get started writing your own press release.

First of all, letกs go over some basic terminology you need to be familiar with.

Press Release: A statement with useful and relevant information that is written for distribution to the media.

Hook: The information or larger story that you can use to attach your press release to. Using the right กhookก in the right way can help you to get more publicity for your business.

Spin: Telling your story your way.

The good news about learning to write a Press Release is that there is an established format that you need to follow. And once youกve learned the basics, writing a press release is a kind of กcookie cutterก process. Here are some basic ideas to keep in mind:

Make your news กnewsworthyก. A press release is not a sales advertisement. A good press release answers all of the กWก questions (who, what, where, when and why), and sometimes กhow.ก Your purpose in writing it is twofold: to provide the media with useful and relevant information about your organization, product, service or event and to get your name out to your target market.

Begin with a strong headline. Your headline and first paragraph need to grab the reader’s attention. Without being flowery or overly dramatic, you have only the first few seconds to grab your reader’s attention and get them to read your story, and decide if it’s worth running. So don’t blow it by being vague or weak. The rest of your press release can give them the nittygritty details.

Tailor your story to your Primary audience – the media. Your secondary audience is your target market, but if the media doesn’t decide that your story is newsworthy and runs it, your potential customers will never know about it!

Pay attention to your writing. Sometimes, especially in rural areas and online, the media will run your press release in their publications with little or no modification, so make sure you’ve used your spelling and grammar check before sending it, and keep to the facts. Most of the time, journalists will use your press release as a stepping off place for a larger feature story, especially if you can show larger relevance to other current events. Always develop your story as you want to have it told – put YOUR spin on it. Even if your story is not reprinted verbatim, always remember what YOUR purpose is in writing it – to provide exposure for you, and to help brand you as an expert in your field.

Not everything is news. Just because you are excited that you made your first big sale, or started a new product line, or wrote your first article, doesn’t necessarily mean that the press are going to think you have a newsworthy story. From the time you start your first draft, keep your audience in mind. Who will find your story interesting? Why are they going to find it interesting? How is it relevant to something else that’s going on right now?

Identify a problem, and show how you’re solving it. Use real life examples about how your company or organization solved or is solving a problem. Give examples of how your service or product fulfills needs or satisfies desires. What benefits can be expected? Use real life examples to powerfully communicate the benefits of using your product or service.

Stick to the facts. Always. Tell. The. Truth. Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. It is part of a journalist’s job to be skeptical. If you want to use publicity effectively, then you’re not looking for a one night stand. You want to gain the trust of the media, establish your credibility, and build an ongoing relationship with your local media, so that you become a resource for them within your industry.

Find your ขhookข. Try to make your press release timely. Keep informed about what’s going on in your community, in your state, region, the country or the world. Is there a local, regional or national news story that somehow ties in to your industry or your business? If you can hook your press release to current events or social issues, you increase your chances of having it picked up. If not, then make sure your story is relevant to the needs, wants or problems of your community or target audience.

Use an active, not passive, voice. Use strong verbs that will bring your press release to life. If there is controversy, describe it. There is an old adage in the news business: ขIf it cries it flies, and if it bleeds, it leads.ข (Not very nice, but it’s often true.) So, while you may not be crying or bleeding, make what you’re writing about stand out. Use active verbs. Write ขpartneredข rather than กentered into a partnershipก or ขengagedข rather than ขinterestedข, etc. Writing in this manner will help guarantee that your press release will be read.

Use only enough words to tell your story. Avoid using unnecessary adjectives, flowery language, or redundant expressions such as กadded bonusก or กfirst time everก. Paint a strong, vivid picture in the minds of your audience by making each word count.

Use jargon sparingly. There are times that some jargon is required if your goal is to optimize your news release for online search engines, but whenever possible, speak plainly, using everyday language. Avoid words like กcapacity planning techniquesก and กextrapolateข.

Avoid hype. The exclamation point (!) is your enemy. You will destroy your credibility by using hype. If you must use an exclamation point, use one. Never do this!!!!!!!!!!

Get Permission. Most people and companies are very protective about their reputations. Be sure that you have written permission before including information or quotes from employees or affiliates of other companies or organizations. If there is a hint of a dispute in this area, chances are your press release will be tossed aside, and never used. And you will lose your credibility.

If you follow those simple rules, youกll be able to put together a newsworthy story that will help you achieve your goals of getting the word out about your business.

About The Author

Sandra Stammberger is the owner of Insider Scripts. At Insider Script’s programmers are working around the clock to develop affordable, powerful money making scripts that will help you drive traffic to your business. http://www.insiderscripts.com.

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 26

by Sandra Stammberger

Who Needs T.V. News, Newspapers and Radio News? ขN

Who Needs T.V. News, Newspapers and Radio News? ขNot I!ข Says The Happy Human Living In The New World

by: M6.net

T.V. and radio News got you down? Online current events and News blogs make being informed a much more enjoyable experience. For many the News on television has become a trying time of the day. Focused mainly on negative events, you may have to wait through the whole program just to hear the one story you were waiting for. If you miss the 6:00 p.m. show, waiting until the late night segment can be a real drag, especially if you’ve got a lot to do, or have to wake up early the next morning.

My friends, there is an answer to this problem: News blogs or online current events. You can find all of your favorite broadcasters (E.g.: CNN, BBC) on the Internet, getting uptodate information at any time of the day or night. You can even read personal journal entries written by multiple correspondents out in the field reporting on several different stories down to the current minute. Instead of hearing all News from one voice (often an irritating one), now you can read different human opinions straight from the scene of interest.

Often News online has a section called ขthemesข which allows the reader to only hear about the specific areas that interest them. No more waiting through several wars to get to the positive story about the current medical breakthrough that could mean a cure for disease, or the technological idea that might mean the end to extreme pollution levels. Like a newspaper, you can go straight to the ขjobsข theme and search through all the current employment vacancies available. If you are obsessed with the negative, themes such as ขDisaster and Tragedyข and ขCrime and Punishment are still readily accessible.

As the News is now on the Internet it has also become an interactive experience in numerous ways. First of all now you can send News stories straight to the News companies yourself! If the story is deemed worthwhile and verifiable, you may even be published. This is also the case with photographers who have pictures of important events. It really means anyone can become a part of the action as a freelance consultant. Some News online have ขwitnessข sections where you can tell your story if you happen to have been in the right place at the right time. This option means that we can hear many different views on contentious issues giving a wider perspective to the ‘big picture’.

Some News sites also have interactive sites within. For example, on the BBC News Blog there is a learning site (BBCi Learning) that involves interactive activities and over half a million pages of factual information and resources available for children, adolescents, and adults. There are competitions and all sorts of games to help educate people in any and every area of interest imaginable.

Another great aspect of these online News sites is the ability to access archival information. You can watch video and listen to audio recordings of famous historical stories right on the computer. If the day is Feb.3, you can read articles from Feb.3’s from fifty years ago. Looking up any date and year recorded is as easy as pushing a few buttons.

Some services have subscriptions where instead of looking up the website, the News you want is sent straight to your email. Being in the know, and being in the now, has never been such an objective, enjoyable, and simplistic experience as in the 21st century. Partaking in a new perspective on life is what online current events and News Blogs are all about.

About The Author

By Jesse S. Somer

M6.Net http://www.m6.net

Jesse S. Somer is a human hoping to help other novices like him see the magic of the world of the Internet.

[email protected]

This article was posted on February 09, 2004

by M6.net

Innovative Business Use of RSS as a Technology

Innovative Business Use of RSS as a Technology

by: S. Housley

RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, is a new way to broadcast corporate news and structured information. RSS offers a quick, easy corporate communication channel. The RSS contents are published as a feed and the feedกs content keep customers, partners and journalists abreast of corporate news and information. The RSS feeds are read using a tool referred to as a news aggregator, or an RSS reader. The aggregator periodically checks to see if the RSS feed has been updated. As the feed is updated, new information will automatically appear in the RSS reader.

While RSS was at one point only considered to be a means to deliver news headlines, RSS has quickly become a powerful medium to disseminate all kinds of information. As traditional marketers are attempting to rein in content delivery, measuring email open rates, clickthroughs and conversions, Internet users are fighting to gain control over the content they receive. Savvy marketers and business owners are using RSS as a way to improve corporate communication and increase their external exposure and brand appeal.

What is the enclosure tag?

RSS 2.0 is quickly becoming the definitive RSS standard, all because of its support for the enclosure tag. The enclosure tag is an optional field in the RSS 2.0 specification that allows the feed publisher to include a link to a file. The file can be just about anything. Businesses have seized the opportunity, including tutorials, streaming audio lectures, PDF proposals, Power Pointâ„¢ presentations, podcasts of sales meetings, and advertising portfolios among other traditional uses for RSS.

Many businesses have yet to realize the potential hidden in the enclosure field. The implications and power of how RSS can be used is really aweinspiring. Consider the following business uses for RSS:

PDF Documents Consider broadcasting meeting agenda notes or documentation as a PDF included with a feed, allowing interested individuals to access information without having to deal with cumbersome email attachments.

PPT Presentations Presentations can easily be distributed in a feed enclosure. The added benefit is that presenters using Power Pointâ„¢ will not have to lug their notebook to a meeting to present they can manage the presentation from an iPod or similar handheld that reads RSS feeds.

Video Video or streaming video are both possible via the enclosure field. Have lectures or even political debates come to life with the added video component.

Audio Audio content does not mean that feeds are limited to your favorite songs. Podcasting is the coined term for audio content contained in a feed and can include language instruction, talk shows or editorials.

Images Imagine realtors using the enclosure field to display photos of homes to interested buyers. Now they can carry a lightweight catalog with them to show potential buyers at a momentกs notice.

Downloads Consider an information technology department in a large corporation conducting proprietary software updates, including executables or zip files in the enclosure field which allow users to update the software at a convenient time.

Feedreaders are playing catch up

RSS news aggregators were initially designed to receive textbased content. As users find outsidethebox uses for RSS, developers of RSS readers are struggling to release new versions that support the enclosures businesses are eager to use.

FeedDemon, a popular RSS reader, has recently added support for every type of enclosure in their latest release. They have created a safe list that can be customized to include specific types of file types like PDFs. This will automate downloads of files that are deemed กsafeก. This was clearly designed with security in mind, to prevent automatic downloading of executables.

Businesses are revolutionizing RSS as a communication medium. While some traditional businesses are struggling to include monthly newsletter summaries in an RSS feed and reap the benefits of RSS, other innovative businesses are adopting incredibly creative uses for both internal and external corporate communications.

About The Author

Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net a wireless text messaging software company.

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 08

by S. Housley