Comments on: Press releases for human beings http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings Writing, marketing and technology Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:56:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-648360 Rob Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:05:18 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-648360 Nice and informative article thanks. Any advice for getting PRs published if the press organisation deems the subject to clash with their own interests? Nice and informative article thanks. Any advice for getting PRs published if the press organisation deems the subject to clash with their own interests?

]]> By: writestuff http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-355390 writestuff Thu, 31 Jan 2008 05:54:54 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-355390 Matthew, Your "releases for humans" advice is spot-on!! As a PR practitioner in New York, I couldn't agree more about when "not" to put out a release. I try to tell my clients repeatedly (sometimes with success, sometimes not) that many stories should only be pitched using a pithy email pitch, targeting a journalist directly. But, then again, I've also been a freelance writer/reporter for much of my PR career as well. So, maybe that insight helps to guide me. I loved the comments about clients taking the "steak" out of a release and turning it into mashed carrots. Just had that experience with a healthcare client that took a good, newsy lead, buried it, and proceeded to litter the surrounding whitespace with superfluous puffery! Ah, another day at the PR office! Keep up the great blog entries. Signed, A fan from the States Matthew,

Your “releases for humans” advice is spot-on!! As a PR practitioner in New York, I couldn’t agree more about when “not” to put out a release. I try to tell my clients repeatedly (sometimes with success, sometimes not) that many stories should only be pitched using a pithy email pitch, targeting a journalist directly.

But, then again, I’ve also been a freelance writer/reporter for much of my PR career as well. So, maybe that insight helps to guide me.

I loved the comments about clients taking the “steak” out of a release and turning it into mashed carrots. Just had that experience with a healthcare client that took a good, newsy lead, buried it, and proceeded to litter the surrounding whitespace with superfluous puffery!

Ah, another day at the PR office!

Keep up the great blog entries.

Signed,

A fan from the States

]]> By: Bad Language / Why PR doesn’t work http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-126512 Bad Language / Why PR doesn’t work Fri, 25 May 2007 08:51:11 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-126512 [...] press releases. See: Press releases for human beings and The worst press release [...] [...] press releases. See: Press releases for human beings and The worst press release [...]

]]> By: wordymouth.com » New Press Release Model http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-73888 wordymouth.com » New Press Release Model Wed, 04 Apr 2007 00:10:37 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-73888 [...] on girding up my loins, I’ve found some advice on how to improve press releases in general.  The Bad Language blog reminds us it’s all about using our words for maximum benefit. How to make them [...] [...] on girding up my loins, I’ve found some advice on how to improve press releases in general.  The Bad Language blog reminds us it’s all about using our words for maximum benefit. How to make them [...]

]]> By: Must See HTTP:// http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-850 Must See HTTP:// Wed, 26 Jul 2006 23:18:08 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-850 <strong>links for 2006-07-25...</strong> Bad Language / Press releases for human beings "Press releases are an enormous hoax. They're written by people who pretend to be excited and received by people who pretend to be interested. It's time for a change." (tags: pr) ::::: tonicQ.com - it... links for 2006-07-25…

Bad Language / Press releases for human beings “Press releases are an enormous hoax. They’re written by people who pretend to be excited and received by people who pretend to be interested. It’s time for a change.” (tags: pr) ::::: tonicQ.com – it…

]]> By: Press Release Quick and Easy Guide | Malaysia SEO Blog http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-774 Press Release Quick and Easy Guide | Malaysia SEO Blog Fri, 21 Jul 2006 23:24:47 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-774 [...] There are hundreds of tips on the internet to teach you how to write a press release. Advice from Matthew Stibbe stands out best: 1. Write descriptive headlines that explain why the story is interesting. If you can’t, it isn’t. So don’t put out a press release. 2. Keep them short and factual. 250 words should be the upper limit. By all means link to a website that contains more detailed information. 3. Make the first sentence and the first paragraph work for their living. 4. Always include contact details. Many don’t. What’s the point of that? 5. If you quote anyone, do a real interview and pick a good quote. Customers and independent experts are more interesting that company notables. 6. One writer, one subeditor, one proofreader, one lawyer. Everyone else has an opinion but not a veto. 7. Try writing a letter to your grandmother explaining why the news in the press release is important. Bingo, there’s your opening paragraph. 8. Alternatively try telling a story. What, who, where, when, how and why. [...] [...] There are hundreds of tips on the internet to teach you how to write a press release. Advice from Matthew Stibbe stands out best: 1. Write descriptive headlines that explain why the story is interesting. If you can’t, it isn’t. So don’t put out a press release. 2. Keep them short and factual. 250 words should be the upper limit. By all means link to a website that contains more detailed information. 3. Make the first sentence and the first paragraph work for their living. 4. Always include contact details. Many don’t. What’s the point of that? 5. If you quote anyone, do a real interview and pick a good quote. Customers and independent experts are more interesting that company notables. 6. One writer, one subeditor, one proofreader, one lawyer. Everyone else has an opinion but not a veto. 7. Try writing a letter to your grandmother explaining why the news in the press release is important. Bingo, there’s your opening paragraph. 8. Alternatively try telling a story. What, who, where, when, how and why. [...]

]]> By: Butts In The Seats http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-734 Butts In The Seats Thu, 20 Jul 2006 05:14:57 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-734 <strong>What Lies Beneath...</strong> Via an entry at Neill Archer Roan's blog on PR, I came across a great entry on a blog called Bad Language regarding writing press releases well. In past entries I have written on the subject urging people not to...... What Lies Beneath…

Via an entry at Neill Archer Roan’s blog on PR, I came across a great entry on a blog called Bad Language regarding writing press releases well. In past entries I have written on the subject urging people not to……

]]> By: Neill http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-586 Neill Thu, 13 Jul 2006 12:04:31 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-586 Great post. I think I'm going to link to it in my blog this morning. I stumbled onto your blog awhile ago and have been reading with quite a bit of interest. For what it's worth, I love straight talk that's loaded with some usefulness. So many blogs are interesting, but not that many are useful. Thanks a lot! Great post. I think I’m going to link to it in my blog this morning.

I stumbled onto your blog awhile ago and have been reading with quite a bit of interest.

For what it’s worth, I love straight talk that’s loaded with some usefulness. So many blogs are interesting, but not that many are useful.

Thanks a lot!

]]> By: Matthew Stibbe http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-277 Matthew Stibbe Fri, 23 Jun 2006 06:11:44 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-277 Interesting Steve. I love that Wiki. Another thing for the to-do list I think. Note to self: learn about wikis. I've been getting an email feed from Number 10 on my Cabinet Office iPAQ phone thingy for a while now and they've also got an RSS feed. It's not so much a presidential Prime Minister as a PR Prime Minister. But I'm sure he doesn't roll his own XML like we do! <grin></grin> Interesting Steve. I love that Wiki. Another thing for the to-do list I think. Note to self: learn about wikis. I’ve been getting an email feed from Number 10 on my Cabinet Office iPAQ phone thingy for a while now and they’ve also got an RSS feed. It’s not so much a presidential Prime Minister as a PR Prime Minister. But I’m sure he doesn’t roll his own XML like we do!

]]> By: Steve http://www.badlanguage.net/press-releases-for-human-beings/comment-page-1#comment-276 Steve Thu, 22 Jun 2006 23:21:26 +0000 http://www.badlanguage.net/?p=173#comment-276 love it :) i was chatting with a friend about this only last week and found some good coverage on it at http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?pagename=HotIssues.PressReleases When 10 Downing Street starts podcasting you know the PR landscape is changing. Are they noticing the revolution though or will it sweep by them? love it :) i was chatting with a friend about this only last week and found some good coverage on it at http://www.thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?pagename=HotIssues.PressReleases

When 10 Downing Street starts podcasting you know the PR landscape is changing. Are they noticing the revolution though or will it sweep by them?

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