When was the last time you said yourself, “I really want to write a press release”?

The Speakers Practice has invited Australian Business owners to submit articles on the topic of the Presentation Skills in the workplace. Contributors are experts in their industry , discussing aspects and giving advice concerning presentation skills in their field of expertise. Ric Willmot, Executive Wisdom is an author, speaker and owner of Executive Wisdom

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Ric Willmot is an expert Executive Business Coach.You can accesss Ric’s books, the outstanding Business Forum at greatly reduced rate through the affliation with The Speakers Practice.

See Ric’s Business products – http://bit.ly/YfYt4H

Business owners, managers and those responsible for marketing are commended to write media releases, speak at trade association events, and have articles published in the journals that their clients read. That’s not unreasonable advice. But unless you were exceptionally good at English at school, or in the University debating team, or lucky enough to have exposure to journalism, the whole idea can be a little daunting. And so as you settle into your office with a fresh cup of coffee, there are numerous other priorities that take precedence over you actively progressing the writing of your next press release, article, or presentation to your local Chamber of Commerce. So, it never happens, even with the best of intentions.

The good news for you is that with just a small amount of effort, the correct guidance, and an editable template you can do any of these three tasks in ninety minutes or less. A media release can be written and disseminated within thirty minutes. A presentation to a business association, industry group, networking event, and the like can be crafted and composed in under sixty minutes. A full-page article in any business or trade journal may require the full hour and a half.

There is no one perfect way to write a media release. Take solace in the knowledge that much of the reason for a release being picked up is entirely luck. That said, through plenty of trial and error I’ve identified some key points that will greatly improve the chances of your release being considered favourably by radio, journalists and editors.

Before you invest time in writing a media release, critically decide if the topic is something that people want to read about. Is it newsworthy? Will it be interesting for the editor of a particular publication? Can provide a controversial twist to the topic that will capture the reader’s attention? Do you have a message that is contrary to conventional wisdom or what is currently being touted by others? Can you support your philosophy with evidence, facts, data, or a case study that proves you’re right and everyone else isn’t? If you can do this your media release will go to the top of the pile on the editor’s desk.

When you write your release, contrary to what you might assume, you are not writing it for the editor. Articulate your message specifically to the readers of the publication. Your answers to the following questions will have your media release writing itself:

i What’s your purpose for writing the release?

ii Who are you specifically speaking to as you write?

iii What are your 3 most important points of wisdom you can share with the reader?

iv How do each of these improve your readers?

v What one piece of evidence can you provide to support the 1st point?

vi Summarise a case study that proves your 2nd point.

vii What data can you provide in bullet point form that supports your 3rd point?

viii So looking at what you have done so far, what do you now believe is the most powerful way to write your premise that his benefits based for the reader?

ix Does your article raise any questions that you need to refute? If so, enter them in your writing.

x Can you conclude your media release without powerful and interesting call to action that is not a sales pitch?

You have now rapidly written a media release that has a far better chance of being published. At first it may take you slightly longer then the thirty minutes I mentioned. However, if you diligently use this process and schedule the time to write at least once every month, you will very quickly get better in quality and speed. And, as a bonus, here’s three of Ric’s Tips for you that are worth the price of admission, alone:

The media release does not have to tell everything you know. Simply tell the reader what they have to know, today.
Keep your sentences concise and on point.
If you can incorporate a visually appealing, unusual, or amazing photograph, you must include it.

Press releases can be a valuable tool for your business in terms of branding, repute, and word-of-mouth. But press releases on their own do not make you money. So they are only one component of your Whirlpool Marketing™. Media releases don’t need to be perfect, must not be lengthy, and written in a tone that’s easy to read and understand.

Ric Willmot: Improving Your Business Results Through Intelligent Strategies

Executive Wisdom Consulting Group

You can accesss Ric’s books, the outstanding Business Forum at greatly reduced rate through the affliation with The Speakers Practice. See Ric’s Business products – http://bit.ly/YfYt4H

Website: http://executivewisdom.com

Blog: http://ricwillmot.com

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