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PRW Newsletter, November
17, 1999 -- Interview with Howard Cohen,
journalist/editor, Knight Ridder Newspapers
In this Issue:
- Featured Article -
Avoiding the Trash Can & Interview with Howard
Cohen
- The Marketing Tip -
Using Mega-Auctions
- Past Issues
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The Most Beautifully
Written Press Release Does No Good if it Ends Up in the
Trash
Benjamin Disraeli wrote, "Time is precious, but truth
is more precious than time."
The qualities of time and truth can be guiding lights in
writing press releases. Keep foremost in your mind that
time is at a premium with most busy professionals, and
especially for media personnel. They often receive
hundreds of press releases a day touting this product or
that service, this company or that artist. They become
very discriminating at knowing immediately if they are
interested or they toss it in the trash. Brevity is king.
They also can detect truth from just a lot of hype. So
don't dress up your words with fancy adjectives and fluffy
descriptions. Stick to the facts, M'am, Strictly the
facts.
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We want you to write
press releases like the pros do. To inform and educate is
precisely the purpose of our newsletter. We also want to
give you other points of view from successful
communicators. This issue's expert is a featured
columnist, editor and journalist with worldwide Knight
Ridder Newspapers.
Interview with Howard Cohen,
journalist/editor, Knight Ridder Newspapers
Question: In your opinion, what is the one thing
that really separates the good press releases from the
mediocre ones?
Answer: Who, What, Where, When and Why should be
answered at the top of the release before a long-winded
sales pitch. Don't leave out pertinent information such as
phone numbers and names. You'd be surprised how many do. I
don't have time to call and ask so they just don't get any
press.
Question: How long do you feel a press release
should be?
Answer: One page.
Question: The current wisdom seems to be that if it
can't be said in one page, it's not a good press release.
Do you concur with that?
Answer: Yes, unless I ask for more. For example, I
may want extra information if I can't get a personal
interview.
Question: As most editors are extremely busy, how
far into the press release do you actually read before you
feel it's something that may be of interest?
Answer: (laugh) A quarter, maybe. I scan it until I
see what it's about. The lead needs to hook me.
Question: If you like what you read, how do you
prefer to get in touch with the contact person?
Answer: Telephone first and Email second. In the
newspaper business, we look for speed.
Question: If there is one thing that should be
avoided in press release writing, what would that
be?
Answer: Overly flowery descriptions. Too many
adjectives.
Question: If you had to sum it up, what do you
think is most important overall in press release
writing?"
Answer: Keep it Simple, Stupid. Sell the subject in
as few words as possible and make sure you have all the
legitimate information.
Howard Cohen is a journalist/editor for Knight Ridder
Newspapers. He can be reached at: hcohen@herald.com
The Marketing Tip -- Using the
Mega-Auctions
A few savvy marketers have realized
the power of auctions like eBay to promote their products
and Web sites. Millions of people are using auctions to
buy and sell products. Some might think that people use
this as a clearing house to get rid of "junk."
The truth is, some of this "junk" is going for
more than street value.
Try auctioning your product at eBay
or Yahoo!, but don't stop there. Use the auction to
promote your Web site, because some people just don't want
to wait until the auction is over. Enter the description
of your product you are auctioning and a brief statement
about your Web site, along with the URL and see what
happens.
Helpful Links:
Practical Guide to Selling
on eBay:
http://www.samizdat.com/ebay.html
eBay FAQ:
http://www.witchywoman.com/ebay/ebayhelp.htm
Software to help you track your eBay auctions:
http://ebassistant.hypermart.net/
Click here
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