Not everyone has what it takes to be a successful freelancer. Several qualities that differentiate a freelance success from a freelance failure are simply character traits that are difficult to alter. Still other factors can be learned. Here are three keys to freelance success; all things that you can actively work to improve upon in your own freelance career: Planning … Read more
Not all business owners know enough about Internet marketing to handle online promotional campaigns on their own. For that matter, not even all marketing professionals know enough about Internet marketing tactics to manage an online marketing campaign on their own. In those cases, hiring an Internet marketing specialist or consultant can be a wise business decision, both to make the … Read more
An op-ed is an opinion piece, often published in newspapers, and more recently in online publications. The term “op-ed” means opposite the editorial. In newspapers, it describes the common placement of an op-ed piece being on the page opposite an editorial. Op-eds are most often published by the author’s local newspaper, and can be regarding everything from major national (or … Read more
Press releases are the most common form of PR writing. Sometimes called news releases or media releases, press releases are a media relations tool used to pitch a newsworthy story about a business, website, or person to journalists and other members of the media. Press releases aren’t designed to be published as-is. Instead, the purpose of a press release is … Read more
A media advisory, like a press release, is used to send newsworthy (or “timely”) information to members of the media. However, media advisories are more highly specific. Media advisories tend to deal with event news, and serve as a sort of invitation for journalists to attend. The Difference Between Media Advisories and Event Press Releases Many individuals and companies send … Read more
What is a Feature? A feature, in PR writing, is similar to a press release in that it’s a story pitched to members of the media in hopes of getting exposure for a person, organization, or website. Features can also be formatted similarly to a press release, and are even distributed in a similar way (through fax, email, mail, or … Read more
Let’s explore some of the basics of pitch letters. What is a Pitch Letter? Pitch letters are letters personally written to individual journalists, writers, or editors (and more recently website owners and bloggers) that pitch a specific story idea to them for coverage. Differences Between Pitch Letters and Press Releases Pitch letters and press releases both pitch a potential story … Read more
One of the most important aspects of successful press release writing is choosing or creating a newsworthy angle for the press release. There are many newsworthy angles to take with press releases. Here is a list of common press release ideas. While not every idea is newsworthy enough to warrant a press release in and of itself every time, these … Read more
Even though there are many different types of press releases, all press releases should include several common components. Here are the basic components of a press release, and what should be included in each section: Release Time – The release time of a press release is where you would note “For Immediate Release” or “Embargoed Until” followed by a specific … Read more
Many press releases look the same. Journalists, and even bloggers, can receive dozens (or hundreds or more) of press releases daily. Because press release writing can be simplified with press release templates, and because press releases can be distributed inexpensively online, it’s become harder to have a press release really stand out among the crowd. Here are five tips for … Read more