Is Your News Release Really News?

Clients often call me to write a news release for them but quite often, I'm left asking, "What exactly is your news?" All too often, business owners or managers believe that what is news to them or important to them carries equal weight with the reporters and editors who will be receiving the press release release, or with the public that will end up reading it.

Sorry guys, not so much. However, there are ways to make your non-news become somewhat publicity-worthy and earn you some free publicity.

1. Try to zero in on a trend that will catch the attention of the media and your intended audience and develop a story around that, one in which you can slide in your announcement. For example, hiring a new employee is not of vast interest to anyone outside of your office; but hiring someone because it reflects growth in your sector or industry, or signals growing strength in the local job market, could be newsworthy.
2.  Tie your news announcement into current events to create greater relevance. I once had to write a press release about an area private school that had a "sister school" relationship with one in Japan. This was around the time of the terrible tsunami that hit Japan two years ago. The school was initiating some type of support project for its sister school overseas. OK, that's pretty good. But I had read a story  in our local daily newspaper a week before about a public school in the county that had some kind of program with another school in Japan. Voila! There was the tie-in. I wrote and submitted the press release, with a note about how this story dovetailed nicely with the newspaper's recent coverage. A reporter called my client to find out more about the program and ran a story in the local section about it.
3. Alert your media targets to an emerging trend or breaking industry news that relates directly to your organization or business. The fact that you opened a real estate staging practice is no big deal to most people beyond your family and friends; however, you can position yourself as an expert real estate stager and inform the media (and thereby, inform your audience) of a study that shows how well-staged homes sell faster, even in a tough real estate market.
4. Offer a free seminar or workshop that is open to the public or that caters to specific market. Free works nicely and is seen favorably as something of a public service. (Hint: a newspaper is also less likely to expect a paid ad for a free program.)  Educational, informational, and helpful programs are also great ways to get exposure for you and your business. You'll want to send a short news release about your upcoming event to the local press or to the appropriate trade publications and post it to your social networks.
5. Perform community service or create a charity drive in your office and invite the public to participate. The fact that your office is doing a coat drive in the winter is your business but opening up to area residents as they are preparing to shop for winter clothing is classic public relations.

Do you have favorite tactics for turning a ho-hum news story into something worthy of a true press release? Share them here! 

Guest post from AMORE Journey - about me!

This comes from blogger Claudia Stagg, who writes about women and their reinvention journeys. Thank you, Claudia, for this profile! Visit her blog at http://amorejourney.com.
My story is proof positive that you can make changes in your life that fulfill and nurture you professionally, personally, and creatively! 

http://amorejourney.com/blog/2013/02/07/amore-moments-serial-careerist/

AMORE Moments: Serial Careerist

  I have been meeting inspiring AMORE girls everywhere I go. I first met Caryn Starr-Gates last Spring at a Bergen County Professional Women’s Network event. When I saw Caryn again and again at other networking events, I knew I had to learn more about this successful business woman. As I got to know her, it came as no surprise to learn that, in 2010, Caryn received the Woman of the Year Award by the Bergen County Chapter of New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) for  successfully reinventing herself and career during a down economy. This is her story. 

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By her own admission, Caryn Starr-Gates is a serial careerist, successfully reinventing herself with each diverse career move. During the last 30+ years, Caryn has been a talented copy writer, a skilled caterer and cook, a successful  manager in the restaurant business, a creative gift basket and organizing entrepreneur, and most recently, the proud  owner of StarrGates Business Communications, a one-stop shop for copywriting needs.

Most may wonder why Caryn would work in so many different professions. “After several years, I would find that I was no longer challenged by what I was doing,” Caryn explains. “I was always looking to learn something new.”

Caryn’s quest for new challenges is something that is inherent in her personality, and anyone meeting her quickly notices her positive attitude.  A classic over-achiever, she was a member of the National Honor Society in high school, and a natural born leader. “My parents expected a lot from me and encouraged excellence,” she remembers. “As the first-born, I always had a lot of confidence and believed that I could do anything I wanted to do. All I had to do was to learn how.” And that was that.
Caryn started to pave her unusual career path when she left Paramus for Emory University in the mid-70s. Starting college in a pre-med program, studying for her Bachelor of Science in psychology, she began journaling in her junior year when she realized she should seek a different career path. “I had insomnia and would spend hours writing in the hallway of my dorm,” she remembers. “Advertising and writing kept popping up in my diary. “One morning I woke up from a dream and told my roommate that I was going to be a copywriter.” And that was that.

After graduation, Caryn landed her first copywriting job in Atlanta that led to a number of assignments there and later, in New York City.  Her experience includes writing retail fashion copy; promoting the launch of CNN; ads, radio, and TV spots for Anheuser-Busch, Ralston-Purina and ABC Television; ad campaigns, jingles, and new product concepts for a diverse array of national packaged goods brands, banks, travel and entertainment accounts, and Turner Broadcasting.

Then one day, another dream prompted Caryn to switch gears. “I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to be a cook.” And that was that.

Soon after, Caryn landed a job with a Queens caterer that specialized in location catering for the film and entertainment business. The chef saw potential and taught her the ropes in the kitchen. “I soaked up everything he taught me and was a quick study,” she says.  “I asked a lot of questions, did my research, and learned a lot.”

It wasn’t long after when her natural born talent for managing took over and she started running the kitchen, while learning how to make everything from soups and sauces to entrees for hundreds. ”We mainly served casts and crews on movie sets, TV shows, and commercials shot in the New York metro area. I never thought I’d make soup for 800 people.”

That experience then led to a seven-year career in restaurant management for the UNO restaurant chain. She quickly rose through the ranks to general manager and then area supervisor. Caryn traveled the country and Puerto Rico opening and managing many new restaurants for UNO’s corporate and franchise divisions until another change evolved in 1996.  And that was that.

Now married and a new mom, Caryn closed the door to the hectic hours and travel of restaurant management, but still sought new challenges.  She started “Get It Together,” a two-pronged business that offered both personal gift services and organizing services.

She also started freelancing as a copywriter again, and was back in an element she truly enjoyed.  Little by little, her freelance work grew and in 2009, she launched StarrGates Business Communications, her current business.

When asked if she plans on waking up some morning with another career-changing dream, she smiles.  “I absolutely love what I am doing,” she says. “Every day is different, and I’m still learning new things in social media, technology, and the industries I write about.  I think I’ll be here for a while.”
To learn more about Caryn and Starr-Gates Business Communications, go to http://www.starrgates.com.

Caryn’s AMORE tips:

1. Don’t be afraid to try new things.
2. Anything is possible if you learn, learn, and learn.
3. It’s OK if you don’t know where you are going. Enjoy the ride.
4. Have confidence and faith that you will achieve, and you will!
5. Get involved and join a networking group(s) – Caryn has been an active member of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) since 1998. She is also a member Bergen County Professional Women’s Network, the Association of Women in Communications/New Jersey, NJ Creatives, and others.

This entry was posted in AMORE Moments and tagged Association of Women in Communications/New Jersey, Caryn Starr-Gates, New Jersey Association of Business Owners, Starr-Gates Business Communcations. Bookmark the permalink.

It Was a Very Good Year

Wow, I've been so busy this fall that I did not even realize more than six weeks have scooted by since I last posted here (before Thanksgiving--and now it's nearly New Year's Day). I will never set any records for number of blog posts in a month or a year (never my intention) and really only write when I am inspired by something: a trend, an event, news, etc. My inspiration tonight, as 2012 comes to a close, is the busyness of my freelance copywriting business, and the appreciation I feel for all the clients--companies and agencies alike--that entrusted their wildly diverse copy needs to me this year (as well as in years past and, I hope, in the years to come!).

Like the shoemaker whose children have no shoes, I suppose I am the writer whose blog has no entries because of my workload. I haven't had time to think about a topic because I was blessed with a very full plate in that department. The months of November and December were a "be careful what you wish for" kind of time frame (you know, one of those "gee, I wish I had more assignments right now" times).

Before we close the door on 2012, I want to express a few things that have nothing to do with helpful tips or industry insights. They are just tidbits I want to share here.

Sincere gratitude
I was quite industrious writing website copy, press releases, and brochures; I edited a book of spiritual poetry and a proposal for a new cookbook for kids; and I'm looking forward to some new assignments already on my to-do list for January: expert byline articles, a community newsletter, more news releases, more websites. I am grateful I have the ability to do so and even more grateful that people want to hire me to do these for them.

Great connections
Another blessing for me is to be surrounded by so many smart people who are experts in their fields, from whom I learn something new every day about marketing, SEO, and various industries on the client side. To my colleagues, thank you for being more active bloggers, social network posters, and public speakers than I am, so I can continue gleaning useful information that makes me better at what I do.

Excellent opportunities
As an active member of NJAWBO (NJ Association of Women Business Owners), I have been given opportunities to share my expertise with others as a seminar presenter, as a contributor to the marketing of statewide and regional events, and a roundtable facilitator. Thank you to my sister members of NJAWBO for supporting me and recognizing that I actually know what I'm talking about sometimes!

Lots of fun
I love what I do--even on those stressful days when I'm not quite feeling the love. My job is perfect for me: it's never boring, there's always something new to work on every day, I get to learn lots of interesting things along the way, and I get to help other people build their businesses in some way (anyone who knows me personally knows how important it is to me to help others). Sometimes there's strategy involved, or I can get creative in the real old-fashioned ad agency type of way. Aah . . .

That's it. Nothing fancy or thought-provoking. Just appreciative and reflective.

I'm glad I'm me and that I do what I do.

Maybe we'll get to do some of that together in 2013.

New (or Not-So-New) Media as the New Newsroom

Hurricane Sandy turned the social networks into virtual, 24-hour, non-stop newsrooms for many people. Whether or not you had power, whether you checked your pages on a desktop or mobile devices, it seemed everyone everywhere in affected areas (and beyond) were communicating, updating, and commiserating on the social networks.

I will freely admit that although my home was unaffected by the weather, I became utterly obsessed with checking in with followers, friends, and fans on Facebook, which became the visual ground zero for me for all things Sandy. I shared and soaked up countless compelling, frightening, and sad images posted by everyday people, news organizations, and bloggers. I posted updates, news, announcements on my wall for people to see. I got hooked on a newfound page, Tri-State Weather, where a lot of my weather-related posts came from. From the devastation on the Jersey Shore to the decimation on Staten Island, Queens, and other areas of New York, I and so many others came together in a newly formed online community that rallied 'round the storm victims (human and animal) to create a new kind of news organization.

Many people took to tweeting constant updates using various storm-related hash tags and I did follow the headlines there, and shared some updates throughout that first week. But for me, the double-whammy of existing relationships and all those photos and videos on Facebook truly became the newsroom of the moment. One friend created a new group page devoted solely to post-hurricane news: a place where people can share volunteer meetups, donation drives, tips on how to get to badly hit neighborhoods to deliver goods, who needs what and where and when. I was thoroughly gripped by this, actually unable to focus on my work that week as I was driven to be part of the breaking news. 

I believe that this large-scale disaster has ramped up social media's place in news reporting . . . not journalism per se, as I am not stating that good, authentic, in-depth news reportage has been replaced. But it certainly was pushed aside a bit to make room for all the ordinary and extraordinary people who were reporting from the field in a way not seen before. We have all grown accustomed to local newscasts running video that was sent in by viewers, and I've noticed Twitter handles and hash tags in bugs on the screen during news programs more and more.

Ted Turner's visionary idea decades ago for a real-time, worldwide, 24-hour news station has given birth to a whole different way to do breaking news on social networks. I would never have thought, as a young copywriter working on the launch of CNN in the early 1980s, that I would be part of the news cycle in some small way during a natural disaster years later. The experience was absorbing on a level I could not have foreseen and I was gratified to hear that people who were following me were getting useful information. Now that the initial wave of Sandy has passed and the long, hard work of reconstruction begins, I hope I don't ever have the "opportunity" to feel compelled again to become a citizen journalist in times of struggle and darkness. I'd much rather stick to informational posts, newsy tidbits about advertising, marketing, or public relations, and promotions for my clients on my Facebook business page, my LinkedIn profile, or on Twitter or Google+.

You Get What You Pay For

Why is it that plumbers, electricians, and handymen are not questioned about their fees and consumers pay them handsomely for their services?

How is it that lawyers charge several hundred dollars an hour to share their expertise, and clients pay for that without querying the attorneys about their qualifications that support this rate? (Dear Esquires, I am not picking on you, really - this is just to make my point.)

What is it about freelance copywriters that makes everyone think they can bottom feed and get away with it (or at least try)?

Can you hear me sighing now?

This issue has popped up on several LinkedIn groups that I'm a member of so I know I'm not the only one confronting this (although I am happy to report it is not a frequent problem at StarrGates Business Communications).

When it comes to your company's communications, don't you want a professional to help craft your message, write your copy, position you with crisp, polished text that sells? In our field, you most certainly get what you pay for. The range of fees copywriters charge is pretty broad and somewhat informed by geography. But all things being equal, a seasoned pro will work with you to deliver well-written copy in your brand voice, in ways that are meaningful to your audience.

You might be able to get this for $25 an hour or even $35 when you hire a junior copywriter but please understand that experienced professional copywriters charge more than this and will deliver a lot for the money and therefore are worth more. I am shocked that placement firms that specialize in creatives (such as copywriters and art directors) are offering these low rates to independent contractors (like me) --all the more so because this is what I was getting DECADES ago. This is not good for the industry and brings down the whole earning curve. Toss in the bloggers who will accept $10 or $15 to write blog posts and now we're really sinking low. Welcome to the "new economy?" I say to hell with that!

Freelancers rely on billable hours to earn their livings, just as attorneys do. Freelance copywriters must be mindful of the time they spend servicing their accounts, just as your mechanic does when he's  installing a new transmission (and bills you for time and materials). Freelance copywriters pack a lot into their hourly rates or their flat fees for your project. Our rates are not strictly for the time it takes to write or for the actual finished product (if billing a flat rate) but for all those ancillaries clients don't always think of.


As a professional freelance copywriter, I have to factor in:

1. Client meetings. Our time is valuable, people--every bit as valuable as yours. If I am not sitting in front of my computer writing but rather, am sitting in meetings going over your copy and discussing revisions, I am not creating (and therefore, billing). Although I do not charge for an initial client meeting/call to discuss copy needs, copy direction, etc., I have to be compensated for the time I spend servicing your account. I think I'm pretty generous with my time and I don't nickel-and-dime anyone (and in fact, I give away quite a bit of time). You might not see this should-be-billable time broken out on an invoice, but it's in there. If you want me to sit through four hours of meetings to go over the copy again, or you want me to travel several hours round trip to visit an account, I have to be paid for this!
2.  Research. I think I'm pretty smart . . . but not so smart that I can whip out website pages, blog posts, or brochures about industries I know nothing about until I do the research. I have been hired numerous times as a ghost writer to produce expert byline articles about fields in which I am not an expert at the outset, and am delighted to learn about during the writing process. I like researching and learning and becoming a pop-up expert about a diverse array of topics and industries. Even if I am writing about something I already know, I want to research what your competition is doing or look for something new in your field to talk about if it's relevant. This takes time.
3. Scope creep. This is the bane of all creatives, when clients go around and around with more revisions than the original contract calls for. I'm not talking about a minor tweak here and there after copy has been approved, or discovering a typo that was missed during proofreading; what I refer to here is more involved rewrites or, after approval, several requests for revisions that require more than a five-minute change. Again, I am generous with my time and will often overlook minor "violations" but if the contracted fee includes one round of revisions, after that you're on the clock for an hourly rate. So why are you complaining when you get the final invoice? You signed the contract!
4. Continuing education. Even if it's not formal such as taking classes or going for certifications, a good copywriter must always be learning, especially in today's quickly changing world. Copywriters who want to stay relevant must stay abreast of the latest trends, the new media platforms, the shifts in business, corporate, and marketing communications. We read a lot, we pay attention to the world around us, we figure out how to incorporate what makes sense for our clients into our work (and help them build their businesses which is what we are hired to do!). 
5. Experience. I've written for a lot of different types of accounts. I have worked with all sorts of people. I can handle account management as well as creative concept and execution. I can write for advertising as well as public relations which are two different disciplines. I understand how to work with art directors and graphic designers. I have developed a level of diplomacy and professional tact that most 20-somethings simply do not possess yet. This is my experience. And you get what you pay for.

When Good People (?) Say Bad Things Online

I have witnessed some serious downward spirals in interpersonal communication on social networks and it's quite disturbing.

And many of these are from so-called communications professionals, copywriters, and marketing experts.

I'm not talking about the lewd, crude comments the general public posts to YouTube videos and other shared media. Those are for another conversation. I'm talking about the way professionals snipe at each other on LinkedIn or bash each other on Facebook fan pages. Perhaps because there is room for more characters on these networks, people feel the need to show the darker side of their own character.

In short, their shit comes out all over the place and it's really ugly.

Do they really want to be known or remembered in this way? Uh, I guess so, because they can't seem to stop. As someone who writes for a living, and helps businesses and entrepreneurs spit-shine their image and their marketing message to the best of my abilities, this trend horrifies me!

I have seen this ugly devolution several times on LinkedIn when someone has posted that he/she is looking for a copywriter or art director. People respond with their contact information because they're looking for work. OK. But God forbid the seeker of professionals does not post an update publicly right away, or respond to each and every respondent--people immediately go on the attack and start saying some very ugly things about other professionals they don't even know! Then they start feeding on each other's posts until the conversation gets downright wicked. And they wonder why they are still looking for work?

How about when someone posts a question or opinion to a group and members actually mock them "in public" through their responses? Really? Did you not get the memo that social networks are for sharing ideas, resources, and opinions that will make a positive difference for others? Can't you take your nasty, petty, childish screeds offline and spare the rest of us innocent bystanders who must now delete these so-called discussions?

What you write on social media is forever, you can't really take it away, and your online reputation is how many of your friends, fans, group members, and followers will remember you.

A Sad Example
Last spring a marketing manager posted a simple call for freelance copywriters in one of my LinkedIn groups. People responded. A lot. I chose to respond to her post privately as I often do. It's an easy option and keeps you out of the comments fray.

Some group members checked out this person's profile (which is not related directly to her current position). These group members made an assumption about her present job and her needs, and those whose work history aligned with that background gave some more targeted responses. OK, so far, so good and on point. Until they encountered the response vacuum and did not hear back from this person about their sterling credentials.

Other group members started to get antsy when a couple of weeks went by and there was no further communication from the marketing person who needed to hire a freelance copywriter. The mob started to gather its verbal pitchforks and rakes and really went to town, bashing this person publicly--on LinkedIn, among each other--for not responding to them in what they deemed to be a fair amount of time. Yes, these copywriters publicly demeaned her and anyone who would dare to post a possible job opening. Accusations of phishing abounded!

I sat on the sidelines in horror as I watched fellow group members devolve into a mob mentality of permanent, negative, self-defeating written communication. I also followed up privately and politely to the woman to  see if she'd made any decisions yet. I also gave her a heads up on the ugly slander-fest going on in the LinkedIn group at her expense.

She posted a polite update to everyone assuring them she received everyone's contact information and was holding on to it for any future needs.

Oh - and I got the assignment.

Say It, Don't Spray It!

Why is it that so many advertisers feel the need to cram every single message they have into one ad? I'm sure someone told these businesses that with their limited advertising dollars, it's best to use the shotgun approach, put all their selling points out there, and see what people respond to.

Uh, not a great idea. Really, I would not give you a bum steer here. Keep your ad copy simple. If you cannot afford to run more than one ad for something, resist the temptation to squish every sales point into the piece. Save it for your website where you can break down your message into distinct pages.

These best approach is to really hone your message, cough up the money to run enough ad insertions or radio or TV spots to drive home what you are trying to say. You can say it in many different ways - that's the beauty of an ad campaign. But you simply cannot sell your audience on more than a point or two within one piece of (well-written) communication. No one will know what you are really trying to say if you spray them with too many messages. Especially in this age of over-communication, media barrages, too many emails, etc., now more than ever, simplicity is golden.

In a print ad, the headline and leave-behind line, coupled with a strong visual, are what will grab readers' attention. These need to be short and to the point and speak to your readers' needs or, as some marketers put it, their pain points (in other words, how are you solving their problem). If you are a financial services firm that specializes in a niche investment product, and cater to a certain segment of the investing population, you have to distill your message to the one thing these potential clients need to know; don't waste their time with lots of ancillary information that has nothing to do with "here is this great product you need to know about ... and here's why." The ad copy can provide more detail but the headline and leave-behind line really need to sum up why the audience needs to contact you for more information or to open an account.

The challenge is greater in radio, where people are not leisurely reading, stopping to rip out an ad or jot down a phone number. They are driving, or listening while working, and might not have the chance to stop everything to fully grasp your vital statistics. As "the theater of the mind," radio spots must paint a clear picture of what you are selling in a very different way. The spots must be uncluttered in order to grab attention, maintain attention, and eventually lead to the desired result. Screaming announcers, too many sound effects, boring announcer reads, too much rambling copy ... these all invite tuning out, not tuning in. Keep the message simple and clear, make it fun if that's appropriate, and give a clear call to action. As with any kind of media buy, the spots need to not only be well written but also be well placed (buy the right programs, time slots, frequency) to make an impact.

It's not always easy to key in on just one message but if you think about the ad campaigns that are not only memorable but also effective, you'll find a common element among them: one clear message conveyed in different ways, across different media perhaps or over the course of many years. You can only effectively sell one quality at a time through your advertising copy: quality, social responsibility, saves money, saves time, builds wealth, nurtures problem students, pamper yourself or others, feeds the soul/spirit/belly, adventure, fun, family (and on and on).  Working with a professional copywriter or a marketing expert can help you figure out what you need to communicate and help you avoid spraying your target audience with too much extraneous information.