By Shelly Cone

I get lots of inquiries on a daily basis from potential clients looking for press release services. Of those I close a few deals but some decide to go elsewhere for various reasons. Sometimes it’s because of price, other times it’s because they aren’t sure what they want. But the reason that gets me the most is they want “another writitng style.”

I think this is funny because, though I have a very particular voice, my press releases generally follow the proper format and don’t have all the snark and snarl that my blog posts and other writing has. Then I finally figured out what they mean when they say they don’t like my writing style.

My press releases are pretty straightforward. However, some people want a whiz bang press release. Something that is splashy and sexy and jumps out at you and makes people want to read it. Those people are confused. I mean who are you trying to target? That’s the first question you’ve got to ask.

Let me back up a bit. There are two types of content and most people get them mixed up. There is the press release, which is targeted at reporters and announces something newsworthy. Reporters read the news you are giving them in this press release and they decide whether or not they are interested enough to do a story or investigate further into your news.

The other piece of writing is an article. Whether you write it, a publicist writes it, a blogger writes it or a reporter writes it, you are writing for readers or customers. An article should grab attention and should have a splashy and fun headline.

However, the two are not the same. Most of the time businesses hire me as a press release writer to write a press release announcing their news in the hopes that news reporters will get wind of the news and give them some publicity. However, when they see the press release they are disappointed that it isn’t splashy and shiny.

The reason you can’t do that with press releases is because of the intended audience. In the case of a press release the intended audience is reporters. They want easy access to the facts. They don’t want fluff. If they have to wade through fluff and splash trust me, they won’t. They will toss it aside or pass it on to the advertising department. That’s not to say your press release shouldn’t be intriguing or interesting, because it should be but it just shouldn’t be too over the top.

The other reason that a press release should be written in a toned down style is because many online press release submission sites will reject press releases that appear too promotional.

Whether you are writing your own press release or hiring a press release writer don’t worry too much about exciting writing. The main thing you should look for is that the press release writer has gotten the appropriate news in the press release, it’s an interesting read and it’s in the proper format. Keep it simple and you’ll do fine when it comes to grabbing a reporter’s attention.

Shelly Cone is a journalist, public relations professional, and press release writer. She is also the owner of Beach Betty Public Relations, a California lifestyle design company offering press release services, media relations and collaborative marketing events to help you design your life by growing your business.

Finding the inspiration to write

It happens to even the most prolific wordsmith, the most tenacious talkers; sometimes the words just don’t come. That feeling of being speechless, of having writer’s block is incredibly frustrating. On my desk I have a series of little toys. I have a bright red and white mushroom, a little Japanese plant pet thing, Play-doh, a Darth Vader head stress ball, and Smurfette among scattered sticky notes with scribbled blasts of inspiration. Everything around my workspace is set to foster creativity. Yet sometimes it just ain’t happening. That doesn’t stop the fact that work needs to be done right? So here are a few ways to fight word block and harness inspiration.

Get up and walk around

This works so often and so quickly that I now pull out a pad and pen and set them on my desk before I get up to walk away. Something about a change of scenery or letting your mind work on the idea in your subconscious while you do something else causes the ideas to come rushing forward. Maybe it’s the mere act of getting the blood pumping, who knows.

Freewriting

This is a technique you  might have learned in English class but it helps. Just start writing. Anything. Really. Just start out with this sentence “I am writing on this stupid blank piece of paper because I have no other ideas but I need to get a post done because my readers are waiting on another pearl of wisdom from me and what happens if they don’t get it they will be sad and their day will be less awesome …” Seriously go on from there. Write silly, don’t worry about punctuation or paragraphs or keeping to a single idea, by the middle to the end of the page your writing should start forming a solid idea for a blog post.

Visit some inspirational sites

There are bloggers I love because something in their writing, site design or energy inspires me. Lots of times these aren’t even bloggers in my niche. When I am having a hard time with a post, I’ll take a break and read some of these sites and then come back to my post a little refreshed.

Peruse your swipe file

What you don’t have one? You most definitely should have a swipe file. It should contain all the wondrous, amazing things you see on the Internet so that you can use those ideas as inspiration for your own. This file should be so bursting at the seams with creative ideas that just glancing in its very direction will leave you dripping in creative juices.

Know when to give up

Sometimes you need to recognize when you are simply trying too hard to push an idea. It may be a good idea, but maybe it’s not the right time for it. Scrap it and start from scratch on something else. You can always go back to that idea at a later date–maybe after it’s been in the swipe file mingling with the brilliance therein.

When you hit that block and the inspiration just doesn’t seem to come, keep in mind that the most successful people in the world face that same feeling from time to time. Don’t fight it. Use it as an excuse to take a break, relax and free your mind. Only a free mind can harness inspiration.

Shelly Cone is a journalist, public relations professional, and press release writer. She is also the owner of Beach Betty Public Relations, a California lifestyle design company offering press release services, media relations and collaborative marketing events to help you design your life by growing your business.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When most people start blogging, whether it’s business or personal, there usually isn’t a definite strategy. Most people just write and see what sticks. Of course, you may have some inkling of what you need to write but no real clue if it’s the right content. I write for my own blogs, as well as newspaper articles for an alternative newsweekly and I manage the blogs of several businesses. That’s in addition to the press release services I provide and the article marketing and web content writing I do. My point is, I’m often called “prolific.”

Turns out it’s not hard to be prolific. You already know your market inside and out. In fact nobody knows your market better than you. And that’s an important point to remember because that’s where your killer content is going to come from.

How to write killer content for your blog

Create a strategy

Don’t go at it haphazardly. What is it you want your content to do for you? More than likely you want it to bring in money. Some people write for fame. But most people want money. So that is an important element of your strategy to recognize. You want your content to cause people to open their wallets, take out some coin and give it to you. So your content has to persuade them to do that. Keep that in mind as you go forward.

Give to receive

If someone is going to feel obligated to give you something you need to first give them the feeling of obligation. Or more accurately, the feeling that they’ve received something of value. Give that to them in knowledge. Your content should make their life better, solve their problems, pick up after their dog. (Whoa, wouldn’t that be cool if your content could do that?) Seriously, though, your content needs to provide something so valuable that readers think “Wow, this is so awesome I’m going to share it with others. I can’t believe this information is just out there for free.” Or something like that.

Most importantly think in simple terms

Because you are an expert you probably think you need to pass on wonderfully insightful information on your topic. But it’s likely that your readers aren’t as expert as you. They are probably looking for the simple answers while you are busy trying to provide insight into new trends. Most people are looking for answers to common questions and most questions require the how-to type of answers. If you sell products provide a series of “how to assemble,” “Other common uses” “How others have used this product” “How to extend the life of” blog posts. It doesn’t always have to be written text. You can run a series of “How others have creatively used our products” and run pictures submitted from readers.

If you sell services you can do something similar. Write blog posts on topics that cover the very basics. If you are an accountant for example, you can certainly win points with a post about the latest tax breaks, but what about “the best way to organize your paperwork now to make filing easy next year” or the “top ten changes you can make now to save $1,000 by Dec.”?

Ask for the money

You’ve provided something of value and it’s an unspoken that you’ll want something in return. But people won’t just be compelled to give up their hard earned dollars if you don’t ask. So ask. Do that with a call to action. Make sure that customers know how to reach you. If you sell products your blog posts should reference your main site whenever possible. It should be a link like “Here’s a list of features of this product” or to see options availble with this product visit our main site www.YourSiteHere.com For services you can always add to certain posts a link that invites readers to contact you for more information. Don’t overdo it however, or you run the risk of coming across like you are selling and that defeats the whole purpose of your blog.

Keep your blog content simple and you’ll not only have plenty ideas for valuable posts you’ll hit the target when it comes to giving your readers what they want.

Image: Dino De Luca / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

By now, it’s pretty common knowledge that having a blog is good for business. It is. But why stop there? A blog can be used as a very straightforward tool or it can be used to annihilate the competition. Or, depending on your aggression level, leave them in the dust. When you plan is internet domination for your keyword or industry then one blog just won’t do. You need to get vertical.

How to dominate your market with niche blogs

Chances are your product or service can have multiple uses. One of my clients sells a product that keeps ice from forming under boat docks in the winter. That same product is also used by duck hunters to open up holes in the ice of a frozen pond. Another product they have prevents condensation in boats that are covered up in the winter. That same product is used for keeping mold and mildew from forming in RVs, cabin closets and gun safes. When you can identify other uses for your product or services then you will start to see vertical markets that you haven’t taken advantage of — yet.

At the heart of my business is writing. I’m a writer when you boil it all down. But I have three distinct markets I deal in. I have a market with internet marketers who are great at selling but not so good at the writing part. I provide the content they need to sell their products. However, I also cater to small and mid-sized businesses. Same thing. They are good at their business, they outsource the rest. But I also have a market in other public relations companies. Larger PR firms specialize in media campaign strategy that I don’t deal in, so they often outsource the writing work and concentrate on the real hand-holding and complex marketing that big corporations need. These are merely the three markets I choose to engage, there are many more out there that I could target if I really had the time.

If you sit down and think about it there are probably several markets that you haven’t even thought about breaking into. Identify those markets and start blogs in each.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Let’s break it down step by step

1. If you sell flowers, along with your company blog, start a Wedding Flowers blog. Focus it on everything you ever wanted to know about choosing flowers for your wedding.

2. Make a list of about 50 different blog posts you could write. Don’t worry about writing them now just list the topics. For example, “Choosing flowers for a winter wedding,” “The top 10 wedding flower trends of 2010″ “Flower meanings” “Silk vs. fresh flowers” etc.

3. Start writing or hire someone to write them. Try eLance or oDesk for freelancers that can write those first 50 articles for you.

4. Buy a domain as close to the subject as possible. It should have nothing to do with your company name. So in this case it will be “Wedding Flowers” or “Wedding Flowers Ideas”.

5. Slap together a pretty generic blog that focuses on the content of the blog posts. You can pretty it up but you really want it to serve as a valuable tool for visitors not necessarily sell to them or get them lost in widgets and gadgets.

6. Link to your blog. Within the posts link to other helpful blogs and websites (not competition) but also link to your main website. You can do this with a blogroll but you really want to link to it within the posts. Don’t be overzealous, but do sprinkle in the links when you can. For instance the posts all talk about wedding flowers but say you mention something about finding flowers to match your wedding dress. Link “wedding dress” to a bridal shop or an article about finding wedding dresses and link the words “wedding flowers” to your own company site.

7. Schedule the 50 posts on the site and then get started on the next 50. You want to keep your site updated as much as you do your main site or blog.

8. Identify the next market, maybe it’s funerals, maybe it’s a series of seasonal sites (Christmas, Valentines Day etc.) that posts hard and heavy during that particular season, and repeat the steps above for that market.

To gain total control of your market you want to reach your customers from various directions, give them the help they need and be there for them when they are ready to buy.

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whether you are updating a business blog or sending out a press release, you probably have a sentence at the top of the page called a headline. You thought only newspapers had those I bet. Nah, just about any piece of writing that contains information has a headline. It’s the thing that calls out to potential readers telling them why they want to read what you’ve written.

What’s your headline style?

Do you simply write one informative sentence explaining what the reader will learn? For example:

“How to Write a Headline”

Do you get a little snarky?

“Your Headline Sucks, Read How It’s Done”

Or do you draw on their curiosity?

“The 10 Best Headlines You’ve Never Seen”

A headline should do a little of all those things. However, keep in mind your main purpose for a headline. If you are trying to gain more readers go with something a little more snappy or draw on their curiosity. But if you want to get the attention of search engines you are better off going for a straight forward title.

What’s the best headline you’ve seen lately?

I don’t have time to write. Well, I do, I don’t sleep, but maybe you don’t. Have time to write, that is. That’s where PLR articles can help your site.

So what is PLR? PLR stands for private label rights, and usually that means you can reuse the article content. To what extent you can use the material varies however. In some cases you can put your name as the author, you can often give the material away as a free report, you can sometimes sell it as an ebook, you can frequently rewrite it or package it with other material, and most times you can use it on your website or blog.

There are various sites out there that offer free or low-cost PLR material. Some of it, honestly, isn’t that good or requires a lot of reworking to the point you might as well have written it yourself. There is some that is decent. And you can find articles on every subject.

Obviously you don’t want to use PLR articles for the bulk of your website or blog but it comes in handy in a pinch, or when you seriously need content to fill out your site. And let’s face it, writing isn’t everyone’s strong point. It comes in especially handy when you want to add to your email list because you can give out a free report or ebook, without having to spend the hours doing it.

What are some of the best places you like to go for PLR products?

It’s tempting to think that simply submitting your link to every directory you can find and exchanging links with anyone willing will help your site ranking. In truth, it does take some finesse and a little work. Some sites can even hurt your ranking.

Of course because Google’s algorithm is kept more secure than Fort Knox we can only speculate as to what best practices are for improving your page rank. And speculation is closely related to opinion, and opinion, well everyone has one. So there’s no real consensus on some strategies but here are some generally accepted tips to help your site.

Reciprocal links: Previously it was common practice to exchange as many links as possible and it would help your site’s ranking. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. More valuable are one-way backlinks–links coming from a site to yours. These links carry more weight than reciprocal links. Especially if the link to your site is coming from a highly ranked site. The theory it seems is that if a site is referring to your site all on its own then your site must have some value. Also valuable is if the link is in the block of text and not in the blogroll.

But reciprocal links aren’t necessarily bad. there are just better ways to spend your time building links. So don’t overdo it. If there is a relevant site, go ahead and exchange links, otherwise don’t waste your time hunting down webmasters.

Don’t exchange links with irrelevant sites: If you are in the pet grooming business don’t exchange links with gaming sites. Stick with sites that are complimentary to yours and that you aren’t in direct competition with. If you are a pet groomer an exchange with a dog trainer can be a good match.

Google may hold a grudge if you submit to a link farm or a page with nothing but links. On the other hand, you can locate a few important directories–these are usually the paid ones–and submit your site there.

Use Social Media networking sites: And make sure they link back to your blog. Set up accounts with Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube at the very least, as well as other sites like Digg, StumbleUpon or Delicious and make sure they link back to your site. You can also integrate your RSS feed.

Link to your own pages within your site: Yes you can get backlinks to yourself by linking pages. But make sure the links are relevant, linking from one related article to another. Speaking of linking your pages, when you use hyper links in your posts or web copy make sure it’s a keyword and not a “click here” text link to help with SEO.

Finally, create your own buzz: It’s great when articles published on the web link to your site so why not create your own articles? Rewrite some of your existing web content and submit the articles to a web article directory like EZineArticles with a backlink at the bottom.

Chances are you are good at something that is not writing. You are a marketer, a sales person, a business owner, a corporate something or other. Writing is a necessary element to what you ultimately want to accomplish, but it zaps your time and pulls you away from your other money making activities. Or maybe you just really don’t like to invest your time in article writing. That’s OK because I happen to love article writing.

I love it so much I’ve spent the last 15+ years writing articles as a reporter and journalist. I’ve written articles on such dry subjects as politics, technology and crime, I’ve covered subjects like health and the environment. I’ve written entertainment and lifestyle articles and I’ve covered the colorful world of the arts, and even tackled sports writing. In short, I’m a well-rounded writer.

And so I thought I’d devote this post to pimping out my writing abilities. For a short time I’ve decided to get competitive and slash my regular rates on article writing, press release writing and blog content to $5 a piece for articles or blog posts of 350-500 words. Press releases are only $15 for a one-page release. Sure you can find these services for less, but often the quality isn’t there. I don’t sacrifice quality just because I’ve lowered the price. I hate for this to sound like a sales pitch, but I am only doing this for a short time because of the amount of effort I place in each article I write.

If you are looking to outsource your content needs I can help you. Having worked in the print industry I’m great on deadlines and able to write well-researched articles quickly and on time. Whether you need a press release, articles written, web content, blog posts or social media posts I can provide prompt written material that is accurate yet entertaining.

Check out these published clips:
Coat of Arms Advertorial
SeaGlass Candles Press Release
Orcutt Summer Boot Camp Press Release
EZine Articles How Twitter Can Help Your Business
Ezine Articles Using Sidewiki As Part of Your Social Media Plan
Newspaper Article — Rhythm of the Night
Newspaper Article — Next in Line

Contact me if you have other needs and I can provide you with a quote.

Here’s to your marketing success!

Shelly Cone
Owner
Beach Betty Public Relations
beachbettypr@verizon.net

Oh and one more thing, I am still committed to providing you with informative posts on how to grow your business through public relations and social media, don’t let this one shameless self-promoting post scare ya!