Lisa Mulka - Copywriting, Editing, Curriculum Development
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Put the Ease in Press Release

6/28/2014

 
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In a newsroom, hundreds of press releases come across the assignment desk every day.  You need to get your press release moved to the top of the possibilities pile.  But, how do you do it? 

Write a head turning headline. 
Your goal is to grab the reader’s attention right off the bat. The clock starts ticking as soon as that piece of paper or email hits his or her hands. Be clear. Be concise. Get straight to the point. We want to care. Make us care. 

Let's make this quick.
The entire press release should be no more than one page. Hit the 5 W and 1 H: who, what, when, where, why and how. However, another page or even a paragraph with answers to possibly asked questions are helpful and appreciated. Journalists follow the KISS principle. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Some prefer Keep It Simple, Sweetheart. If you are writing a release for television broadcast, think in terms of picture and sound. What are the best photo ops? If there is a certain time this is happening, please be specific in the release.

Who you gonna call?
If journalists have questions, they need to be able to get a hold of someone NOW. Include a contact office phone, home phone, cell, pager, twitter, facebook, instagram, whatever is the best to reach you.  Your client will not be happy if his or her story didn't make air or press because you couldn't be reached. 

Be memorable. 
 If your story is covered, call or even write to say thank you.  Keep good records of your contacts, even take notes on any personal information he or she may share to ask about later.  First impressions go a long way.  Take the time to stand out.            

The Key to Writing Well on the Web

9/12/2013

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The Internet offers us the ability to see new things at any moment. Entertainment is endless online, and at times the desire to watch funny YouTube videos instead of being productive is overwhelming. Successful websites are those that reduce these temptations by keeping the reader interested and focused.

Here are a few easy ways to do this:

Titles
 Use titles. Use them a lot. Titles are short statements about what you will be telling the reader. Big blocks of text can be daunting and unappealing, often driving readers away. 

Even if you have a lot to say, titles can help break up this text and direct the reading experience. Don’t be afraid to make titles interesting or surprising, this will only draw readers in further.

Simplicity
Notice the difference between the sentence you are reading right now, which has far too many words, is too complicated, has many clauses, and seems as if it was written in a sort of long-winded delirium (probably caused by the author muddling through a lot of poorly written internet articles), and this next sentence which is essentially saying the same thing. 

Be simple. 

Be clear, but simple. 

Long and wordy sentences are for comfy couches and Sunday mornings – they are much harder to digest at a desk or on a screen.

Hyperlinks
 Hyperlinks are one of my favorite elements on websites. People are click-happy on the Internet. No amount of beautiful, perfect, internet-adjusted writing is going to fix that, but as the saying goes, “if you can’t beat em’, join em’!” 

Hyperlinks are a writer’s answer to the temptation to click. They allow you to more keenly focus and direct the reading experience. They also give writers the ability to explain jargon or acronyms without going into too much lengthy detail. 

Linking to other pages on the same website can also be useful  - there’s no need to repeat lengthy data or facts if you can link to them. However, be careful to use hyperlinks sparingly – too many can be distracting.

Be Personal
 Dealing with machines is often frustrating and boring. From automated messages to technical issues, we would almost always rather be dealing with a person. We receive the Internet through the impersonal space of a machine, making the voice of an author all the more important. 

It is important to let readers know there is a person behind the words. More than anything else, this will hold their interest and keep them reading.  


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The Technical Elements of a Great Email: Email Etiquette Part 2

5/18/2011

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Avoid email confusion by following OPTTRP
We’ve all used acronyms at one point in time to remember bits of information (remember elementary school days when you memorized ROYGBIV to learn the colors of the rainbow?)  Labeling information in an easy-to-remember format does just that—it makes it easier to remember. That’s why OPTTRP (pronounced opt-trap) provides a simple solution to remembering the basic elements any business or work-related email should contain. Sending clear messages requires a clear format and OPTTRP covers all you need to know about writing effective emails that communicate your message clearly.

OP: Organizational Purpose
Aside from last week’s suggestion to always open a work email with a friendly greeting, the next item included in an email should be the organizational purpose. The organizational purpose states what the intentions of the email are and the reasons for writing. The purpose defines the context and explains necessary rationale for any upcoming requests. While it may seem obvious why you are writing the email, it may not be so obvious to the receiver.

If I am emailing a client, for example, I might begin by writing something like “As we discussed earlier on the phone, attached is the contract for our upcoming newsletter project.” While I could assume that my recipient knew the purpose of the email, I’ve eliminated any assumptions by reminding him of our earlier conversation and the ultimate purpose of delivering the contract.

TT: Technical Task
Once the framework has been established, the next article to include in an email is the technical task. This is the action or undertaking you are asking the receiver to complete.

Building off the above example of sending a contract to a client, my technical task is to outline the procedures for signing and returning the contract and ask that the client do so within a reasonable timeframe. Identifying the task explicitly avoids ambiguity and follows a logical approach since I have already set the stage with the organizational purpose.

RP: Rhetorical Purpose
After the technical task has been outlined, ending the email by asserting the rhetorical purpose is often beneficial, especially if the receiver is someone you are newly in contact with. In essence, the rhetorical purpose can serve to recap the organizational purpose or extend beyond that to define long-term goals.

In the sending a contract to a client example, my rhetorical purpose is to create a long-running relationship with that client and to become their go-to writer. Adding a line or two at the end of the email indicating my enthusiasm in working together is one way to define the rhetorical purpose of not only this one specific email, but to many more communication exchanges to come.

Whenever in doubt of how to begin writing a business email, follow the OPTTRP rules and remember each element need not be lengthy—it just needs to communicate clearly your purpose, the task, and the rhetorical outcome of those items.


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Four Signs Your Content Needs a Facelift

4/25/2011

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Are your readers confused about your message?
Are your readers confused about your message?
In the course of one day, our attention gets redirected to hundreds of thoughts, ideas, projects, budgets, meetings, phone calls, emails, and other mind-grabbing tasks. In the midst of a multitasking business world where our focus shifts by the hour, content can often be left unchanged without even so much as a minute update. Whether it is a web site, brochure or rack card, pay close attention to what your copy says and see if it pleads guilty to any of the following:

1. Dated
 When was the last time your content was reviewed for accuracy? Industries do not stagnate, they evolve; and so should your business communication. But, it is easy to become complacent with content. After all, if it’s been around for so long it must be doing something right, right? Well, that may be true to some degree, but certain details can require routine updates.

Have you just introduced a new product or service or added more layers to your business? Let your clients know! The tools you use to communicate to your market should display the essentials of your business and be updated each time a big change occurs.

2.  Boring
Let’s face it—the world we live in is in a constant flux of sensory overload. Turn the television on and you’ll know what I mean. Businesses now have to compete in a social media frenzy space where words mingle with YouTube videos and podcasts. Drab content loses a reader in less than ten seconds and if that’s all the time you have to impress, your words better be stellar.

Business communication doesn’t have to be a circus of flashiness, but it does have to showcase why a business is unique and offer compelling reasons why a customer should want to do business with you.

3. Cliché
Take a quick look at your competitors’ promotional materials. Now look at yours. If they share eerily similar quotes, phrases, and words you may be in need of some serious cliché cutting.

A quick fix for this is to show your market how you differ from competitors. What do you offer that they can’t? Use this as the starting point in revising promotional copy.

4.  Vague
Vagueness litters words, but lacks substance. Words fill a brochure, but the reader is still not clear on what the business offers. Don’t dance around an issue—tell your audience exactly what you want them to know. Are you offering a discount on your services? Tell them as much.

Be specific with details, dates, and examples as needed.  Don’t assume your readers will “get it.” When it comes to written communication, assumption is a dangerous rock to climb.  Leave the guesswork out for the reader, and tell them exactly what you want them to know.

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