| Another Great Marketing Dog Article Topic: The Kick Ass Press Release Part 2 by Slash Coleman |
First off. If you haven't already read my first article on the subject.....The Kick As Press Release: 1 ...Go
back and read that first. If not, you're doomed for failure. Second off, lets get one thing established. If
you’re an artist or a writer and you’ve already written your press release, based on what you think a press
release should look like or sound like, I suggest you throw it away right now to avoid being offended or
embarrassed.
Through the years I’ve met with hundreds of artists to help them write effective press releases and if
there’s one common mistake that runs through all of them, it’s the fact that they are completely…
well…for lack of better words…..terrible!
If you're serious about getting some media coverage follow my rules below. Do so, and your chances for
a successful media courtship are greatly improved.
Content Rules:
If your press release sounds like a great article for a magazine and you’ve used words like “magnificent”
or “great” to describe things, I suggest you send it off as a freelance article and take the by-line for
yourself because if you send it off to a media source it’s going to wind up in the trash can. Media sources
and journalists receive hundreds of e-mails each day and if you don’t play by the specific rules I’m about
to lay out for you, your press release will end up in the circular file with all the hundreds of other ones
written by people who haven't yet read this article.
Structure Rules:
Follow the structure rules or die. I didn’t make these up. Everyone’s using them. You should too.
Sending Rules
If you want press for an event, don’t send a release to a random address and then sulk because you didn’t
get any coverage. The world is based on relationships - meaning we tend to help people that we know or
have some kind of connection to. A successful press release is only as good as the follow-up that
happens afterward. If you’re a hermit who doesn’t like talking on the phone or meeting the press, my
advice is....Don’t write a Press Release! Media coverage happens when you tell those in-the-know what
they need to know. Letters and e-mail are always a distant preference to person-to-person contact and/or
phone conversation.
For example, I’ll call a newspaper and say, “Hi, I have a theater related event coming up and I was
wondering who I should send the press release to?” If the person on the other end gives me an e-mail
address, I’ll send out a teaser first before I send my press release. THIS SMALL STEP IS AN IMPORTANT
STEP. The teaser is a 1-2 line e-mail. It says, “Hi I was wondering if I could send a press release to you
about an event I have coming up. Thanks.” If you don’t do this first, your e-mail will probably go in their
Spam folder never to be read. Also, write something short in the subject bar, for example, "Re: Press
Release: Playwright."
Final Tips
If you’ve never contacted the press before now, then face it, to the press, you’re a nobody. But that’s ok,
because we all start out as nobodies. Chances are, as a nobody, you’re going to get the door shut in your
face a lot and editors and journalists are going to vibe you out. I had my share of phone calls when I was
a nobody that made me want to cry. The magic thing is that, in terms of the media, you don’t remain a
nobody for very long, especially if you're serious about your career. For every gig you have and for every
event you do, send out a press release. After a while, I guarantee, that if you’re doing something even
remotely interesting you’ll begin to get noticed. Style Weekly didn’t cover me for an entire year and then
I ended up on the cover of their magazine.
I believe in the divine right order of the will of the universe. Sometimes the overall plan is much bigger
than what you had in mind. Trust in yourself and success will follow.
back and read that first. If not, you're doomed for failure. Second off, lets get one thing established. If
you’re an artist or a writer and you’ve already written your press release, based on what you think a press
release should look like or sound like, I suggest you throw it away right now to avoid being offended or
embarrassed.
Through the years I’ve met with hundreds of artists to help them write effective press releases and if
there’s one common mistake that runs through all of them, it’s the fact that they are completely…
well…for lack of better words…..terrible!
If you're serious about getting some media coverage follow my rules below. Do so, and your chances for
a successful media courtship are greatly improved.
Content Rules:
If your press release sounds like a great article for a magazine and you’ve used words like “magnificent”
or “great” to describe things, I suggest you send it off as a freelance article and take the by-line for
yourself because if you send it off to a media source it’s going to wind up in the trash can. Media sources
and journalists receive hundreds of e-mails each day and if you don’t play by the specific rules I’m about
to lay out for you, your press release will end up in the circular file with all the hundreds of other ones
written by people who haven't yet read this article.
- Press releases should be an objective account of your event. Let me repeat that. Press releases
should be an objective account of your event. Did you notice the word objective? That means
your press release should contain no adjectives that describe it or pump it up in anyway. In
other words, “just give ‘em the facts and nothing but the facts.” - The first paragraph should contain only the who, what, where, and when of your event.
- The second paragraph should contain a quote of some source related to the event or tell a fact
related to the event. Again more facts…facts and more facts please. - The final paragraph should contain the physical address for the event and any pertinent contact
information, including the phone number or the hours that the venue is open.
Structure Rules:
Follow the structure rules or die. I didn’t make these up. Everyone’s using them. You should too.
- Rule #1: One page only or it ends up in the trash.
- Press Release For Immediate Release should be on the first line of your paper. Just like it
appears in my sample below - Contact info below that. No address is necessary.
- A snappy title - centered and bold.
- First paragraph should begin with your city, state abbreviation and the date. For example.
Richmond VA – December 12, 2007. - Centered at the end of your press release on the last line should be the word, ##END##,
encapsulated by two # symbols on either side
Sending Rules
If you want press for an event, don’t send a release to a random address and then sulk because you didn’t
get any coverage. The world is based on relationships - meaning we tend to help people that we know or
have some kind of connection to. A successful press release is only as good as the follow-up that
happens afterward. If you’re a hermit who doesn’t like talking on the phone or meeting the press, my
advice is....Don’t write a Press Release! Media coverage happens when you tell those in-the-know what
they need to know. Letters and e-mail are always a distant preference to person-to-person contact and/or
phone conversation.
- For Newspapers, send your release two weeks before your event. Does that mean you should
send it out three weeks before your event? No! Does that mean you should send it one month
before our event? No! It means you should send it out two weeks before your event. - 90% of my press releases are sent via the e-mail these days. For smaller local papers, in some of
the small towns where I perform shows, some still prefer a fax. Either way you should make some
kind of contact via the telephone before you send your release. Don’t just get a random address
off the internet and send it to the address or person. Why? Your Press release will probably end
up in a Spam folder or deleted and besides the person you’re sending it to may have moved on.
For example, I’ll call a newspaper and say, “Hi, I have a theater related event coming up and I was
wondering who I should send the press release to?” If the person on the other end gives me an e-mail
address, I’ll send out a teaser first before I send my press release. THIS SMALL STEP IS AN IMPORTANT
STEP. The teaser is a 1-2 line e-mail. It says, “Hi I was wondering if I could send a press release to you
about an event I have coming up. Thanks.” If you don’t do this first, your e-mail will probably go in their
Spam folder never to be read. Also, write something short in the subject bar, for example, "Re: Press
Release: Playwright."
- The next day, go to your computer and open up your press release and then call the media
source to see if they received your press release. If they didn’t, send it within the next half hour
and call again. - Wait two days and if you still haven’t heard from the press, call them and say you are following
up on the press release for your event and ask them if there are any questions you can answer for
them. They may want a press kit. Be ready to send it out immediately. - If you get an article written about your event or coverage on the local news…you should send a
thank you card or a thank you e-mail or call them to tell them thanks. (see my article, "Say thank
you to the Press")The size of the coverage should dictate the size of the thank you. When I
landed on the cover of Style Weekly, I called the arts editor, the design editor and the top dog
and left “thank you’s” in their voice mail box. I also sent them a personalized thank you via snail
mail.
Final Tips
If you’ve never contacted the press before now, then face it, to the press, you’re a nobody. But that’s ok,
because we all start out as nobodies. Chances are, as a nobody, you’re going to get the door shut in your
face a lot and editors and journalists are going to vibe you out. I had my share of phone calls when I was
a nobody that made me want to cry. The magic thing is that, in terms of the media, you don’t remain a
nobody for very long, especially if you're serious about your career. For every gig you have and for every
event you do, send out a press release. After a while, I guarantee, that if you’re doing something even
remotely interesting you’ll begin to get noticed. Style Weekly didn’t cover me for an entire year and then
I ended up on the cover of their magazine.
I believe in the divine right order of the will of the universe. Sometimes the overall plan is much bigger
than what you had in mind. Trust in yourself and success will follow.
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| Anatomy of a Successful Press Release PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For More Information Contact: February 27, 2006 Slash Coleman 804-353-3799 fishoranges@yahoo.com Night Lights - Neon Art Exhibit RICHMOND, VA – February 27, 2005 – Richmond neon artists Doug Solyan and James Leighty will present their neon art sculptures as part of a special benefit at the Bainbridge Art Center in a show called "Night Lights." Tickets for the opening, which will take place on Friday, March 10 and Saturday, March 11 at 7:00 pm, are $10 and will include admission to Slash Coleman's award winning comedy, "The Neon Man and Me." Proceeds from the show will go to benefit the Bainbridge Art Center and The Neon Man Education Fund. The show honors neon artist, Mark Jamison of Roanoke, Virginia, who died last year in Roanoke after being blown into a power line as he was hanging a neon sign. “I’d like to think that combining the neon sculpture with the neon lights is a great way to honor Jamison’s spirit, “says Bainbridge Art Center owner and show curator, Mehmet Sahin Altug. Since being produced by Mill Mountain Theater in October of 2005, The Neon Man and Me, has received national media attention from National Public Radio and BUST Magazine. The show, which won a Groucho Award for best one man comedy of 2005, has raised over $8,000 for non-profit groups in and around Virginia and will tour to New York City and San Francisco later this year. The Bainbridge Art Center is located at 1312 Bainbridge Street Richmond, VA. The show will run from March 10 – April 10. Hours of operation are Tuesday – Friday 12 pm – 5pm. Call 804- 230-4544 or visit www.slashtipher.com. ##END## |
If you feel like you've been
spinning your wheels with your art
career, this book will give you
practical steps to make changes
that you will see instantly >more
spinning your wheels with your art
career, this book will give you
practical steps to make changes
that you will see instantly >more
| © Slash Coleman 2006 |
