by Kim Stearns

Press releases act as a simple way for those working in the media (e.g. bloggers, reporters, journalists, podcasters) to fill their newspaper pages or blog sites with news-worthy information. Press releases can be distributed in a variety of formats; the most effective of which is sending it directly to any media contacts you may already have, such as editors of school newspapers. Other avenues for distributing press releases include newswires and
free press release distribution sites, both of which allow bloggers and reporters to find your press release through search engines.

Just as important as the channels you distribute your press release on is the format in which your release is presented. There are plenty of resources out there for properly formatting your release. All of them include these few core components:

1. Make sure to mark your release with “NEWS RELEASE” along the top. This will help to distinguish from the hundreds of other emails your media contacts receive daily
2. Provide specific contact information at the very top of your release including email and phone number should they need more information
3. Make your headline stand out!
4. Keep your release to one page, and end your release with the standard “-30-” this will indicate there are no more pages to your release

The most important thing to remember when creating a press release is that these reporters and bloggers receive hundreds, if not thousands, press releases per day. Your challenge as a PR or marketing professional is to ensure that your press release gets noticed and published. The best way to make this happen is to write about something unique and give your press release an intriguing title. Simply stating facts and quotes is easy, but digging and telling a true story about your newsworthy item is what will give these important media contacts something valuable to write about.

Editor’s Note: We encourage local PBL chapters to create press releases when they have exciting news to share with the local community.

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Kim Stearns is a former Phi Beta Lambda member. She is currently the Marketing Director at Forty Agency in Phoenix and is also the President/Founder of Commpose.

Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimstearns
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kimstearns

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stylianosm / CC BY 2.0

Social networking is a ubiquitous phrase that has pervaded every limb of pop culture. From expanding our lexicons (have you tweeted today? maybe you facebooked someone?) to changing the way we interact, we use social networks for many reasons including convenience, entertainment, and sometimes to humor our own secret obsessions with achieving fame, even if on a micro level. But despite the vast popularity of the social networking movement, businesses and organizations often struggle in understanding a way to leverage these networks to their advantage.

To be frank, there are many misconceptions about the benefits of social networking. For example, the concept of viral marketing (now the holy grail of contemporary marketing) is believed to follow the “if you build it, they will come” axiom. In fact, you may have thought the very definition of viral marketing necessitates this. Sure, in some instances a video of a cat eating a cheeseburger may have spread like wildfire from 1 to 10 million viewers in a week. But often, an effective viral marketing campaign requires considerable  planning and investment. But if you succeed, there are two major advantages: (a) the costs associated with distributing the message is traditionally cheaper through social networks and (b) the buzz generated from the campaign is generally percieved as authentic and legitimate – and that is the key. To be able to impact the market in a manner that appears organically generated rather than forced by your organization yields great results.

Let’s apply this concept to a local chapter. If I post an advertisement on Facebook asking students to attend a PBL meeting, my message is likely to be ignored by most. In fact, it will probably take multiple impressions before a user even stops to consider the message your advertising. The same is true for any other posting you might make through sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. The fact is, people generally don’t care about your message. You have to find ways to make them care. You have to find ways to cut through the noise and the clutter and achieve differentiation. Because PBL is not just an online organize, you are going to need to coordinate your online and offline promotions.

Consider the following case: You are having your first meeting of the year. You want to convince students through Facebook to attend the meeting. How are you effectively going to spread your message?

In your approach, you would keep in mind the following:

• You must achieve differentiation. Find creative ways to stand out and get noticed.
• You must be authentic. Get all of your members to post  personalized references to whatever campaign you are running. It must appear to be grassroots and real, not a repeated sales pitch.
• You must know your target audience. “Hey, you are a business major, maybe you would be interested in joining PBL” or “I see you are looking for some extra-curricular activities.” Try to direct your message at people who would actually be interested in it.
• You must not spam. Do not force negative perceptions by not respecting your audience and flooding them with advertisements for your club.
• You must utilize the tools available. Get to know the different social networks you are using. See if there are any applications that can help you in your campaign. Some networks such as Facebook have a wealth of tools at your disposal.

The science of viral marketing is inexact and has yet to be mastered, but understanding some of these basic ideas may help you strike gold. But while viral marketing is one key advantage of social networks in helping you promote your chapter, social networks can also serve another very important function. They can help you organize and communicate within your chapter. I urge you to explore the following web 2.0 tools in helping you become more efficient and effective:

• Utilize Facebook and Twitter to remind your members of upcoming meetings.
• Collaborate on documents and events using Google Apps
• Maintain task lists and milestones with a Project Management tool such as BaseCamp or Zoho
• Conduct audio/video chats through Skype to save travel time with one-on-one or executive board meetings

The Web 2.0 movement is more than just a way for you to waste time in class. The latest and greatest technology can help you have a more organized chapter and can possibly help your increase membership.

Joshua Belhumeur
State President and Web Developer

Arizona Phi Beta Lambda would like you to participate in a March of Dimes fundraising effort. We have called November 16-21st MOD Week. The goal of the week is for your local chapter to do as many fundraising and awareness activities as possible between the 16th-20th on your campus.We will then top of the week with a social event in the Phoenix area on Saturday the 21st (more information to come).

You should begin planning your activities now to ensure you have the best ideas for the most impact during MOD Week in November. We want to see big results from all of you!

Competition

Once you have finished your fundraising and awareness campaigns during MOD week, you should compile a report on what you did. Follow the national guidelines for Community Service Project. The winning report will receive a special award at the State Conference, but more importantly, will get the ultimate reward for their efforts; the pride in beating out every other chapter in the state!

Social Event

Any chapter or member that participates in some sort of activity during MOD week will be invited to a social event in the Phoenix area on the 21st in the early afternoon. You will be expected to give a quick verbal report on your success as a chapter. This will also be a great opportunity to network with other members of the state and have some fun.

Do you want to know more?

Visit http://www.marchofdimesyouth.com/ for more information on the programs March of Dimes offers. You can also get creative and come up with your own ideas. Ask the State Officers if you have any questions or need help. You can contact your local March of Dimes office.

Good luck to all chapter, let’s save some babies!