Has anyone ever done a press release?

[IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII]

I remember a long time ago the company I worked for used to do press releases
on the NEWSWIRE or Associated Press or whatever...But I was never involved in
any of that crap..

Anyone know how to do it? Is there any way to target a certain demographic? and
does it cost money?

Thanks in advance,
-brian
KILLED BY DESIGN
http://www.killedbydesign.com

NEW AND IMPROVED WEB HOSTING
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[Giuseppe Carmine De Blasio]

I think Jeff Fisher is the man to ask. Don't worry; if he can say something
useful, I'm pretty sure he will... he's that kind of person, you know...!

--
Pepe
Milano, Italy

[Tomas Holm]

Consider using a pr company. It will cost money, but it will probably be
worth it. Use them for a couple of month and then consider if you are
capable of doing it yourself. Thing is, if you hire someone to do it it will
be done... (I've done hundreds in my head and no one in reality).

/Tomas

--To contact me please mail to tomas dot holm at rodem dot se.--

[mark | r]

theyre free to produce, all you ahve to do is get in with the editors of the
target mpublications, as long as the press release is impartial and offers
genuine valueable content then you should have no problems,

i use a guy called scott watson, whos a behavoural specialist that sidelines
in writing PR, hes cheap and effective.
www.scottwatson.co.uk

mark

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII" <iiii6...@aol.comIIIIIIII> wrote in
message news:20031007022824...@mb-m12.aol.com...

[Fred Doyle]

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII" <iiii6...@aol.comIIIIIIII> wrote >

I remember a long time ago the company I worked for used to do press
releases
> on the NEWSWIRE or Associated Press or whatever...But I was never involved
in
> any of that crap..
>
> Anyone know how to do it? Is there any way to target a certain
demographic? and
> does it cost money?
>
> Thanks in advance,

Writing a press release is not a big deal. Clearly identify the organization
sending the release, say what you need to say, give complete info, a contact
for further information, and a release date. The art is placing it in the
right hands so it will be used. PR people keep lists of fax numbers and
email addresses for newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations, and know
the types of stories that each outlet is likely to use. They also have books
that identify all major and minor news outlets in the country and their
region and specialty. They try and place the story where it will get used,
and that is the real art of PR; identifying who will be interested and will
likely use your release. Most news outlets get hundreds of releases a day so
you need to capture the receiver's attention very quickly. There is no
charge for this, you just fax or email them and they will get used if they
are of interest.

I've cut and pasted the content of a typical release from UAlbany below so
you can see the structure. I hope this helps.

UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Insert Contact name (XXX) XXX-XXXX

UALBANY CENTER FOR JEWISH STUDIES LAUNCHES FILM SERIES

ALBANY, N.Y. (October 6, 2003)-The Center for Jewish Studies, Department of
Judaic Studies and University at Albany Hillel have announced their 2003-04
film series. The films - diverse in style and content - address key events
and issues in the modern Jewish experience in Europe, America and Israel.
Faculty members with expertise on related topics will introduce each film,
and moderate a post-screening discussion. Light refreshments will be served.
The viewings are free and open to the public.

On Thursday, October 16, 7 p.m. in the Alumni House of UAlbany's
uptown campus, the series opens with The Jazz Singer (Warner Bros., directed
by Alan Crosland, 1927). Young Jakie Rabinowitz has forsaken the traditional
ways of his father (a fifth-generation cantor) for a career on the American
musical stage. Famous for being the first "talkie," The Jazz Singer is
equally important for its powerful treatment of the tension between
adherence to religious traditions and adaptation to the modern world. The
film features a memorable performance by Al Jolson, one of the greatest
stage and screen stars of his era.

The Jazz Singer will be introduced by UAlbany Adjunct Professor
Audrey Kupferberg, an accomplished film and video consultant, archivist and
appraiser. Ms. Kupferberg has been director of the Yale Film Study Center,
assistant director of the National Center for Film and Video Preservation at
the American Film Institute, and project director of the American Film
Institute Catalog. She is a contributing editor to Leonard Maltin's "Family
Film Guide," and has written for "Women Filmmakers and Their Films,"
"International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers," and "St. James
Encyclopedia of Popular Culture." She works as film consultant to The
Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum at Bowdoin College.

Upcoming films:

? Nov. 6 - My Mother's Courage (Kristallnacht commemorative event),
7 p.m., Page Hall
? Nov. 13- Partisans of Vilna, 7 p.m., Campus Center Room 375
? Dec. 11- My Favorite Year, 7 p.m., Alumni House
? Feb. 5- Tevye der Milkhiker [Tevye the Dairyman], 7 p.m., Alumni
House
? March 11- Body and Soul, 7 p.m., Alumni House
? April 22- Bluz la-khofesh ha'gadol [Late Summer Blues], 7 p.m.,
Alumni House

Parking is available opposite Alumni House. For more information contact
Insert Contact name at XXX-XXXX, insertemail@your domain

The Center for Jewish Studies, University at Albany, seeks to foster
knowledge of Jewish history, thought, and culture through education,
scholarship, and community outreach. The Center provides an environment in
which students, scholars, and community members can engage in education,
research, pedagogy, and a variety of public programs related to Jewish
Studies. The Center is committed to providing individuals and institutions
in the region access to its activities and the Department of Judaic Studies.
The Center has a special interest in advancing the University's commitment
to academic excellence, public service, and ideals of justice by promoting
the study of Judaism and the Jewish experience in the Diaspora and Israel
from antiquity to the present.

Established in 1844 and designated a center of the State University of New
York in 1962, the University at Albany's broad mission of excellence in
undergraduate and graduate education, research and public service engages
17,000 diverse students in eight degree-granting schools and colleges. The
University has launched a $500 million fundraising campaign, the most
ambitious in its history, with the goal of placing it among the nation's top
30 public research universities by the end of the decade. For more
information about this nationally ranked University, visit www.albany.edu.

# # #

--
Fred Doyle
www.leafpublishing.com

[Jeff Fisher LogoMotives]

Brian -

Press releases are my number one form of marketing and promotion. The
only cost is the postage to mail out hard copies and the time invested
in putting the releases together. You reach your target audience by
sending the releases to publication and online resources that attract
the attention of those you wish to target.

Here's a link to an article I wrote a few years ago about press
releases:

http://www.secondagenda.com/vat/Ea/Ea4/pressrelease.html

Also, check out the services of PRWeb at http://www.prweb.com/

Good luck! - Jeff

Jeff Fisher
Engineer of Creative Identity

Jeff Fisher LogoMotives
http://www.jfisherlogomotives.com

[IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII]

Hey everyone..Thanks for your replies..

I think I should have reworded the question..

I have a press kit..It includes a press release in hard copy format, text only
format, PDF format, html & html formatted email format ( how do you like that
funny name? )..I even have a CD-ROM that includes assets for print..I think I
have everything taken care of in that department..

I have a list of magazine who I think will be interested in running the piece (
Possibly)..As well as press kits ready to send out to each one..

I just want to go bigger with it..I want to put it on a newswire..Like the
Associated Press..Or one of the other news wires...Anyone have experience doing
this? Good, Bad..One better than the other..Any tips?
Last night I spent about 5 hours on a seek and destroy mission to find editors
and writers email addresses & fax numbers to send the press release to...I'm
kind of worried that my hard ( and mind numbing ) effort in that department
will be discarded because what I am sending out isn't solicited or whatever..

*Maybe Jeff Fisher can point me to the "right" editorial person for HOW? Eh????
What do you say Jeff? You want to help a brother out?

[Jeff Fisher LogoMotives]

I often recommend that designers do a trade for services with a
marketing company, PR firm or copywriter. Many can benefit from
design services in exchange for the writing and distribution of press
releases.

- J.

[IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII]

wooo hooo..Thanks a million Jeff..

[Carol Ott]

Hundreds of them. And yes, there are countless ways to target your
demographic....and yes, it costs money. A good writer can command upwards
of $100 an hour, depending on who the client is.

Carol

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