Hi! Welcome back. If there are topics you'd like me to cover, please submit them via the form on the Contact page. Don't forget to write a comment about the post. I'd enjoy hearing from you!
Press releases are often the foundation of a business’s publicity efforts. When writing releases, be sure they conform to accepted format standards. To follow is the dissection of a release I wrote a while back.
News Release
Contact:
Neil Tortorella
Tortorella Design
954.607.2244
neil@tortorelladesign.comJanuary 19, 2009
For Immediate Release
Neil Tortorella to Present At the 2009 HOW Design Conference
Plantation, FL: Neil Tortorella will be presenting, Consultative Selling for Graphic Designers, at the 2009 HOW Design Conference in Austin, Texas. The event will be held at the Austin Conference Center, June 24 – 27, 2009.
Tortorella said, “Graphic Designers trade in ideas and concepts. We develop solutions to communication problems. As such, the consultative sales model is a perfect method to approach prospects, win business and become a trusted, valued partner with our clients, rather than simply a vendor.” He added, “Consultative Selling for Graphic Designers will be a session that lays the groundwork for this sales method and teaches attendees how to use it successfully.”
Some of the topics Neil will address in his talk are:
- Understanding the difference between marketing and sales
- The consultative sales process – an overview
- The importance of differentiation and a solid value proposition
- Targeting the right prospects
- Qualifying prospects
- Making contact
- Opening a dialogue
- The sales call – what to say and what not to say
- Preparing for the initial meeting
- Becoming a resource for your prospects
- Demonstrating your expertise and value during the sales cycle
- Moving from vendor to valued consultant
- What are you really selling?
- Gathering information
- Identifying the client’s true problem(s)
- Developing measurable solutions
- Building the relationship
- The end of the project is really the beginning of the relationship
- Establishing trust
- Looking for opportunities to help your clients prosper
- Suggesting projects, methods and tactics to help make your clients’ lives easier and more profitable
For more information, visit the HOW Conference site at www.howconference.com.
Founded in 1985, HOW strives to serve the business, technological and creative needs of graphic design professionals through its popular magazine, website and annual events for design professionals, yearly design competitions, digital products and books. The magazine is published in Cincinnati, OH by FW Publications.
Tortorella brings with him over 30 years experience as an award-winning graphic designer, writer and marketing consultant. Since 1986, through Tortorella Design, Neil worked with Fortune 500 and small to mid-sized companies, developing pragmatic solutions to their communications challenges.
Tortorella is a cofounder and management team member of CreativeLatitude.com, a popular web site and resource for creatives and the clients they serve. The site provides information about the creative process, ethical business practices and a wide array of articles, links and resources. He is also associated with No-Spec.com, a site that combats the proliferation of speculative work requests targeted at creative professionals.
Neil is also an avid writer on marketing, promotion and business topics. He authors a popular blog, “Inside the Marketing Mind.” His writing can also be found on BoDo – Business of Design online, where he’s a founding team partner and author of the Marketing Minute.
Tortorella is featured in the book, The Savvy Designer’s Guide to Success, by Jeff Fisher, published by HOW Design Books, Cincinnati, OH and in Creatively Self Employed, by Kristen Fisher.
###
Let’s take this apart and look at each element.
Contact:
Neil Tortorella
Tortorella Design
954.607.2244
neil@tortorelladesign.com
This is the contact info and should appear at the top of the release. Pretty straightforward stuff.
January 19, 2009
For Immediate Release
The date of the release and whether or not it can be published immediately. If not, include the desired publishing date, such as “For release on or after …”
Neil Tortorella to Present At the 2009 HOW Design Conference
Here’s your headline. It should immediately tell the editor what the release is all about.
Plantation, FL:
This is called the “dateline” and it’s inserted at the beginning of the first paragraph. Ironically, the “dateline” isn’t a date at all. It’s the location of your office or where the news originated.
Neil Tortorella will be presenting, Consultative Selling for Graphic Designers, at the 2009 HOW Design Conference in Austin, Texas. The event will be held at the Austin Conference Center, June 24 – 27, 2009.
Lead off with the most important information. Think of the body of your release as an inverted pyramid with less important information lower in the release. Editors tend to cut from the bottom.
Wind up your release with some background info about key people and/or companies mentioned in the release.
When you’re drafting your release, put on your reporter hat. They want to know who, what where, when and why.
[more] and/or ###
If your release is two or more pages, let the editor know by including [more] at the end of each page. Close your release with either “-30-” or “###,” the customary symbols to say “That’s all folks.”
It’s a good idea to contact the editors of the publication where you plan to send your news to find out their preference for receiving releases. Some prefer email, other like plain ‘ole snail mail, while other like faxed releases. Contacting them also helps to begin a relationship.
Don’t freak out if your first few releases never make it into print. That’s not too unusual. Over time, as editors come to see you as consistent source of quality news, they’ll start publishing your stuff.
For more information about press release style and formatting, consult the Associated Press AP Stylebook – The Journalist’s Bible. There’s even an iPhone version available. The AP Stylebook provides fundamental guidelines on spelling, grammar, punctuation and usage, with special sections on reporting business and sports. Included is an updated guide to media law.
