BONUS
176
$ IN
VALUE
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CONTENT
THE
ULTIMATE
PRESS RELEASE
SWIPE FILE
50 Templates That You Can Use to Get Your Business Media Exposure Today ER OV TO
50,000 50,000 BE
PETE WILLIAMS
SOLD
The Ultimate Press Release Swipe File: 50 Templates That You Can Use to Get Your Business Media Exposure Today Published by Preneur Marketing First edition – 2011 This book is available in print at most online retailers. All rights reserved Š 2011 Pete Williams The editorial arrangement, analysis, and professional commentary are subject to this copyright notice. No portion of this book may be copied, retransmitted, reposted, duplicated, or otherwise used without the express written approval of the author, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review. United States laws and regulations are public domain and not subject to copyright. Any unauthorized copying, reproduction, translation, or distribution of any part of this material without permission by the author is prohibited and against the law. Disclaimer and Terms of Use: No information contained in this book should be considered as financial, tax, or legal advice. Your reliance upon information and content obtained by you at or through this publication is solely at your own risk. The publisher and author assumes no liability or responsibility for damage or injury to you, other persons, or property arising from any use of any product, information, idea, or instruction contained in the content or services provided to you through this book. Reliance upon information contained in this material is solely at the reader's own risk. The author may have financial interest in or receive compensation from manufacturers of products or websites mentioned in this book. For information, address inquiries to: Preneur Marketing Suite 2, 284 St Kilda Rd, St Kilda 3182 Victoria, Australia support@preneurgroup.com
Visit the Press Release Swipe File website at www.PressReleaseSwipeFile.com
DEDICATION
To all the marketers willing to be open and share their war stories, test results and experiences for the betterment of everyone‌ Thank you.
CONTENTS Make Money ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 How to Build ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2 A Relaxing Way To ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 Create Your Very Own ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 The Healing Power Of....................................................................................................................................................... 5 Ultimate................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Staggering ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Bad Habits............................................................................................................................................................................. 8 First Time............................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Mind-Blowing.................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Breakthroughs................................................................................................................................................................... 12 From Home ........................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Secrets.................................................................................................................................................................................. 14 For Free................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 X-Step Guide...................................................................................................................................................................... 16 What They Don’t Tell You About ................................................................................................................................ 17 Why....................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 10 Steps ............................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Early Warning Signs......................................................................................................................................................... 20 The Lazy Way..................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Urgent .................................................................................................................................................................................. 23 How To................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 10 Must-Have..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Last-Minute ........................................................................................................................................................................ 26 Top 10 Reasons................................................................................................................................................................. 27 Discover............................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Attract More....................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Struggle With..................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Percent Increase ............................................................................................................................................................... 31 Techniques ......................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Exposed ............................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Action Ideas........................................................................................................................................................................ 35 Skyrocket............................................................................................................................................................................. 36
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Seven Deadly Sins............................................................................................................................................................ 37 READ THIS........................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Regular Guy........................................................................................................................................................................ 39 Boost Your .......................................................................................................................................................................... 40 An Innovative Way........................................................................................................................................................... 41 You Can Trust .................................................................................................................................................................... 42 VS........................................................................................................................................................................................... 43 Perfect Alternative ........................................................................................................................................................... 45 Solve All Your Needs....................................................................................................................................................... 46 The Key ................................................................................................................................................................................ 47 Habits ................................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Little-Known....................................................................................................................................................................... 49 10 Surefire........................................................................................................................................................................... 50 The Easiest Way ................................................................................................................................................................ 51 Top Secret........................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Of Your Dreams................................................................................................................................................................. 53 10 Rules ............................................................................................................................................................................... 54
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INTRODUCTION Firstly, congratulations on grabbing your copy of The Ultimate Press Release Swipe File. One of the biggest issues we all face when trying to write a press release and generate media exposure for our business, website or our charity is coming up with a story idea. You first have to come up with a story angle before you can backward-engineer it, and then write a press release that can sell you and your story idea to the journalist, the publishers or the editors. This is book is designed to be a swipe file. And a swipe file according to Wikipedia is, "a collection of tested and proven advertising and sales letters‌ Keeping a swipe file (templates) is a common practice used by advertising copywriters and creative directors as a ready reference of ideas for projects. Copywriters are not the only ones who can benefit from having a swipe file. As book publishing coach Diane Eble points out, authors and publishers can benefit from creating a swipe file of best-selling titles to give them ideas for their own titles. Publicists can create a swipe file of great press release headlines. Swipe files are a great jumping-off point for anybody who needs to come up with lots of ideas for a sale letter." As you'd remember if you've listened to any other video or course I've done on PR (press release), all I consider a press release to be is a sales letter to a journalist selling you to them on being a feature in a story. So How to Use This Book First off, you must make a commitment to yourself and your business—and the commitment is to schedule 30 to 45 minutes per week of active focus time on getting media exposure and writing press releases. As cool as it would be, getting media exposure doesn't happen by itself initially. Once you get a few runs on the board and create a 'media presence,' you will find press opportunities coming to you. But that's a story, process and system for another time (in the future). So for now, in a 30 to 45-minute time period each week, you are to write and distribute one press release every week. You've taken the initial step to invest in the book. Now make the commitment to get a return on that investment and continually write press releases, targeting different angles, different stories, different journals and different publications each and every week.
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How to Use the Template in the Swipe File Book First, you'll see that every swipe file or every story angle has a PR Formula (or template). This is simply the headline of the press release and the 'hook' of the story. Just fill in the gaps of the template and start writing your press release. The Rationale section explains why the hook and story angle works, inducing guidance as the angles, story idea and why it's newsworthy. Because remember, when writing a press release, it has to be newsworthy. It has to have some relevance to the reader of the publication. Just announcing something—stating facts that are not newsworthy—won't get you anywhere. It has to be a story that's engaging and compelling to the readers of that particular trade journal, magazine, newspaper, the viewers and listeners to the radio station or TV show. The third part of every swipe file is a PR Examples section. This is the swipe file part of the book which covers three or four different examples of the story (the hook and the headline) applied to various businesses and niches. So hopefully, this starts your idea flow, which gets you thinking about how you can apply these to your particular business niche and service because you want to make sure that you can apply this to your own business. The final part of each template is the Instructions, and this is simply a small guide aimed at pointing you in the right direction. It will give you a bit more guidance into how to make this apply to your business, write that press release today and get the exposure your business deserves. Finally‌ I really hope you make a commitment to yourself to scheduling some structured focus time every single week to work on the media exposure for your business, project or charity.
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Just one a week, 30 minutes. Schedule it now. Make that commitment. As I said earlier, you've made a smart choice in investing in this swipe file to make everything easy for you窶馬ow make the wise choice and actually do something with it. And please keep in touch and let me know how you're going, the progress you make, and any exposure you get, no matter how small or large it is. I really do want to hear about your success. There are a number of ways to get in contact with me: Firstly, you could e-mail me via support@preneurgroup.com. Hit me up on Twitter @preneur. Join me on Facebook over www.facebook.com/preneurmarketing. Or either on my two websites www.PreneurMarketing.com and www.PeteWilliams.com.au. Thanks and I look forward to hearing all the successes in implementing these swipe files.
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MAKE MONEY Mission Name: Make Money
Mission Goal: To write a press release that tells customers how they can make money using a method or product you advertise or sell within your business.
PR Formula: (How to, #) Make Money {______}
Rationale: People are always looking for more ways they can make money. This puts you in a powerful position. If you provide your customers with a way to make money, they will look for ways to repay the favor, either through buying your products or giving you more publicity. Many beginning business owners make the mistake of promoting bad products in order to make some fast cash off of their customers. This might work for a short time, but once your customers catch on, they will stop coming to your business, and your money will run out. This is why it’s much better to provide your customers with ways to make money that actually work, so they’ll be grateful and come back to you.
PR Examples: How to Make Money Online - Internet Marketing How to Make Money Sewing - Crafts 5 Ways to Make Money Fast - Money Making Ideas 10 Ways to Make Money from Home - Home Business
Instructions: This type of PR won’t work in any niche. So if it isn’t compatible with your topic, don’t give your customers false information. If it fits in your niche, though, it can be a powerful tool to help you gain publicity. If you make money selling products, you can inform your audience how you made that product, and how they can make their own. If you make money by giving information to your audience, you can explain how you got your information and provide your audience with opportunities to access that same type of information.
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HOW TO BUILD Mission Name: How to Build
Mission Goal: To write a press release that tells your customers how to build a tangible product or a following for their business.
PR Formula: How to Build {_______}
Rationale: This formula is very powerful because you’re presenting your customers with invaluable information that will help them build something they’ve been looking to build. This can be anything from a large RSS subscriber list to a homemade birdbath. If you provide your customers with accurate information that allows them to create something they can’t make on their own, they will respect you and come back to your business the next time they wish to create something.
PR Examples: How to Build a Large Following Online - Blogging/Internet Marketing How to Build a Storage Shed - Construction How to Build your Self-Esteem - Self-Help How to Build a Beautiful Garden - Gardening/Lawn Care
Instructions: Like any other type of guide, the most important part is to make sure the information is accurate. Because of this, writing a guide is much easier if you have hands-on experience with what you’re writing about. If you don’t, though, you need to make sure and research each step thoroughly, so you give your customers accurate information. There are many guides on the internet, so make yours unique in order to help distinguish it from the other guides. You can simplify the steps to make it easier to follow, or you can provide more details.
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A RELAXING WAY TO Mission Name: A Relaxing Way To
Mission Goal: To write a press release that tells customers a relaxing way to accomplish a usually difficult task.
PR Formula: A Relaxing Way to {_____}
Rationale: Customers are always looking for ways to make their lives easier. If you can offer a way to do a difficult task in a relaxed manner, you will gain authority and publicity in your niche. This type of information can come in the form of a guide, a list, or any other style of writing. It’s important you write in a clear style, and make sure to provide accurate information for the customer.
PR Examples: A Relaxing Way to Celebrate a Child's Birthday - Home Life A Relaxing Way to Exercise - Fitness A Relaxing Way to Travel the World - Travel A Relaxing Way to Fix Your Computer - Technology
Instructions: First, find a usually stressful task in your niche. Now, find a way to make that into a relaxed task. This might sound difficult, and it usually is. It really helps to have personal experience with that task so you can explain how you found the task relaxing. If you’re writing about a relaxing way to exercise, you might choose to write on yoga. This will provide the customer with a more relaxed way to accomplish the task of exercising. The same idea applies to other niches as well.
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CREATE YOUR VERY OWN Mission Name: Create Your Very Own
Mission Goal: To write a PR informing customers how they can create their very own product or results.
PR Formula: Create Your Very Own {______}
Rationale: This phrase can be very powerful for a few reasons. You’re giving the customer information that allows them to create a product in your niche. If your instructions are accurate, your customers will be more likely to return to your business. You can also build a following this way. By providing accurate information on how to accomplish tasks or create products, you insure customers learn something from you.
PR Examples: Create Your Very Own Website - Online Marketing Create Your Very Own Dream Reality—In Reality! - New Age/Self-Help Create Your Very Own Super Company - Business Create Your Very Own iPhone App - Application Development
Instructions: Here are some ways to come up with your own guide to inform a customer how to create something. First, research areas in your niche where customers want to create something. For example, if you’re in the food niche, many customers might want to be able to make guacamole. Creating a guide that gives them the information necessary to make guacamole would be perfect for that niche. You can also list ways to create things that aren’t specific products. You can teach customers how to make goals, how to accomplish tasks mentally, etc., and still use this headline to great effect.
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THE HEALING POWER OF Mission Name: The Healing Power Of
Mission Goal: To write a press release informing customers of the healing powers of a product or information that you make available.
PR Formula: The Healing Power of {______}
Rationale: 'The Healing Power Of' is a very catchy headline. Usually, this style of PR will present information that explains the healing power of something that wasn’t thought to have any healing properties in the first place. The healing properties don’t need to be limited to purely physical. It can also be mental, emotional, or figurative 'healing.'
PR Examples: The Healing Power of Cayenne Pepper - Natural Remedies The Healing Power of Art - Art The Healing Power of Prayer - Religious/Spiritual The Healing Power of Music – Music
Instructions: Although the headline might seem complicated to fit with your business, it’s surprisingly easy. 'Healing' can be anything from healing a cut or bruise, to figuratively healing someone’s financial situation. Because of this, you should be able to find something in almost any niche to write a PR on. Simply find an area of your niche or a product that could be used for 'healing,' and list reasons that prove your product has healing properties.
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ULTIMATE Mission Name: Ultimate
Mission Goal: To write a press release informing customers of the ultimate method for accomplishing something, or offer them top-end information.
PR Formula: (The) Ultimate (Guide to) {______}
Rationale: 'Ultimate' is a word that describes something that can’t get any better. Ultimate is the best of the best. You can use this word to describe a new innovating product, or some information that you can’t get anywhere else. Ultimate is eye-catching, and will gain you publicity as long as your information or product can back it up.
PR Examples: The Ultimate Father’s Day Gift Idea - Holiday Gifts The Ultimate Guide to Having Successful Relationships - Love/Sex The Ultimate Guide to California - Travel The Ultimate Laptop Battery - Technology
Instructions: If you want to use the word 'ultimate' in your PR, you should either be promoting an outstanding product or writing a guide. If your business focuses on products, the product you write about should be the best you can get. If your business focuses more on information, you could write a guide that is the best guide relating to the topic.
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STAGGERING Mission Name: Staggering
Mission Goal: To write a press release about staggering news, information, or evidence that will change a customer’s perspective.
PR Formula: (#) Staggering {_______}
Rationale: The word 'staggering' is capable of grabbing attention by merely looking at it. This is because the word implies that you will feel weak and stagger from simply reading the information. Because of this, many people will be willing to read any information that’s listed as 'staggering,' with hopes that they will gain something out of reading it. Because this word is so powerful, you need to be sure to use it in the right context. Like many of these “selling phrases,” if you use them inappropriately, you won’t gain any publicity from using them--but you might lose some.
PR Examples: Staggering Evidence that Suggests Global Warming is False - Science 10 Staggering Discoveries that Changed the World - Information U.S. Government Spends a Staggering $1 Billion on War Efforts - News Staggering Evidence that Certain Diets Cause Brain Damage - Health
Instructions: The best way to write a PR using this word is to find some statistics in your niche that are shocking. Statistic reports are perfect for the word 'staggering,' because they display real evidence that’s different from the normal view. If your niche doesn’t have any staggering statistics, you can still use the word to describe new and innovative methods or problems people have in your niche.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR PETE WILLIAMS is the author of How to Turn Your Million-Dollar Idea Into a Reality and Media Strategies for Internet Marketers: How to Use Publicity + Offline Exposure to Drive More Traffic & Increase Conversions Online. Dubbed as "Australia’s Richard Branson" in media publications all over the continent, he was just 21 when he sold Australia’s version of the Yankee Stadium, The Melbourne Cricket Ground, for under $500. He is the founder of several companies including Infiniti Telecommunications, On Hold Advertising, Simply Headsets and Preneur Group. He has been named the Global Runner-Up in the JCI Creative Young Entrepreneur Awards for 2009, the Southern Region Finalist in the Ernst & Young 2010 Entrepreneur of the Year, and a member of Smart Companies: Top 30 Under 30. Pete is also an international speaker, a marketing consultant and a faculty member of one the world's largest internet marketing training academies, the Thirty Day Challenge. There are a number of ways you can connect with Pete: Firstly, you could e-mail him via support@preneurgroup.com. Hit him up on Twitter @preneur. Join him on Facebook over www.facebook.com/preneurmarketing. Or on either of Pete's two websites www.PreneurMarketing.com and www.PeteWilliams.com.au.