Editors and journalists get a ridiculous number of press releases in their inbox every day. It isn’t just this week’s news that a press release completes with it’s releases from prior weeks, being re-sent and re-packaged to find new coverage. It’s a tough, competitive world for each press release. Even if you have a newsworthy story, getting eyes on it isn’t always easy. For yours to win, you need a great press release headline that grabs attention, tells a complete story, and makes a reader want to know more.
What is seen first is of utmost importance. Here are some tips for crafting a headline for a press release that maximizes its chance to earn meaningful coverage.
Don’t Clickbait. Do What Newspapers Do.
Baiting people into clicking on terrible stories is a social media norm, popularized by scam websites, gossip rags, and less-than-reputable news sources. And, quite frankly, it isn’t a tactic that works well for educated readers such as those in healthcare IT. While an interesting or fun headline is fine, a journalist isn’t going to be enticed to read a press release unless they know exactly what the press release is about.
Like newspapers and reputable online sources, the headline needs to be a summary of the story, whatever it is. The who, what, when, and where need to exist in the headline. The why is something that can be left for the reader to discover, but the entire “in a nutshell” version of a press release needs to exist in the headline. The selling point of your press release should be its inherent newsworthiness.
Support Your News with Data
If you can, give specifics on your news. If a product showed a 10 percent improvement of patient satisfaction scores in a pilot study, that should be in the headline. If specific numbers exist and they’re impressive, show them off. Burying specifics in the text of a press release is meaningless when the goal of a press release is to earn media coverage anyway.
If you don’t have data, avoid assertive claims. Unless you back them, they shouldn’t be in the headline, since that is just asking for a journalist to press the issue. But when you can, having specific data and numbers is always welcome, since that’s ultimately the meat of any story.
Take an Active Voice
Let me correct what I said above: Product X Shows 10 Percent Rise of Satisfaction in Study. Even if this news is in the past or it’s old news, stick to active voice. Always take the philosophy when writing a headline that this is happening right now. That sends a message that this story is ongoing, worth attention, and hasn’t been covered yet all of which are necessary to earn media coverage.
Don’t Be Afraid to Have Fun
Have you checked the President’s Twitter feed? This is the era of informal communication. The days of a stoic, professional headline for press releases is over. Don’t be afraid to have fun and show a little personality, especially if that’s consistent with your company branding. Even though press releases seem like a formal event blasted through professional channels, they can still be fun. There are no rules here, and creativity is definitely welcome. In fact, a creative, fun headline may help your release standout, especially when a hard news angle isn’t particularly applicable.
Write the Header Last
When I write a press release, I use an ALL CAPs, nonsensical placeholder title, until it’s time to write the real thing. Once the full press release body is written, it’s then that I am able to summarize the story content and get a sense of its tone which is what a headline is supposed to do. It may seem counter-intuitive to work the header last, but it’s an almost necessary part of the press release writing process. A press release headline comes after the story, because if it’s written right, it contains a one-sentence summary of what’s to come.
While it is often a satisfying and rewarding career, sometimes public relations can be like river dancing through a mine field. Unlike marketing, where you have the ability to manage every aspect of the process, in PR there are a lot of variables over which you have no control. Those variables can lead to some significant (and embarrassing) interview mistakes.
Now, it’s true that even the best-laid plans can go awry. I’m not talking about things such as a stock market crash, the discovery of the Lost Ark, or some other “stop the presses” news event occurring on the same day as your big product announcement that causes all your interviews to be canceled. Those you have to chalk up to you-know-what happens and live to fight another day.
What I’m talking about is the unforced errors that can come as a result of poor preparation or not paying attention to the details. Here are a few you’ll want to be sure to avoid.
Not thoroughly testing the product before a demo
This happened at previous agency I worked at, although thankfully not to me. The agency had a client who had developed educational software for use in schools, and had scheduled a press conference in Washington, DC to debut it and hopefully gain government support for it.
My colleagues at the agency worked diligently to get major news outlets to attend, including cable news networks who brought camera crews to document this wonderful new development. The CEO started putting the product through its paces, which went fine for a while. Then it happened.
He talked about how the software would prevent students from going on to inappropriate websites, and he proudly entered the URL of a well-known porn site that shared a name with the president’s residence. Sure enough, up popped images that were decidedly not safe for school, work, or press conferences.
At that point the camera crews started packing up, the print journalists left, and the client was left staring at an empty room long before the scheduled demo was over. Needless to say, the big press event didn’t generate any publicity which was probably a good thing given the stories that could have come out.
Had the client run the demo that day before the press conference, they could have identified the problem and fixed it before the press arrived. But they didn’t. The moral of the story is never leave anything to chance.
Not preparing properly for an interview
A good PR professional will usually put together background information for the subject matter expert (SME) before an interview. The information will include the topic the journalist is interested in covering and how it relates to what the company does. In some cases, the journalist will even send sample questions prior to the interview so the SME know ahead of time what areas of the topic the journalist plans to focus on.
That’s all great information. But just like patients need to take their prescriptions and follow the doctor’s plan of care if they want to get healthier, the SMEs need to study the background material and come in prepared if they want to improve their chances of making it into the story.
Interviews that veer off-topic like a sports car speeding down an icy road are unlikely to produce much that’s usable to a journalist. SMEs who stumble through their answers sound like they don’t know what they’re talking about even when they do and thus are more likely to be dismissed by a journalist who has multiple sources.
Remember that unlike your company’s PR agency or internal writers who have to make something out of what the SME says, no matter how off-the-wall it is, journalists are under no obligation to use them as sources. Proper preparation will yield better results.
Turning an interview into a sales presentation
This is related to the previous point, but is kind of the other end of the spectrum. In this case the SME knows what he/she wants to say, but it doesn’t really have anything to do with the interview topic. Instead, the SME wants to tout product features regardless of the questions.
Going that route is one of the fastest ways to get an interview to end early and to find your organization left out of the story. Remember that the journalist isn’t talking to the SME to purchase the company’s product. He/she is trying to help readers learn more about a topic.
Not saying something quotable
Remember Ben Stein as Ferris Buehler’s economics teacher? If not, here’s a quick video reminder:
Everything the teacher says is true. But it’s not memorable, interesting, or engaging. Thus the blank looks on his student’s faces.
Part of good preparation for an interview is thinking of what you’d ideally like the SME to be quoted as saying about the topic. Then write it out, have it handy, and have the SME look for a way to work it into the conversation. Putting together a few good options is even better.
Some people are better at coming up with sound bites on the spot than others. If you have an SME who is one of those, you may not need to take this extra step. But if you don’t, give him/her a helping hand and you’re more likely to see your company included.
Droning on, and on, and on, and
I’ve definitely been in interviews where it sounded like someone pushed the “play” button on the SME and then went out to get a sandwich. It can be painful. It also makes you wonder how long the SME can hold their breath under water.
An interview is supposed to be a two-way conversation between the journalist and the SME. Tough to have a conversation, however, when one side talks non-stop for a half hour.
Be sure SMEs know they should keep answers relatively short, and take frequent pauses in case the journalist wants to go more deeply into something he/she said. Asking “does that make sense?” or a similar type of question also gives the journalist a chance to speak, and possibly redirect the conversation if he/she isn’t getting what’s needed.
Dropping your guard too soon
This one also happened to someone else’s client during an in-person interview at another agency. The conversation had gone well, and the SME and journalist were packing things up to leave.
Then the journalist asked an offhand question about some confidential information about the company, and the SME (who was CEO, as I recall) was only too happy to share it, figuring that the interview was already over. Wrong. Guess what became the headline of the story?
As Yogi Berra used to say, “It ain’t over “˜til it’s over.” SMEs should never say anything to a journalist that they don’t want to see used in the story, even if it feels like they’re through with the formal interview.
Unless someone specifies a comment is “off the record” (and even then sometimes with those rare unscrupulous journalists) it’s all fair game. Remember that and a lot of embarrassment and hand-wringing will be saved.
Go for the win
Things are going to happen during interviews from time to time that prevent your organization from making it into the story. But your SMEs don’t have to help that process along.
Avoid the unforced errors and you’ll find you get a lot more value from your PR investment.
What sorts of interview errors have you seen? Share your stories in the comments below.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., October 30, 2018 Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and health IT public relations and marketing agency, is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the PR and marketing agency of record for CAREMINDr, a Silicon Valley-based mobile-enabled remote patient monitoring (mRPM) solution.
Amendola is leveraging a broad range of PR, marketing and content services to promote CAREMINDr’s innovative automated, turnkey mRPM solution to Medicare Advantage plans and other health plans and managed care organizations, physicians practices, employer groups and health systems. The CAREMINDr-Amendola collaboration is already shining a light on CAREMINDr’s thought leadership and innovation in the space, including published and accepted articles in leading media outlets such as Medical Economics, Healthcare IT News, Managed Healthcare Executive and AMGA’s Group Practice Journal.
Founded in 2017, CAREMINDr allows providers to efficiently monitor and “check in” with patients between appointments through automated, scheduled, condition-specific and clinically relevant patient-reported data capture. Consistent mobile communication, actionable insights and timely interventions enable providers to boost patient engagement to improve chronic care management, care transitions and outcomes. CAREMINDr offers health plans, health systems, physician groups and other organizations focused on population health management the tools needed to empower providers in achieving the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim of lower costs, healthier populations and more satisfied patients.
“We knew we needed an experienced PR and marketing partner to tell CAREMINDr’s story about how we’re helping providers and payers improve patient engagement and outcomes while lowering healthcare costs,” said Harry Soza, CEO of CAREMINDr. “When I thought about the best agency I had worked with, Jodi Amendola and her team came to mind immediately. We chose Amendola because they have the healthcare industry expertise, media relationships and marketing strategies that will enable more health plans, health systems and medical practices to learn more about CAREMINDr and how we can optimize outcomes for their patients or members.”
Amendola is promoting CAREMINDr through numerous PR, marketing and content marketing programs, supported by Amendola’s top-tier media research and relations. The agency is working with CAREMINDr to increase brand awareness and thought leadership by communicating its core value proposition to target audiences, drawing on Amendola’s deep industry knowledge and significant media relationships in health IT. Amendola is also delivering a wide range of content demonstrating the thought leadership and expertise of CAREMINDr’s leaders, all of whom are leaders and innovators in various fields of healthcare, health insurance and population health management.
“CAREMINDr’s CEO Harry Soza is a serial healthcare tech entrepreneur who brings innovation and creativity to every project he touches; I’m so thrilled to be working with him again,” said Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola Communications. “The vast majority of Americans are active users of smartphones and other mobile devices, so CAREMINDr’s convenient, efficient and clinically relevant mRPM solution is a smart and timely way for providers and health plans to engage patients to take ownership of their own health for better outcomes and lower costs.”
About CAREMINDr
CAREMINDr, a Silicon Valley company, is led by a team of experienced healthcare executives, technology experts and leading physicians that deliver proven technology solutions to healthcare organizations nationwide. CAREMINDr leverages the power of mobile-enabled remote patient monitoring (mRPM) to bridge the gap between physician appointments for stronger patient engagement and more efficient population health management. The automated, turnkey solution enables physicians to effortlessly “check in” on patients between visits. Patients conveniently and efficiently provide biometric, objective and subjective data. This approach monitors health status and social determinants, on a condition-dependent, clinically relevant schedule. The mRPM approach enables physicians to reduce ED visits and unnecessary hospital admissions and readmissions, while improving patient engagement, outcomes and satisfaction. Find out more at www.caremindr.com
Award-winning Amendola Communications CEO will take a lead role in driving not-for-profit foundation’s marketing, public relations, and social media efforts
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., October 23, 2018 Amendola Communications further cemented its reputation as one of the leading public relations, marketing communications, social media and content marketing agencies specializing in healthcare and healthcare IT (HIT) with a focus on giving back with today’s announcement that its CEO Jodi Amendola has been unanimously appointed to the Board of the Help In Healing Home Foundation.
In addition to her personal involvement with the Foundation, which offers low-cost lodging and care to patients (and their caregivers) recovering from major surgeries and transplants as well as those undergoing long-term cancer treatment, Jodi will leverage her team of PR and marketing experts to help execute programs for the Foundation.
Jodi and her agency have won numerous awards, including PR News naming her to its ranking of Top Women in PR for 2017; Amendola Communications designation by PR Source Code as a “Best-of-the-Best” PR agency nationwide for several years; and the agency being named as a top Healthcare Agency in Ragan and PR Daily’s Ace Awards.
Jodi has delivered high-impact public relations and marketing campaigns for the healthcare and HIT industries for 30 years. She is an active member of the National Charity League and has served on numerous boards, including AZ HIMSS, the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation and the X2 Health network, a non-profit executive women’s health network, DARE NJ, and the Community Resource Council.
“I can honestly say that I have never seen a potential appointee generate so much enthusiastic support,” said Ron L. Jones, president and CEO of the Help In Healing Home Foundation. “Jodi brings an expertise that we have largely lacked up until now, so we look forward to learning from her and taking advantage of her experience and advice. She is also a thoughtful, caring person who brings a tremendous amount of energy into the room. We look forward to working closely with Jodi and her team.”
The Help In Healing Home Foundation is located in long-term leased facilities at the Village at Mayo Clinic, adjacent to the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix. The complex accommodates up to 84 patients and caregivers in 4,900-square-foot Southwestern-style “casitas” that include amenities such as six private bedrooms and bathrooms, a living room, conversation pit, dining room, full kitchen, library, and laundry room. Despite the quality of its offerings, the Foundation only charges $45 per night far less than even a budget-priced hotel would charge while offering access to world-class facilities, clinicians and staff. Most of its residents come from the Southwestern United States, although the Foundation accepts patients from all across the world.
“The Help In Healing Home Foundation does tremendous work in treating not just the bodies, but the spirits, of patients who face long, difficult recoveries from life-altering procedures,” Jodi said. “Most are extra vulnerable to illnesses, so they need to stay in a protected environment. The Foundation helps take isolation and loneliness out of that situation by creating a community that lets patients share experiences and interact with others in similar circumstances while still protecting their health.”
Jodi became aware of the Foundation last year when she and her daughter volunteered there for a National Charity League event. “We had an amazing experience and I am proud to serve as a Board member for such a great organization,” Jodi said. “I look forward to helping them further their mission.”
As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, the Foundation depends on the generous support of private donors to continue its mission. Jodi and her team will develop a marketing plan to help make potential donors aware of the great work the Help In Healing Home Foundation is doing and to drive the communications to help the organization meet and exceed its fundraising goals.
As CEO of one of the largest PR agencies based in the Phoenix area, Jodi was asked to join the Board both as a result of her passion for developing award-winning marketing and publication relations programs for healthcare and HIT, and for her demonstrated commitment to giving back.
She recently served as a judge for the Healthcare Marketing IMPACT Awards sponsored by Advertising Age and Modern Healthcare. Locally in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area, she participated in a PERCH panel on go-to-market strategy and sales for hospitals and health systems targeted at health tech start-ups. She also was the featured speaker at a National Charity League spring kick-off meeting, where she shared her entrepreneurial experiences with middle school and high school girls.
About the Help In Healing Home Foundation
The Help In Healing Home Foundation at the Village at Mayo Clinic enables patients recovering from life-altering procedures such as organ, bone marrow, and stem cell transplants as well as cancer patients to enhance their healing process in a secure, warm, and compassionate environment. Its series of 4,900-square-foot Southwestern-style “casitas” can house up to 84 patients and their caregivers while offering a home-like environment that includes individual bedrooms and bathrooms, a living room, kitchen, dining room, library, and conversation pit. As an independent, 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, the Help In Healing Home relies on private donors to continue its mission. For more information or to make a donation, visit: www.helpinghealinghome.org.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., October 9, 2018 Amendola Communications, a nationally recognized, award-winning healthcare and health IT public relations and marketing agency, is pleased to announce that PeriGen, an innovator of perinatal early warning systems, has engaged Amendola to develop and implement a fully integrated marketing and PR program. Based on a prior engagement, PeriGen is now looking to the firm to focus on thought leadership, content marketing, and lead generation and nurturing.
The United States currently has the worst maternal morbidity in the developed world (26.4 deaths per 100,000 live births), and studies have demonstrated that more than 50 percent of bad outcomes in childbirth are preventable. To address these preventable complications in both mothers and babies, PeriGen has developed artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions that automate the identification of early warning signs during labor, supporting clinicians with standardized analysis and timely alerting of troubling trends so that they can follow protocols in a more consistent and timely way.
Amendola will leverage a broad range of marketing, public relations and content strategies to promote PeriGen’s market-leading maternal and fetal surveillance systems. The content marketing will include bylined articles and website content and will highlight the thought leadership and subject matter expertise of PeriGen’s leadership and its clinical end users. This includes a recently published USA Today Letter to the Editor addressing maternal mortality.
“We are extremely glad to be working with Amendola Communications in a more expanded capacity,” said Matthew Sappern, CEO of PeriGen. “We feel that their public relations and marketing capabilities, specific to the health IT industry, are unparalleled. With their strategic guidance and personnel, we will greatly increase the awareness of PeriGen and what our solutions can do to lower negative outcomes during childbirth.”
PeriGen has developed PeriWatch Vigilance, a new fetal and maternal early warning system (EWS) that automatically identifies patients whose conditions are worsening, facilitating more timely interventions. Able to work alongside existing perinatal systems, PeriWatch Vigilance is an early warning system that alerts care teams to clinical trends that may require intervention.
“PeriGen is a visionary company that gives clinicians the tools they need to improve and even save babies and moms lives,” said Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola Communications. “We will be leveraging our deep health IT and healthcare experience to spread the word about the important work that PeriGen is doing to combat complications during labor and delivery. Together, we will execute strategic marketing programs and develop content that will increase awareness among healthcare and insurance organizations of the strong clinical and financial outcomes that PeriGen’s solutions deliver.”
About PeriGen
PeriGen offers innovative perinatal software solutions that incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance clinical efficiency and standardization of care during childbirth. Led by skilled OB practitioners and IT visionaries, PeriGen has created the PeriWatch platform to provide consistent analysis and efficient display of complex data in real-time to promote better human recognition and communication about impending problems during labor. With PeriWatch clinicians can spend more time on direct patient care and less time on manual calculations and data manipulation. To learn more, visit www.perigen.com; follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook; or call 984.208.4250 or email.
Media Contact:
Marcia Rhodes
Amendola Communications
