COVID-19 left no industry unscathed in 2020 (well, except maybe Wall Street). One of the hardest-hit industries was healthcare, which is Amendola’s specialty. Throughout the year, we posted blogs with helpful advice about adjusting to the massive changes occurring in the economy and how to steer your organization when so much was uncertain.
Well, judging from the most-read blog posts from the year, it seemed our readers were more interested in writing tips than survival tips. This unexpected outcome, we hope, is a positive indicator that most of you coped well with working from home, virtual meetings and travel restrictions in 2020, and were simply trying to sharpen your written communication skills with the additional time on your hands.
So, without further ado, the following are the top 5 most read Amendola blog posts of 2020 in descending order.
Our only post written in 2020 to crack the top 5 describes how various brands have responded to the pandemic and how there is likely no returning to a 2019 version of normal. As the post points out, while the world may have changed, the vision and mission of your organization should remain the same. Maintaining the status quo, however, is not an option and neither is giving up. Communicating strategically, i.e., not ignoring the seismic disruption caused by COVID-19, is essential and can help your company weather (and even grow) during this catastrophic time.
As a professional writer for more than 20 years, I can attest to how difficult it is to write with simplicity, especially about complex topics like healthcare and IT. As this post from 2017 reminds us: simplicity is often better. Keeping sentences short, avoiding jargon and using an active voice are important tips to remember for everything we write and across all forms of writing. It is no wonder that this post was among our most-read posts again.
Feedback, when appropriately delivered, makes us better at whatever we do, as this post written in 2018 reminds us. Feedback takes on an added dimension in PR because we need it from clients and colleagues, but also editors and other members of the media where we have deep professional relationships. Seeking feedback can certainly provoke anxiety in all of us, but, as the post assures us, it can motivate, improve performance and keep us focused on the right targets.
As a journalism major in college, the Associated Press Stylebook becomes your bible. Since Amendola has so many former journalists on our team (including yours truly) many of the manual’s terminology, abbreviation, punctuation and other rules are hardwired into our brains and fingers. (I still often write the word “percent” even though the AP ruled in 2019 that the “%” symbol is now preferred.) Publications and organizations often have their own style rules for content that differ from the AP, which is what this blog post from 2019 is about. At Amendola, for example, we write healthcare as one word, although the AP uses two. Curious readers (and writers) clearly wanted to learn more about the secrets of this vaunted manual, which is why it was in the top 5 most read for the second year in a row.
Sheltered-in-place during the pandemic, many of us turned to self-improvement activities – exercise, healthy cooking, reading more books, learning a new professional skill — and were seeking online content and classes to help guide those activities. That is my highly non-scientific explanation for why four out of the five most-read blog posts from 2020 were about personal development, mostly improving your writing chops. Yet this blog post from 2018 was also the most read post of that year, as well as 2019, which makes me wonder if readers are on a self-improvement kick or they just don’t want to shell out $27 for an online subscription to the stylebook. Either way, this post is filled with helpful nuggets for writing a press release, blog post or any type of content.
Whether it is writing tips, strategic branding guidance, media relations best practices or any of the other many PR and marketing topics we cover, we hope that you’ll continue to visit our blog throughout 2021. Who knows… maybe we’ll even write about AP style again.
Case studies (aka customer stories) are one of the most powerful tools in an organization’s marketing arsenal. And for good reason.
If you are an unknown or little-known company, a great case study that names the customer can provide you with instant credibility. Many (most?) organizations are fairly risk-averse, which means they’re reluctant to take a chance on a new solution no matter how much promise it holds. A case study often gives them the confidence to overcome those fears.
If you are an industry leader, case studies are a great way to demonstrate that your reputation is not just a product of marketing hype. You are a substantial company that continues to work hard to deliver value to your customers.
Of course, all of this assumes one key factor: you have actual results to show.
What do I mean by that? Of course you have results! You created all these materials, delivered all these widgets, documented all these exchanges, etc.
Nope, sorry. Those aren’t results. Those are activities.
So while all of those things are good and necessary, they’re just the table stakes. What your readers will really be interested in is what impact all those activities had on your customers, or their customers.
Here’s a quick healthcare example. If you produced a program to help a hospital’s patients with diabetes gain control over their HbA1c levels that’s great. The fact that you produced four YouTube videos, six pamphlets and three infographics gives the reader a sense of the scope of the program.
But those aren’t results. Results would be something like 60% of those who enrolled in the program got their HbA1c levels under 7.0 and 85% lowered their rates by at least two points in the first six months.
What’s the difference? In the first example you did something that was necessary to success but it didn’t cause anything to change.
Had all those same materials been produced but not distributed there would have been no way of knowing whether they would be effective or not because they weren’t yet in the hands of the people who needed them. You might as well have blown up balloons with pictures of clowns on them.
In the second example, the materials you produced were distributed and produced outcomes among those to whom they were targeted. THAT is what your prospects want to know.
They’re not interested in your ability to produce slick materials in a variety of formats. They’re interested in whether the program achieved the intended goals.
This distinction between activities and results becomes particularly important when the case study is repurposed for a speaker application – especially a complex application for an event such as HIMSS.
While all the background and steps that were taken are important, having real results to speak to is critical. I’ve never been in the room where it happens, but I imagine that when HIMSS applications are received the reviewers immediately go to the results section. If all you have to show is activities, the application immediately gets sent to the discard folder.
I understand that securing customers to participate in case studies can be difficult, and often beggars can’t be choosers. If your only option is a customer that either isn’t tracking results (unthinkable in today’s digital world but apparently it happens) or doesn’t have quantifiable results to speak of yet, so be it.
But if that’s the case you need to recognize that the effectiveness of your case study (or speaker application) will be diminished. Prospects will leave a bit disappointed, the media will be reluctant to write their own stories about it, and event organizers will be likely to pass on your speaker application. Expectations for success should be set accordingly.
Case studies are wonderful tools, but their effectiveness is closely tied to the results you have to tout. Understanding the difference between activities and outcomes will help ensure you do all you can to deliver the best – and most effective – case studies to help your PR and marketing efforts.
While our digital age has ushered in not a few changes with respect to the written word and how we communicate, there is a 100+-year-old book that still has something to offer our sophisticated new world.
The Elements of Style, written by William Strunk Jr. and later updated by E.B White, is a valuable reference tool – still on many writers’ desks, or digitally as an app on smart phones.
Strunk was a 20th Century Cornell University professor; E.B. White, a contributor to The New Yorker magazine and author of the children’s book, Charlotte’s Web.
The guide is just 85 pages in length. But therein lies its beauty, simplicity and clarity.
“Vigorous writing is concise,” Strunk writes. “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.”
Other reminders for PR pros in the business of storytelling:
Use the active voice
Write with nouns and verbs
Do not overwrite
Do not overstate
Make sure the reader knows who is speaking
Be clear
Do not take shortcuts at the cost of clarity
Besides elementary rules of usage and principles of English composition, White included a section entitled, “An Approach to Style.”
“In the days when I was sitting in [Strunk’s] class, he omitted so many needless words, and omitted them so forcibly and with such eagerness and obvious relish, that he often seemed in the position of having shortchanged himself – a man left with nothing more to say yet with time to fill, a radio prophet who had outdistanced the clock,” White writes.
This is a keen reminder that while an unlimited resource, words should be used with care and as if there are only so many to go around.
COVID-19 brought a year filled with uncertainty, change and lots of hardship. The impact of the pandemic has taken its toll on many of us.
With the election behind us, Thanksgiving around the corner, and 2021 ahead, let’s be grateful for the many gifts we have, the successful marketing programs achieved and both our personal and professional COVID bright spots.
In today’s fast-paced Zoom culture, we hop from one meeting to the next. We are so busy juggling and looking ahead, that giving thanks and showing gratitude is an obvious yet often overlooked gesture.
We frequently shoot a quick thank you text or email (if that) and check it off our “to-do” list. Remember the days when we actually went to the Hallmark store, bought a card and wrote a personal note?
Some of my favorite career highlights have been receiving hand-written notes from employees and clients, who took the time to express their gratitude and mail a personal, heartfelt thank you.
Thanksgiving Day simply isn’t enough to contemplate all there is to be grateful for — especially when adding our professional blessings to the mix, like the partners, colleagues and employees who contribute to our success.
In 2021 as the pandemic will still be a part of our life and change will continue to be the only constant, let’s promise to give thanks on more than just one day. Here are some thoughts to help you incorporate ongoing gratitude:
Create and implement an ongoing appreciation program, which can have a tremendous impact on performance, sales and overall happiness.
Put aside time and budget for personal notes/direct mail, emails and blog posts giving thanks and gratitude to your internal and external clients.
Consider implementing an awards program, recognizing key accomplishments
Donate money in your clients’ or team’s honor
Whatever approach you take, remember that a personal thank you goes a long way and will be remembered with appreciation.
Special thanks to each, and every member of Amendola team, who day in and day out make all the magic happen. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed. I appreciate all of you.
Happy Thanksgiving, and a special thank you for all who have helped me and supported both me and Amendola Communications along the way! I am so grateful for my team, clients, prospects, media, analysts, and of course, my family.
Kamala Harris, Madam Vice President-Elect, made history as the first woman to be elected to the White House. There have been 48 Vice Presidents previously, all white men.
This opens the door for women female leaders of all races and religions. I am grateful that my mom, who turns 96 years old in a couple of weeks, was alive to witness this historical moment.
Me and Mom. Don’t you just love that smile?
Not knowing how many Thanksgivings or birthdays are left for Mom to enjoy and remember, I dedicate this blog post to my mom, Thelma Kurzweil, who has been a driving force in my life. We have always had a special and unique bond because she was 45 when she had me, a bit late in life overall, and really late for back in those days when most women had their babies between the ages of 18 and 25.
Mom is a true pioneer among her generation. She ran her own commercial and residential real estate company from the 1950s through the 1990s at a time when many women were Suzy Homemakers.
She also invested in commercial real estate as another revenue stream. She was so proud that the first Subway franchise in New Jersey opened in the building she owned in Teaneck, New Jersey and was thrilled that the income from that building funded my college education.
My mom showed me that women can have it all – career and family. The secret was the dynamic balance between the two.
Through her example, I learned a steadfast determination to never give up. My mother always told me that “I could do anything that I set my mind to” and that “If it is to be, it is up to me.”
She encouraged me to go after what I wanted and work hard. It was that mindset and through her example that led me to form Amendola Communications 18 years ago. From my mom (and Dad) I gained an entrepreneurial spirit that I am so grateful for.
I have been told that my agency’s success is due to my core values: hard work, authenticity, and a passion for changing the world around me, one client at a time. Like my mom, I am a tireless networker and while many agencies have struggled, especially during the pandemic, Amendola continues to see a constant stream of new clients coming on-board.
One of the most valuable lessons my mom taught me was to lead with care and compassion. I am not the typical hard-charging, “take no prisoners” type of executive who is focused solely on the success of the business.
Like my mom, I am genuine, and I care about my team and my clients. I am interested in their lives and their well-being, and I approach both more as a friend than a business associate. That’s how my mom approached her relationships, and it is something I inherited.
She encouraged me to surround myself with good people, who radiate positive energy and have positive outlooks as life is too short for negativity. My mom has never been easily impressed with money or power. What sets her apart is her kindness and generosity.
She has always been “a giver” – actually to a fault. Though a fierce card player and now bingo player, she never kept score with friends or business associates. She encouraged me to give from the heart, not because someone gave me something.
Mom has always stressed the importance of finding time to enjoy life –- to take time to smell the roses, “slow down” and appreciate what you have, rather than regret what you don’t. I try my best, but I am not as good as she is.
Not being able to see Mom during the first phase of the pandemic because her assisted living facility was on lock down was extremely difficult. Fortunately, I was able to visit her with “window visits.”
The social isolation had a negative impact on Mom for sure, but she is a survivor, and her positive attitude has helped her find a reason to continue to fight each day. After all, she lived through World War II, a depression, and many other hard knocks of life.
Mom encouraged me to never remain stagnant, to always challenge myself and to look for new opportunities. She explained that life is what you make of it and drilled into me that we all control our own destiny. “You never know what you can achieve until you try, as there are no real limits.”
Growing up my mom told me that anything is possible if you work hard and set your mind to it and that is the motto I have passed on to my daughter.
Mom has not only had an impact on my life, but also, on my daughter’s, who is a sophomore at Berkeley. Growing up, Jackie spent a lot of time with her grandma and they share a special connection. My mom continues to be an inspiration to me and to the next generation of entrepreneurs — my daughter.
Today I marvel at Mom’s zest for life. Not even a global pandemic can break her spirit.
She plays BINGO every day and brags about her daily winnings. She tells her caregivers and peers about her family and the numerous life lessons. And believe you me, she has vivid stories and anecdotes and many words of wisdom.
Mom is a very gifted storyteller, although she may embellish a bit. Dr. Mike calls Mom “his favorite patient” and looks forward to her weekly life lessons.
Nurse Theresa says, “What impresses me the most about Thelma is that she always is kind. Her mood never changes, regardless if I wake her out of a deep sleep or if she is in pain.”
Yes, she is a little repetitive, but she makes everyone she comes in contact with smile. In addition to her words of wisdom, she injects humor in all that she does.
To survive in good times and in hard times, I also draw upon making people smile/laugh every day as I hear Mom’s powerful words, “You have to laugh at least 3 times a day.”
As we embark on a new era with Kamala Harris, Vice President-Elect, I look forward to seeing future generations of women realize the endless possibilities. In other words a day when a woman being elected Vice President, or even President, is normal rather than noteworthy. Mom, thank you for being my guiding light and my inspiration.
Most journalists (36%) still receive their news from the good old press release. As a PR professional, you are responsible for getting the news your client wants to disseminate in front of as many relevant people as possible.
But in 2020 when the usual news topics have been turned on their head, how do you do that?
PR Newswire – a Cision company – released its State of Press Release report which noted that 48% of all releases issued between March and May 2020 mentioned COVID-19.
The report also provided these statistics when comparing 2019 and 2020 news topics:
Future events news dropped 56%
Trade show news releases dropped by 77%
Public safety news increased by 192%
Corporate social responsibility releases increased by 118%
News about infectious disease control saw a huge jump of 3,140%
If your client’s release is either in a category that isn’t being discussed, or included in a topic that’s likely to get lost in the shuffle, how do you ensure yours stands out?
Here are seven tips to give you an edge.
1. Start at the top with a short, newsy headline. A short and catchy headline is where you capture audience attention. After all, when you scroll through a newspaper, social media platform, or newsletter, what is it that makes you decide which articles to read?
The average headline length for a press release is 88 characters. Keep headlines short and sweet, and if it’s absolutely necessary for a longer headline, ensure the important keywords are in the first 70 characters because this is where Google search engine results and email subject lines cut off.
2. Use strong call-to-action words. According to the PR Newswire / Cision State of the Press Release report, these are the top 10 CTA headline words:
Confirms
Reveals
Proves
Launches
Empowers
Enables
Allows
Announces
Rolls Out
Shows
3. Select the right newswire company. At our agency, we have been working with PR Newswire for many years. We have experience with all the wires, but we feel this company has an edge.
Not only do they have superior customer service, their wires syndicate to more outlets than any other. Additionally, they have a service in which editors pay to subscribe to their wires.
It gives those looking for news the chance to eliminate a mass download to their inbox, and it provides search terms. Therefore, when we set up releases to be sent on the wire, we use an option provided by PR Newswire, in which we “code” for keywords and trades. This allows the right people to find the news they are actively looking for to write into their story lines.
4. Pick the right time to send your news. According to Cision, the highest volume of news is sent at 8 AM ET, Mondays through Thursdays with Tuesday being the highest day of release traffic. 52% of copy is sent at the top or bottom of the hour.
So, to stand out from the flood of releases being pushed, yours should be sent either before or after 8 AM ET. If you’re looking to maximize your visibility, the best days are Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday in the middle of the day. Use odd times like 9:05 am, or 1:10 pm.
5. Make content informative and engaging. The average press release according to Cision’s data, is 686 words and readers spent 3 minutes and 39 seconds. But it won’t get read at all if it doesn’t interest the media. This blog post by my colleague Michelle Noteboom provides tips for tweaking your message to ensure the audience hears you – during COVID-19 and beyond.
6. Don’t rely on the wire alone – pitch away! Hopefully, you’re working with an experienced PR agency who has a great media relations team. I pulled this entire paragraph from Cision’s report because I found it compelling:
“For the first time in Cision’s State of the Media Report history, we asked reporters to share what days they receive pitches most and what days they actually prefer getting them. As many of us expected, Mondays proved to be the preferred day for reporters, and it was also when they got pitches most. However, many journalists reported they were still open to receiving pitches until Friday (a handful even on Saturday and Sunday). As the week progresses though, the number of pitches they receive declines. While their interest in receiving pitches did slightly decrease, the numbers weren’t so significant that it should prevent publicists from reaching out.”
7. Look outside the box for other ways to promote your news. Ensure the client is posting the release on their website. Use your social media team to create multiple, engaging posts for all the client’s social platforms. And if your client is a member or sponsor of any publication or trade organization, find out if benefits include posting corporate news.
New hire announcements, contract wins, and product launches all make for news-worthy events. In the world of health and health IT, we look to publications such as HIStalk, Answers Media and DOTmed, and trade organizations including AHIP, CHIME and the ATA for posting our clients’ press releases.
2020 hasn’t been an easy year. But with a little extra work and attention to detail, you can ensure your press release is picked up and read by as many people as possible.
