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.
In public relations, there’s a lot of talk about a company’s brand and its messaging – the ideas and public image of the institution and its representatives. The value cannot be overstated.
Messaging and branding give a company its identity, making it appear “human” in the eyes of people. It gives anyone interacting with a company or organization an identity they can latch onto and work with.
A loyalty to your messaging and branding as a company is important. However, things are changing. If you’re an individual, even a CEO, the rules are not quite the same.
I want to direct you to the Twitter feed of Elon Musk, CEO and Founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and other companies that revolutionizing their respective industries: http://www.twitter.com/elonmusk
Did you notice anything? Elon is in touch with the companies he runs and the branding of those companies, but he is operating outside that sphere as an autonomous person.
Be it a Karl Marx meme that he drunkenly puts out to make people laugh, or his ill-advised tweets about Covid, he is just being himself. He talks about his products and his brands when they are doing something interesting, but he also posts stupid photos, trolls his followers with snarky comments, and sometimes says inflammatory things intentionally to get a rise out of people.
Basically, he is your crazy uncle on Facebook. And that’s fine, because his engagement level is through the roof.
He has 39 million followers and each of his posts earn thousands of replies, retweets, and likes. Elon is in touch with the times and realizes that corporate branding is great – but not for people. He comes off as a genuine individual, and that’s what makes him so popular.
I look at the Twitter feeds of other CEOs and business magnates and they tell a different story. I see nothing but links to blogs with bland statements, on-brand messaging, company news, and the occasional nod to a competitor.
It’s boring. It feels pre-planned and doesn’t contain anything worth seeking out and engaging. Sure, these business people (who I won’t point out specifically) do have followers and people who engage them, but it’s almost assuredly no one outside of their immediate sphere.
Their engagements are low, and their image is that of their company. No one sees them as a separate entity, a real person.
Yet, despite how popular social icons like Elon Musk — and others, such as “crazy” billionaire Richard Branson – are, most others still choose to play it safe, opting not to express their personality.
Granted, there is some risk of saying the wrong thing, making someone mad, etc. But, in the case of Elon (and probably Branson as well), short of saying something overtly racist or homophobic, or short of a criminal scandal of some kind, their brands will march on because the public views them as genuine characters. Their flaws are part of their charm of being a regular person, which is something people value.
If you want to draw attention to yourself (and thus your company), you can’t be afraid to just be yourself. Don’t overthink it. Just go for it.
Remember, the President of the United States of America is a reality TV star and WWE Hall of Famer who wrestled another Fortune 500 CEO in a Hair vs Hair Match at the Battle of the Billionaires. That’s a fact. Google it.
It’s fair to say the formalities of banal corporate speak and a bland, “proper” image don’t resonate with the public like they used to. Don’t be afraid to separate yourself from your corporate brand – the followers, engagements, and media interviews will follow if you reveal yourself to be a genuine person with interesting things to say.
Many healthcare, life sciences and healthcare IT marketers may not realize it, but virtual events (such as online-only conferences) are not new. They’ve actually been around for roughly a decade – starting right about the time broadband connections became ubiquitous.
But you never heard about them? That’s not surprising, because they were pretty much treated as “less than” events. They were the sort of thing organizers would do when they didn’t have the resources to pull off a live event such as HIMSS, and organizations would participate in when they didn’t have the budget or personnel to attend live events.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and suddenly virtual conferences and other digital-only events started looking a whole lot more attractive, even to the big players.
That’s the world we live in for now. With many states restricting attendance at indoor events to a maximum of 50 people, it’s unlikely that we will be gathering together face-to-face anytime soon.
As someone who has walked countless concrete floors in countless poorly ventilated halls in countless cities across this great nation, I can tell you that’s not all bad news. My feet have never felt better as an adult, and my shoes have lasted far longer than they usually do.
Of course, even if the ability to hold in-person conferences and other events has been curtailed that doesn’t mean the need has gone away. And suddenly, almost overnight, virtual conferences (and other virtual events) have gone from fighting for scraps in marketing budgets to being front-and-center in many organizations’ plans.
Since it appears we’re going to be stuck in COVID-19 limbo for the foreseeable future, savvy marketers will want to learn the best ways to take advantage of these virtual events opportunities. Fortunately, I addressed this very topic in a recent post for the Forbes Agency Council blog, which you can read here:
In it I cover not only ways to maximize the benefits of virtual conferences but also other types of virtual events such as webinars, various forms of content and even video conferences.
Instead of pining for the days of stale, overpriced sandwiches, never-ending, never-moving taxi lines and nondescript hotel rooms where previous guests clearly violated the “no smoking” rules, give the post a look. And afterwards, if you find you need some help in executing some of these ideas for virtual events, give me a call or shoot me a note. My Zoom is always open.
