Help Please: My Boss wants me to write a Press Release

[caroline42]

Hi to all,

sorry this might be a stupid question for the experts here but the situation is:

I am working as a secretary and my boss asked me to write a press release.

I researched on Google, downloaded an ebook about the theme and followed more or less the instructions given there.

But when I showed the result to my boss he was not satisfied at all.

Can anybody tell me what I need to observe, what has to be there, what should not be included and some other things to write a good press release?

The only thing that seems sure to me for the moment is that is has to be written in third person?

[mpruben]

Your best option (apart from finding a new boss) would be to go to PRWeb and look at some of the press releases as examples.

[marciayudkin]

Caroline,

This article of mine might help:

Anatomy of a News Release

Make sure you enlarge and study the sample release in conjunction with the article.

Good luck,
Marcia Yudkin

[caroline42]

Thanks for your kind help, will have a look and see what I can get out of this information.
And yes looking for a new boss might be an option under other circumsdances but he is ok, my job is ok, it's just - he is working on the Interenet and I am just a secretary. This is all very new to me and the lack of my knowledge is not his fault. Anyway I think he is just trying to show me something about the special requierments for internet publishing to give me a chance doing some extras.

Thanks again, hope I'll find the information I need.

[Mark McClure]

Hey Caroline,

Be careful! Marcia's site is addictive - there's some great marketing material there. Highly recommended.

Also, re your post:
"...he is working on the Internet and I am just a secretary"

Well, maybe.... but you've made it to the WF and have an opportunity to write a PR. Not many Secs/PAs I knew were doing that.

Before you know it he might promote you... and you eventually become the online marketing queen.
These are valuable skills to start polishing whenever opportunities present themselves.

Good luck.

[cadoutsource]

caroline42,
Keep the faith. As mentioned above you are at the right place to learn the best info about internet marketing. This forum is made up of some of the world's best online advertisers so chances are your boss may not know the latest trends in seo and rss feeds that make up a good backlinking press release. This my first press release. I know it's not the best but it sure helped a lot when I launched my radio show back in 2006.
New Chicago weekly radio show called Chi-town Discount Network
Overtake success!

[caroline42]

Thank you Marc and cado for your kind words and the information provided in those links.

And yes, I had a look around and don't think it will be too difficult, but I had no idea where to start for some useful information.

Looks like the most important thing to keep in mind is writing in 3rd person like a reporter would mostly do. There rises another question about your answers. What SEO is I have heard and some idea about and RSS feed I heard/read too, but I have no idea what a RSS feed does or how it works. Is this something very important when writing a press release?

[Justin Mandel]

Does your boss want this for online or offline publcity or both?

Because depending on the answer it will need to be written differently...

[Carl-Reed]

Caroline, if I were in your shoes (I don't make a habit of wearing womens shoes) I'd outsource the press release and say you wrote it, if it pulls - ask for a pay rise.

If you don't fancy outsourcing it yourself tell your boss that the best option would be to outsource it to a professional copywriter who is experienced in writing press releases. You can find lots of people here on the forum who could do the job for around $150 dollars.

I'm advising outsourcing it because it sounds like you dont have much time to learn and practice writing copy yourself, if you're not experienced at something yourself and you don't have much time - outsource it

[marciayudkin]

Caroline, if I were in your shoes (I don't make a habit of wearing womens shoes) I'd outsource the press release and say you wrote it, if it pulls - ask for a pay rise.

The trouble with this suggestion is that if Caroline doesn't understand what makes for a good press release, she could outsource it to someone who does a terrible job (believe me, I have seen "professional" ones that were not worth $50 let alone worth $150) and then not be able to defend it intelligently when her boss asks her why she wrote it that way.

Apparently her boss understands what makes for a good release because he already criticized her first attempt.

Marcia Yudkin

[Daniel Scott]

Your boss sounds like an idiot.

If I were you I'd tell him you're a secretary, not a freakin' copywriter. People get paid big money to do this stuff... they specialize in it.

What's next... he's going to ask you to do brain surgery on his cat?

If he's not satisfied with the result, ask him exactly what's wrong with it and fix it to his specifications - and don't be surprised when it flops.

It sounds like he's trying to get you to do anything he doesn't want. Your lack of knowledge IS his problem - he hired you... and he should be smart enough to know that you can't expect a secretary to do things that aren't in her job description.

My 2c.

-Dan

[caroline42]

Originally Posted by Daniel Scott

Your boss sounds like an idiot.

If I were you I'd tell him you're a secretary, not a freakin' copywriter. People get paid big money to do this stuff... they specialize in it.

What's next... he's going to ask you to do brain surgery on his cat?

If he's not satisfied with the result, ask him exactly what's wrong with it and fix it to his specifications - and don't be surprised when it flops.

It sounds like he's trying to get you to do anything he doesn't want. Your lack of knowledge IS his problem - he hired you... and he should be smart enough to know that you can't expect a secretary to do things that aren't in her job description.

My 2c.

-Dan

Well yes you are partly right but I won't consider him an idiot. It's a new job (5 months now) and he gave me a chance (well paid in a situation where it was hard to find a job at all). He told me that things might be different to what I have done before, because he is dedicated to internet and there may be some need for learning and uncommon work to do here and there.

So yes I want to learn and have another question.
I read two different advices about the PR title.
In one publication they say: "Best works a short 4 term title" and others, like here tell me a long descriptive title is best???

And yes he looks for Internet publishing.

Thanks to all.

Ps. Regarding your comment Scott, no he is not trying to make me do everything he does not want. The situation is a bit more complicated. I will explain: He is German and handling English and Spanish language too. I am French and handling English and Spanish too. Whilst I don't speak German nor does he speak French communication and understanding is good. I think that's why he gave me the job, to have someone who can handle French customers. He probably wants to see if I can do some work in French which he does not understand (apart from some basics) without the need of a third person to control my work.

[Astounding Writing Coach]

Keep up the good work. This is probably a great opportunity to develop a skill you never dreamed to develop. Sounds like you have a level head on your shoulders. I believe in you. Remember, baby steps is how you make it.

Also remember you cannot be all things to all people. Ignore people who are hard to please. I encourage you to focus on your company's market specialty. Soon, you're reputation will be known.

Susan