When you want to grab attention in the media, or even just make customers sit up and take notice of your latest products by writing for your website, it pays to stick to tried and tested structures.

Here are a few tips on how to structure a news release:

A news release is cut from the bottom up

Your first paragraph has to say it all. If everything else in your new release is cut, this one paragraph should still be able to get across your story. In every news release, this is where you have to include the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘why’ and ‘where’ of your story.

This is a news release, not advertising puffery

The second paragraph of a news release is where you add more detail. But it has to be written as if by an independent third party. Ideally, a news release should include facts and provide info aimed at the readers of whichever publication or website you are targeting. As a rule of thumb, if a news release of up to 250 words has more than five company, product or brand name mentions, you’re heading towards advertising puffery and the editor’s bin.

Use your news release to say something interesting

If you’re approaching a local newspaper, write a quote that shows the editor just how relevant your news release is to the community. If you’re writing for a trade magazine, use the quote to emphasise your knowledge of the sector. But whoever you’re writing for, try and make your quote as interesting as possible. Please try to avoid the clichéd “we are delighted to announce…” or “this is an exciting partnership…” It just sounds dull. You can use the quote to show authority, compassion, enthusiasm, intelligence and any other emotion that will best position your business. Remember though to make it short, sharp and pithy.

Other rules of a news release

As well as sticking to around 250 words max, keep sentences and paragraphs short. Say 25/30 words per sentence, and only two or three sentences per paragraph. Always give it an independent tone and avoid advertising puffery like the plague. Think about the needs of the website of publication you are targeting – who will be the reader, what would interest them?

Finally, I haven’t mentioned headlines, nor have I discussed how to spot a newsworthy story or a news hook. I’ve chosen just to look at structure this time. News hooks and headlines for a news release are big topics, perfect for another day.

As well as nursing my sore back I’ve been locked away writing text for a large website. Pulling together text for 48 pages has at times sent me a little cross-eyed. So much cross-referencing. And a desperate need to avoid repetition.

I’m only human. And as a bit of a perfectionist, I dread handing work to the client. It is probably similar to when Masterchef contestants wait for the judges to taste the food they have spent hours lovingly preparing. Will it be ok? Have I read the issues correctly? Have I missed a tiny typo? Gulp…..

Over time I have picked up a few tips on proofreading so the chances of that typo slipping through are minimised. They may help you avoid a moment of totally understandable, totally human, lapsed attention to spelling or grammar.

1. Clear heads help proofreading

Try to sleep on your work. Not literally. Give yourself a day at least after writing before settling down to do your proofreading – it makes it far easier to spot mistakes.

2. Paper is best

Try to do your proofreading on paper rather than on the screen where you read less carefully. And if this isn’t an option, increase the font size dramatically to slow down your eye.

3. Proofreading the basics saves blushes

Always check the nuts and bolts of text – the date, names, places, companies, addresses, job titles etc. I remember my first PR job when I had one very senior journalist on a big UK daily newspaper laughing down the phone at me after I spelled my job title wrong. He was marveling at my (mistakenly) rather rude-sounding position and asking me all about it. I was mortified and my blushes remained with me for about an hour after we stopped talking. He still took the story.

4. Topsy-turvy proofreading is more accurate

Rumour has it that professional proofreading is done backwards at least once.

5. Fresh eyes can help

If you can find a trusted friend or colleague, ask them to read it for you, especially on important documents or when you’re very tired.

6. Proofreading should be slow

Do whatever you can to slow your reading down. Use a ruler or paper to stop your eyes reading on and help you concentrate on one line at a time. And try to read your text aloud a few times to help spot errors and it also helps to check the tempo of your work – is there enough pace and energy in your writing?

7. Check it against its purpose

If you are sending out details of an event or meeting, double-check you have all the information others will need. Put yourself firmly in the shoes of the reader.

Now off you go and spot some of my proofreading gaffs.

Writing is never just about words.  In fact a huge part of it is research and knowing what to do with all the things you find out. Google has proved to be my best friend on many projects. It helps build knowledge, check facts and generally gives more authority to your writing.

Here I my favourite ways to work Google harder:

1) Excluding words

Use a minus sign in front of the word you want to exclude.

e.g. “copywriter auckland” -technical

2) Specific document types

If you are looking for presentations or PDFs use the “filetype:” command within the search.

e.g. “copywriter auckland” filetype:ppt

3) Numeric ranges

If you want to search specific date, price or other numerical ranges use two periods (or two fullstops) between the values.

e.g. “prime minister” 1990..2011

4) Calculator

You can also do quick sums on Google.

e.g. 12*12

5) Definitions

If you need to check the definition of a word or phrase, put “define:” into the search term.

e.g. define:copywriter

6) Similar words

Searching for a word that has similar terms associated, such as copywriter and copywriting, with it can be tricky but Google can help with the “~” symbol.

e.g. auckland ~copywriter

7) Explicit phrases

The more you can narrow your search the better. Just enclose your search terms in double quotes to make Google work harder for you.

e.g. ”copywriter auckland”

Here are some quick tips from co-writer on writing a case study.

A case study is a really effective sales tool and is particularly effective if your product or service is complex. It brings to life the experience of using your company or services. It gives a prospect a great insight into what it feels like to work with you.

A good case study should tell a story. It should inform readers about the client, about your business, why you came together and how you have changed your clients’ business for the better.

Here are some tips to help get the most out of your case study:

1) Get down on paper some facts about your client: name, job role, plus an overview of the business – correct name, sector, number of employees, locations etc

2) What problem or problems was the client facing? Why did they need your help?

3) How did they find you? And why did they choose you?

4) What did you do? And how long did it take? Do you still work together? If so, how?

5) How did it help the client? Is life at work easier as a result? And how has their business benefitted?

6) Note down anything they say that is particularly positive and that others could relate to. Not just “Bob was the best ever consultant and he offered great value for money” more “by using Bob’s Clever Weavers I think I’ve saved 2 days a month in admin alone. Everyone in the business now has a better understanding of underwater basket-weaving. I feel like a load has been lifted.”

And here are things to avoid in your case study:

1) Stay away from jargon and don’t get technical – remember the case study is for people who don’t know about what you do

2) Don’t make it too long. One side of A4 is ideal

3) Don’t put too much in about your business. You want the reader to relate to the client, to sympathise with the issues they faced, then marvel at how you changed the client’s life and business for the better

4) Don’t ask them for a quote. Get them talking freely and probe their answers until you are happy you have really got a grip on why they chose you and what you did for them and their business. Then write up your notes as a story (think the classic structure of beginning, middle and end, complete with characters – you, the product or system and the client). Finally drop in some quotes which contain their phrases in a way that gets a really great point across to the readers. So you use their words but not verbatim.

Once you’ve drafted your case study, check that it sells your business. Will it mean something to the reader? Will they understand how your product can revolutionise a business? Will they want to pick up the phone?

Proof read it. Then get it back to your client for their approval.

Magazines, websites, brochures, letters – these are just a few ways to use your case study.

Here are a few quick tips from co-writer on planning a blog.

If you create structure around your blog, life can get a whole lot easier.

I’ve written before about the importance of understanding who you are writing for, and the need for research when planning a blog. And when I think about the interesting blog posts I read, they aren’t always quick tips and top 10 lists. Sometimes they are long and fairly detailed. Some are slightly amusing rants. Others are just a quick comment on a news item. The point is they vary in format. And it is a game we can all play when we’re planning a blog.

I read a tip recently that urged people struggling with planning a blog to take inspiration from the content of magazines. Great idea! Clean, simple, but I want to make it even easier…

Planning a blog? Pick up a magazine and have a browse

There are plenty of sections that appear regularly in magazines but I think these are most relevant.Here are some common magazine sections that could help establish your blog framework:

• News – short, pithy, up-to-the-minute info about the industry, new products, economic headlines etc
• Photostory – a picture that needs no more than a single line of text to explain why it is relevant to readers
• Features – longer pieces providing several opinions; often giving a balance of views, this combines words with images
• Help desk – quick entries offering guidance on key issues; designed for education; the home of the quick tips format
• Books and technology review – showing they read around their subject
• Guest opinion – letting others jump on their soapbox, designed to stimulate feedback

With these sections, think about the level of importance a magazine editor gives to them. Where are they in the magazine? How many pages do they get? Now this can be different by magazine and industry but a common structure would be:

• News – upfront, first few pages devoted to short news pieces, generally under half a page, many written in a column
• Photostory – single half or full page, often at the back offering light-relief to readers
• Features – generally the amount of feature content is on the up but it still almost always sits behind the news section
• Help desk – often placed in the middle or towards the back of a magazine and generally spread over 2 or 3 pages
• Reviews – usually near the back and with limited space
• Guest opinion – often the last page of editorial

But how can all this help provide a framework when you’re planning a blog?

Easy. Think of them like this:

• News – help your readers stay in touch with big issues in their industry, country, world. Short, easy to do, all about sharing news
• Photostory – maybe an amazing photo has caught your eye. It might not be purely related to business but it is worth sharing to demonstrate the personality behind the blog (just keep it appropriate and inoffensive though if you’re going for humour)
• Features – offer your insight on a key issue. These longer posts are about building your credibility
• Help desk – quick tips on business issues, some generic, some specific to an industry or location. Again, a credibility raiser, demonstrating the breadth of understanding
• Reviews – share knowledge and insight with readers. Be helpful, look worldly-wise
• Guest opinions – with the right level of editorial control, guest blogs can help maintain and build interest in your blog. It demonstrates connections and you can always blog for them in return, further adding to your credibility (try and link between the blogs to help your SEO link-building strategies)

Now take all this and plan the format of your blog entries for the next month. Decide the balance of news over features; tips over reviews; photostories over guest opinions. Perhaps go for two news stories and one quick tip post each week, adding either a feature, review, photostory or a guest blog every week to vary content…? It all depends on how much you want to write.

Now you just need to hunt down topics to educate, inform and engage your readers.

Here are some quick tips from co-writer on business card etiquette.

It occurred to me the other day as I was dishing out my business card to a new contact, that there might just be a right and wrong way to present these little gems. Low and behold there is a host of information all about business card etiquette on the web. There are even videos on YouTube.

So without further ado, here are some quick tips on business card etiquette:

• Keep your business cards clean and up-to-date – let the kids play with the scrappy ones
• Choose a good quality card
• Do not force your card on those who have not asked for it
• Hand them over gently, with contact details facing your recipient
• Treat cards with respect when receiving them – look at them with interest and carefully put them somewhere safe i.e. don’t just shove it in your pocket, covet it for a while
• In Japan, business cards are always received with two hands but can be given with only one
• Whereas in India you always exchange cards with your right hands
• And in China it is bad form to write on someone’s card unless they tell you to

So my recent business card exchange which, totally accidentally, ended up being rather similar to the card dealing actions of a 5 star croupier in Las Vegas, appears to have not been by the book. But I’ve taken the incident and turned it into a learning opportunity…now I feel happy in my new-found understanding of business card etiquette.

Here are four quick tips from co-writer on writing words for business.

Most info on copywriting talks about writing for consumers. But business-to-business writing shouldn’t play second fiddle.

1. Business buyers make decisions differently – your writing needs to reflect this

For a business to buy from another business, the decision process tends to take a little longer than the standard business-to-consumer relationship. This is often due to the price and the number of decision makers involved. That said, business buyers are also consumers and so have some similar buying traits. Tackle this by outlining first how your product or service will help their business, then adding some personal benefits to show how their life will be easier as a result of their purchase.

2. Writing about benefits alone won’t wash

Business buyers tend to want more information so don’t just go for the benefits. Sprinkle your writing with a healthy dose of product or service features too. But try to avoid just listing specifications – business-to-business copy need not be dull.

3. Writing for more than one

Often there will be a team of decision makers involved. To manage this you must consider different needs in your copy. If you are writing a website, you can tailor information well using different pages, text boxes etc. For print work, think about what different decision makers need to hear – consider the accountant, the general manager, the MD etc. Tweak your writing to make sure everyone sees a benefit in buying the product or service.

4. The long and short of business-to-business writing

Much debate continues about writing long copy over short copy. The stats all suggest that long copy pulls in more responses from consumers. But whilst long copy may be the favourite of consumers, I would plump for short, tight copy every time when it comes to business-to-business writing. Decision makers are busy.

Often business-to-business writing is part of a multi-step marketing approach. So you’ll have several stages at which to give them more information and build more trust. But at each stage the offer or call to action has to be clear.

So for business-to-business writing, keep it short. And keep it focussed.