Writing

After the insurrection acts at the United States Capitol this week, the importance of clear communication during a crisis was evident once again. Organizations and brands took to social media and the airwaves to release statements regarding their position on the situation.

Message testing is a valuable and essential part of communication strategy. Ensuring it is part of the planning process for a PR effort can make the difference between an effective campaign and one that fails to deliver.

Beginning sometimes is the most difficult part of writing, be it a press release, statement, memo, news article, white paper or book. A pair of college teachers of business writing, Jonathan Rick and Chloe Baerwald, offer ideas for PR pros about how to start the dreaded cover letter.

When it comes to writing about and promoting others, PR pros excel. Writing about themselves, however, is more of a problem. One would think writing about yourself should be easy. No one knows you better than you know yourself. And yet, writing your professional bio can be daunting. We asked PR pros about their best practices.

Unfortunately not every organization can boast of a true wordsmith. And that is where public relations professionals can really lend a hand. With so much content infiltrating journalists’ inboxes it can be difficult to create a memorable press release. Including an unforgettable quote can stop readers in their tracks, encouraging them to take a closer look at the story. 

Premier Daniel Andrews released the type of statement that could serve as a sympathetic guide for other government officials who need to deliver difficult news. Andrews’ tone is succinct and forward, but also personable and easy to read—clear of most medical jargon.

While it may seem easier in the moment to insert “said-phrase-here,” using clichés and turnkey phrases sometimes causes readers to gloss over information and in the worst case—stop reading. We asked PR writing coaches for suggestions to counter bad writing (including our own).

While no one is perfect, journalists’ inboxes are a competitive space. Grammatical errors and extraneous language are bound to sink your pitch or press release before the reporter has made it through the first sentence. And that journalist is unlikely to open your next email if the first pitch misses the mark. Here is a walkthrough of edits we would make to some recent pitches before hitting the send button.

We’re living in difficult times. Yet, the events of 2020, for good or ill, are shaping up to be storytelling gold. It’s a time for brand storytellers to gather and capture real-time history and to think more broadly about how these stories can be used.

While the announcement of an effective drug treatment available worldwide for those suffering from the cryptic virus should be something to celebrate, delving into an explanation about pricing for a possibly life-saving drug may cause some reader’s stomachs to churn. Gilead’s statement attempts to strike a delicate balance, focusing on the importance of the treatment while justifying its value.