Get the word out: Press release-writing course
Learn to boost media coverage in this writing workshop
PR professionals have been married to the traditional PR writing approach since Ivy Lee created the news release in 1906.
Now 2,500 releases go out each day — that’s one every 35 seconds. The impact of your traditional PR piece ain’t what it used to be.
In fact, fewer than 50% of all traditional PR pieces ever get covered, according to PR Newswire’s own research. Wilcox & Nolte, authors of Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, go further. They say some 55% to 97% of all PR pieces sent to media outlets are never used.
So how can you put your release among the 3% to 45% of those that actually get the word out?
In this writing workshop, you’ll learn out-of-the-box, proven-in-the-lab PR-writing techniques. You’ll learn how to write releases that stand out from the crowd. You’ll discover how to tell stories that journalists want to cover and that readers want to read.
“The release I worked on in Ann’s Master Class got 68.5% more page views vs. our top competitors than average. It also got 19% more coverage. It got picked up by two targeted industry publications. And it resulted in a follow-up interview with our metro daily.”
— Loren LeVasseur, public relations supervisor, Coverys
Read more rave reviews
Team training
Get a customized workshop at your convenience.
What you’ll learn in this writing workshop
In this press release-writing course, you’ll learn real-world techniques for boosting media coverage. You’ll find out how to:
Think Like a Reporter
Find story angles that your readers will love and that no editor will be able to pass up. Learn how to write like a journalist, not like a PR agency.
Steal tricks from nationally award-winning campaigns. Plus: Our fill-in-the-blanks lead template will change your life.
Think Outside the Pyramid
Craft the perfect pitch, news release or other media-relations piece. Our structure has been proven in the lab to reach more readers than the traditional release format.
And substitute The New York Times’ news lead approach for your bloated fact packs and PR 101 leads.
Cut Through the Clutter
Reporters spend an average of 59 seconds reading news releases. Learn how to stop writing long, boring pieces that nobody reads.
Plus: Learn how long your paragraphs, quotes, sentences and words should be.
Write Killer Sound bites
Turn lame-ass quotes into killer bites. Steal a trick from The New York Times for putting the bite in the sound bite. Model Silver Anvil winners to make your sound bites sound better.
You’ll love your life once your CEO starts seeing her quotes in her favorite business media.
Reach Reporters (And Readers) Where They Look
Just 19% of people read news word-by-word (Harris Interactive). So how can you get the word out to nonreaders? Find out how to put your key ideas where readers look.
Plus: Learn to write headlines that journalists want to steal.
Let Ann help you write your message
In our Master Classes, you’ll get feedback from Ann on quick writing assignments. You’ll watch as Ann edits your homework live in class.
And you’ll learn from your colleagues’ feedback as well. That’s how we put the master in the Master Class!
Who should attend this writing workshop
Join us in this press release-writing course if you write:
- Blog posts
- Bylined articles
- Corporate social responsibility releases
- Employee relations releases
- Fact sheets
- Feature articles
- Media relations pieces
- New business releases
- New service releases
- News releases
- Pitches
- Press releases
- Product releases
- Public relations pieces
- Research announcements
- Social media messages
- Speeches
About the writing workshop trainer, Ann Wylie
Ann has earned 60 communication awards, including two International Association of Business Communicators Gold Quills — the Pulitzer Prizes of corporate communications. Now she shares her award-winning techniques with other communicators via her writing workshops.
Ann’s training business has taken her from Hollywood to Helsinki. There, she helps communicators in organizations like Coca-Cola, Toyota, Salesforce and Eli Lilly polish their skills and find new inspiration for their work.
Are you ready to be loved by the media?
It’s been 117 years since Ivy Lee invented the news release. Popular communication technologies of the day included the telegraph, the postal service and a newfangled device called the radio.
Some PR pros are still writing releases as if nothing has changed since 1906.
Are you ready to get the word out to the media, boost coverage and surprise and delight this generation of readers? Then don’t miss out on this writing workshop.
“Since I attended Ann’s PR writing class, every press release I’ve written has been picked up by the media. That’s what I call ROI!”
— Stephanie Sobotik, senior manager, global marketing communications at Freescale Semiconductor
Team training
Get a customized workshop at your convenience.
Learn about our other writing workshops and training courses.
Questions? Please contact Ann.