By Kamea Zelisko
Do you know what a press release is? Better yet, do you know how to create one that will attract the attention of the media to your business or organization?
Many people think a press release is only useful to some types of businesses, but that’s not the case. Any organization, big or small, can benefit from sending out press releases.
By sending out a press release you are basically using the mainstream media to spread the word about your company. It can be a great, fast way to reach thousands of potential customers. And the best part is it’s a much, much cheaper alternative to buying ad space, and can be more effective too! But there’s one catch – it has to be done right. Here are some facts about press releases to keep in mind:
What is a press release?
A press release is a “pseudo” news story, and it can be about anything you want. Having a grand opening? Send out a press release. Offering a new product or service? Send out a press release. Press releases can be about anything that has value to the reader.
What’s in it?
Besides announcing an event, product or service, press releases include all your company information—contact info, company history, etc. They also clearly show your company’s branding (eg. logos, fonts, etc.).
But most importantly, press releases should be written in news writing format so that ideally the content can be ripped right out of the release and placed in the newspaper, on the radio or on TV.
Who do you send it to?
You can send press releases to any media outlet by fax, email or snail mail. They can also be part of a full media kit, which we will blab about in another blog.
How do you make sure it gets noticed?
It’s very important for you to keep in mind members of the media literally read hundreds of press releases per day. You basically have about five seconds to catch their interest, and if you don’t, your release will end up in the garbage bin. So save some trees and do it right the first time:
• Make it catchy: Think of a headline that will catch their attention—make it short, but something newsworthy, timely, funny and/or witty.
• Keep it objective: Try to keep your press release from reading like an advertisement. This can be tricky, especially if it’s your business and you’re not a trained writer—but if it sounds like it could be one of those late night infomercials, it won’t be picked up.
• Use a quote: Whenever possible include a quote in your release, and try to put it in the second sentence. The media loves quotes!
• Keep it short: Press releases aren’t essays. Be sure to keep them short and sweet and include all of the information needed by the media (including your branding and contact info!).
This may be a lot to keep in mind, but in the end what it comes down to is if you wouldn’t read the release or be interested, the media won’t either.
Feel free to give us a call or email us if you have any questions or would like more information on press releases—we’d be happy to help!
Good luck!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Nenshi, music and the purple revolution
By Finbarr Wilson
"The thing that is going to change people, is something no one will ever be able to capture on film. It is something you will see and all of a sudden you realize I am on the wrong page, or I am on the right page but the wrong note and I have got to get in sync to understand what's happening."
Those are words from Gil Scott-Heron, who wrote and sang "The Revolution will not be Televised," a song brimming with anger. But revolutions have moods, and this one may look more like a smiley faced emoticon.
The election of Nenshi in Calgary could easily be a watershed moment when a lot of people suddenly realize the flow of history is no longer singing their tune. I, for one, am way off key.
On Facebook two friends sent me notes saying vote for Nenshi. "Of all the nerve," was my first thought. Then the results came in. I think for the first time I could hear the political rhythm of the next generation.
It's no sure thing, but maybe this is the day a new medium found its revolutionary message.
"The thing that is going to change people, is something no one will ever be able to capture on film. It is something you will see and all of a sudden you realize I am on the wrong page, or I am on the right page but the wrong note and I have got to get in sync to understand what's happening."
Those are words from Gil Scott-Heron, who wrote and sang "The Revolution will not be Televised," a song brimming with anger. But revolutions have moods, and this one may look more like a smiley faced emoticon.
The election of Nenshi in Calgary could easily be a watershed moment when a lot of people suddenly realize the flow of history is no longer singing their tune. I, for one, am way off key.
On Facebook two friends sent me notes saying vote for Nenshi. "Of all the nerve," was my first thought. Then the results came in. I think for the first time I could hear the political rhythm of the next generation.
It's no sure thing, but maybe this is the day a new medium found its revolutionary message.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Marketing – a brave new world
By Kamea Zelisko
It only makes sense that an industry that thrives on being cutting edge would adapt quickly to the trends of today.
Those who work in the marketing and communications field have really had to work hard to not just catch up but push the boundaries of marketing and communications in a world where immediate gratification is wanted. As a result, a complex web of traditional and technological marketing has been weaved, and its effects can be seen almost everywhere.
Do you remember when you had to actually fork out money for a magazine at the corner store to get your fix of celebrity gossip? Well not anymore. Today there are a plethora of blogs and websites; Facebook and Twitter groups that are not only dedicated to celebrity gossipers or the celebrities themselves, but also to marketing products on a much bigger scale.
What kind of nail polish does Lindsay Lohan prefer while out on bail or in between rehab stints, you ask? Well I don’t know why you would ask that, but for those who are dying to know, Lilo is wearing Fresh/Maple Bar polish. She says it’s the “NEW black nail!” and encourages you to “Tell your friends!”
Everything from charities to clothing lines are being hocked on social networking sites like these, making celebrities seem like close friends on our networks, and bringing marketing to whole new levels.
Even newspapers, whose readership in increasingly online focused, make use of their hard copies, with sections called “Digital Culture,” and texting options at the end of stories to share through cell phones.
Some of the sneakiest viral marketing happened about a year before the movie 2012 premiered. If you had a Facebook, Twitter or YouTube account, someone probably sent you information or a link about this doomsday theory. Of course while the theory itself wasn’t new, the social networking and marketing that occurred prior to the movie coming out was a new marketing concept.
By simply posting some creepy YouTube videos and Wikipedia entries from one computer, millions of people became convinced the end of the world was only a few short years away. A few weeks later, the movie hit. This was no accident – it was a carefully constructed viral marketing plan that in very short order raised awareness and education of how the world will end (that is, if you take the theory seriously of course). By the time the movie premiered, we all needed to see it, now that we felt so connected to the topic.
All of these rapid changes and new innovations are incredibly exciting and continue to make our world seem smaller very day. One can only imagine what new marketing trends technology will bring and where our imaginations will take us!
It only makes sense that an industry that thrives on being cutting edge would adapt quickly to the trends of today.
Those who work in the marketing and communications field have really had to work hard to not just catch up but push the boundaries of marketing and communications in a world where immediate gratification is wanted. As a result, a complex web of traditional and technological marketing has been weaved, and its effects can be seen almost everywhere.
Do you remember when you had to actually fork out money for a magazine at the corner store to get your fix of celebrity gossip? Well not anymore. Today there are a plethora of blogs and websites; Facebook and Twitter groups that are not only dedicated to celebrity gossipers or the celebrities themselves, but also to marketing products on a much bigger scale.
What kind of nail polish does Lindsay Lohan prefer while out on bail or in between rehab stints, you ask? Well I don’t know why you would ask that, but for those who are dying to know, Lilo is wearing Fresh/Maple Bar polish. She says it’s the “NEW black nail!” and encourages you to “Tell your friends!”
Everything from charities to clothing lines are being hocked on social networking sites like these, making celebrities seem like close friends on our networks, and bringing marketing to whole new levels.
Even newspapers, whose readership in increasingly online focused, make use of their hard copies, with sections called “Digital Culture,” and texting options at the end of stories to share through cell phones.
Some of the sneakiest viral marketing happened about a year before the movie 2012 premiered. If you had a Facebook, Twitter or YouTube account, someone probably sent you information or a link about this doomsday theory. Of course while the theory itself wasn’t new, the social networking and marketing that occurred prior to the movie coming out was a new marketing concept.
By simply posting some creepy YouTube videos and Wikipedia entries from one computer, millions of people became convinced the end of the world was only a few short years away. A few weeks later, the movie hit. This was no accident – it was a carefully constructed viral marketing plan that in very short order raised awareness and education of how the world will end (that is, if you take the theory seriously of course). By the time the movie premiered, we all needed to see it, now that we felt so connected to the topic.
All of these rapid changes and new innovations are incredibly exciting and continue to make our world seem smaller very day. One can only imagine what new marketing trends technology will bring and where our imaginations will take us!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Welcome!
By Kamea Zelisko
Welcome to Red Queen Creative Group’s website!
For those who still aren’t quite sure what the heck Red Queen Creative Group is, here’s a brief background.
The core of Red Queen's team is made up of Finbarr Wilson and Kamea Zelisko, and our story is unique. Because of the economic downturn, our jobs were lost due to cutbacks. So we decided to take our skills - research, writing, editing, design, photography and social media marketing - and start our own creative group. We put our heads together and worked hard to make this dream a reality.
Today, we are Red Queen Creative Group, a marketing and communications company located with offices in Calgary and Edmonton.
You can find out more about us on the Who We Are section of our website.
Now to answer a question many of you probably have – Why the name Red Queen Creative Group?
Well, we wanted something different, and during one of our conversations, Finbarr mentioned this quote from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass:
“Sometimes I've believed in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
This seemed like the perfect metaphor for our business, because we believe anything is possible. Whether you’re a business owner or just interested in marketing and communications overall, we can help.
Every once in a while we will share our ideas, tips, or just interesting points related to marketing and communications through this medium, our Queen’s Blog. We hope these will help you in your endeavors, whatever they may be.
And of course if you have anything you would like to post related to marketing and communications, feel free to do so right here on our blog too!
Once again, Welcome to Red Queen Creative. We hope you will enjoy your time with us!
Welcome to Red Queen Creative Group’s website!
For those who still aren’t quite sure what the heck Red Queen Creative Group is, here’s a brief background.
The core of Red Queen's team is made up of Finbarr Wilson and Kamea Zelisko, and our story is unique. Because of the economic downturn, our jobs were lost due to cutbacks. So we decided to take our skills - research, writing, editing, design, photography and social media marketing - and start our own creative group. We put our heads together and worked hard to make this dream a reality.
Today, we are Red Queen Creative Group, a marketing and communications company located with offices in Calgary and Edmonton.
You can find out more about us on the Who We Are section of our website.
Now to answer a question many of you probably have – Why the name Red Queen Creative Group?
Well, we wanted something different, and during one of our conversations, Finbarr mentioned this quote from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass:
“Sometimes I've believed in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”
This seemed like the perfect metaphor for our business, because we believe anything is possible. Whether you’re a business owner or just interested in marketing and communications overall, we can help.
Every once in a while we will share our ideas, tips, or just interesting points related to marketing and communications through this medium, our Queen’s Blog. We hope these will help you in your endeavors, whatever they may be.
And of course if you have anything you would like to post related to marketing and communications, feel free to do so right here on our blog too!
Once again, Welcome to Red Queen Creative. We hope you will enjoy your time with us!
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