5 proven ways to increase your blog readership

October 31, 2013 BG&A Staff
Here are 5 proven ways to increase your blog readership via @PRDaily Some bloggers may be seeking raw “traffic” for their blog. This does not necessarily build an engaged audience, but it can...

Sprint Demonstrates 1 Gigabit Over-the-Air Speed at Silicon Valley Lab

October 30, 2013 BG&A Staff
Sprint Spark Currently Delivers 50-60 Megabit Per Second Peak Speeds Sprint poised to deliver the industry’s fastest wireless network speeds to approximately 100 of America’s largest cities OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), October 30, 2013 - Sprint (NYSE:S) demonstrated live today 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) over-the-air speed at its lab near Silicon Valley, Calif. This was the highlight of a day that showcased the innovation and what’s possible on the Sprint network as the company unveiled technology with the potential to surpass wireless speeds of any U.S. network provider. Named Sprint Spark, the super-high-speed capability demonstrates 50-60 Megabits per second (Mbps) peak speeds today with increasing speed potential over time. Given Sprint’s spectrum and technology assets, it is technically feasible to deliver more than 2Gbps per sector of over-the-air speed. “Sprint Spark is a combination of advanced capabilities, like 1x, 2x and 3x carrier aggregation for speed, 8T8R for coverage, MIMO for capacity, TDD for spectral efficiency, together with the most advanced devices offering both tri-band capability and high-definition voice for the best possible customer experience,” said Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint. Sprint plans to deploy Sprint Spark in about 100 of America’s largest cities during the next three years, with initial availability in five markets today. Sprint 4G LTE service will be available by mid-2014 to approximately 250 million Americans, and Sprint expects 100 million Americans will have Sprint Spark or 2.5GHz coverage by the end of 2014. The first markets with limited availability are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. The first smartphones with Sprint Spark capability are scheduled for customer availability in early November. How Sprint Spark works Sprint Spark combines 4G FDD1-LTE at 800 Megahertz (MHz) and 1.9 Gigahertz (GHz) and TDD1-LTE at 2.5GHz spectrum, TDD-LTE technology (2.5GHz), and carrier aggregation in the 2.5GHz band. These spectrum assets, technology and architecture are designed to deliver a seamless customer experience via tri-band wireless devices. Tri-band devices, named for their ability to accommodate multiple spectrum bands, support active hand-off mode between 800MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz, providing data session continuity as the device moves between spectrum bands. Sprint Spark components Sprint is building the Sprint Spark capability using a unique combination of spectrum capacity and network technologies. Today the company has approximately 55,000 macro cell sites; a level Sprint expects staying at for the next few years. The company also anticipates using small cells to augment capacity, coverage and speed. Small cell deployment is expected to begin in 2014, continuing into 2015 and beyond. Radio heads A key ingredient enabling Sprint Spark is equipment compatibility with the architecture of the Sprint initiative known as Network Vision. Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Solutions and Networks and Samsung have been selected to provide 2.5GHz radio heads and to enable Sprint Spark. Each company will service approximately one-third of Sprint’s deployment markets. These 2.5GHz radios are expected to have capabilities for 8 Transmitters 8 Receivers (8T8R), which will be a first deployment of its kind in North America. These radios will be capable of improved coverage, capacity and speeds when compared to the more traditional 2T2R or 4T4R radios used by our competitors. Devices Sprint Spark comes to life for customers via their devices. Building on Network Vision’s multimode capability, Sprint Spark is designed to accommodate all of Sprint’s spectrum bands on a single device. These tri-band smartphones are designed to give users the best experience by transparently shifting from one band to another, depending on such factors as location or type of application. The first tri-band devices will be available to customers in the next few weeks and offered by HTC, LG and Samsung. For more information on devices, specifications and pricing, seeSprint.com/newsroom. How it will be used Sprint Spark provides the capacity to greatly improve the performance of video and other bandwidth-intensive applications while opening the way for futuristic applications. Today, wireless networks and smartphones can book flights, locate children, store photos and music, video chat and much more. Sprint Spark supports a new generation of online gaming, virtual reality, advanced cloud services and other applications requiring very high bandwidth. (See how applications like these could shape future lifestyles – “Vision of Connected Mobile Lifestyle.”) Sprint’s new 4G LTE network is a key component of its Network Vision program. Sprint 4G LTE now covers 230 markets across the nation and is on track to serve 200 million people by the end of this year and 250 million people by mid-2014. While both LTE technologies bring significant enhancements in network speed, the 2.5GHz spectrum is crucial to the exceptional capacity, speed and flexibility expected with Sprint Spark. Also through Network Vision, Sprint is upgrading its 3G services with all-new equipment to bring users improved coverage, better signal strength, fewer dropped calls and improved voice quality. The Network Vision 3G capability includes High Definition Voice to make HD calls Sprint’s new standard for voice quality. HD Voice is a next-generation technology for mobile phones where background noise is virtually eliminated and sound quality is dramatically enhanced. Sprint’s HD Voice offering reaches approximately 85 million people across the Sprint network today, and the company expects 250 million to have access to HD Voice capability by mid-2014. Sprint expects 12 million HD Voice devices in the customer base by the end of 2013, growing to 20 million by the end of 2014. In addition to demonstrating the 1Gbps speeds via over-the-air wireless, Sprint has also extended its leadership in wireline speeds by commercially deploying one of the longest 100Gbps circuits in the United States. That live transmission required no signal regeneration over a distance of 2,100 km, or 1,304 miles. For more information about Sprint Spark, visit Sprint.com/faster. There you’ll find videos and other useful information on how Sprint Spark brings to life a new wave of applications and innovations. About Sprint Sprint (NYSE:S) offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint served more than 54 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2013 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint as the most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, during the last five years. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint. "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 * This news release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the securities laws. The statements in this news release regarding network performance, speeds, coverage and capabilities, business and network efficiencies, timing of deployment, and products and services, as well as other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “estimate,” “project,” “forecast,” intend,” “expect,” “should,” “believe,” “target,” “plan” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are estimates and projections reflecting management’s judgment based on currently available information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. With respect to these forward-looking statements, management has made assumptions regarding, among other things, feasibility of development and deployment of new technologies; efficiencies and cost savings of technologies; customer and network usage; service, coverage and quality; availability of devices; the timing of various events and the economic environment. Sprint believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable; however, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and speak only as of the date of this release. Sprint is not obligated to publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. Sprint provides a detailed discussion of risk factors in periodic SEC filings, including in its annual reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, respectively. 1) Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) and Time Division Duplexing (TDD)

ONE WORLD SPORTS’ ‘CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK’ CELEBRATES SUCCESS OF NY COSMOS’ FIRST SEASON OF 21ST CENTURY

October 30, 2013 BG&A Staff
  Programming to Feature Season Highlights, Home Replays, Classic Matches  NEW YORK – Oct. 30, 2013 – ONE World Sports, which offers coverage of world-class sporting events from around the globe, announced special programming for Nov. 3-Nov. 9 to help New York Cosmos fans celebrate the storied team’s first season of the 21st century. The Cosmos returned to the North American Soccer League this season for the first time since its halcyon days of squads featuring legends like Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia. The result: a berth in the league’s Soccer Bowl championship, playing the Atlanta Silverbacks on Nov. 9 at Atlanta Silverbacks Park in Atlanta. The Silverbacks secured their berth in the bowl by winning the NASL’s spring-season championship, while the Cosmos recently secured the fall championship. As a lead-up to the team’s participation in the Soccer Bowl, ONE World Sports will replay all seven Cosmos home games and feature special commentary by the former Cosmos goalkeeper Shep Messing. A pair of highlight shows and five episodes of “Cosmos Classics”—featuring matches from the 1970s and 1980s—are also set for the week prior to the Soccer Bowl. In addition, vignettes of players and coaches reflecting on their first season will air throughout the week. Among social media activities, Twitter followers (@ONEWorldSports) will be able to participate in a daily contest throughout the week to win Cosmos giveaways. “We couldn’t be prouder at ONE World Sports of the incredible season accomplishments of the New York Cosmos,” said Alexander “Sandy” Brown, president and CEO of ONE World Sports. “We are excited about the opportunity to offer high-quality Cosmos programming as a lead-up to the Soccer Bowl.” ONE World Sports also carries professional soccer matches from leagues around the world, including the season-long action of Arsenal, Chelsea and Bayern Munich in Europe and games in the top leagues of Asia and Australia. The network’s coverage also features exclusive, live competitions in several other global sports such as baseball, golf and table tennis, among others.   About ONE World Sports ONE World Sports is a national network that delivers exclusive, world-class sports coverage live from around the globe. ONE World Sports fulfills fans’ passion for premier match-ups of their favorite sports with more than 2,400 hours of unduplicated sports programming annually. Programming includes live and same-day action of leagues and competitions in soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, table tennis and badminton. ONE World Sports is available via DISH Network, Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Mediacom Communications and Google Fiber. Free previews of ONE World Sports are available to registered users at www.oneworldsports.com/watch. ONE World Sports is headquartered in New York. Corporate parent ONE Media Corp. also owns ONE CONNXT, a global HD/SD broadcast video transport services provider; America ONE Television, a general entertainment and sports broadcast network; and America ONE Sports, a leading provider of live broadband sports. For more info, see www.oneworldsports.com # # #

PR Pros: Don’t Pitch What You Can’t Deliver

October 30, 2013 BG&A Staff
PR Pros: Don’t Pitch What You Can’t Deliver by @mikeschaffer  I don’t review a lot of products. It’s just not my thing. But from time to time, I’ll write up my thoughts on books, apps, and campaigns.  Recently, I was approached by a reputable digital agency on behalf of a reputable home appliance client. They asked me if I would review their latest high-tech cleaning product. With more and more product pitches coming my way, I’ve been considering doing them more frequently, and this seemed like a good opportunity. After doing some research into the company, their client, and the new product, I agreed, excitedly, to test it out. I showed images of the product to my wife, and she became excited to see how it could help us and other families. The discussions with the digital agency progressed to the point where I sent them my address for shipping. And then I got this email: The [product] is one of our most popular machines, and unfortunately we’ve run out of stock.  [Client] would still love to work with you, so a member of the [client] communications team will be in touch this week about some new and exciting opportunities! Say what? They pitched me to review a product and set up shipping for an item that they didn’t have. In the PR world, this is a big no-no. If you can’t deliver something, don’t pitch it. Here is why: 1) It makes it hard for a reporter/blogger/reviewer to trust you again. In this case, I had invested some time (maybe 45-60 minutes) in correspondence and preparation. And it won’t put the product in my hands. Wouldn’t you think twice about going down the same road again? For a publicist, credibility is everything. You offer things to people who can amplify your messaging. So if you make an offer and can’t deliver, your message goes nowhere. 2) It adds unnecessary negativity to the process. They have basically said that my review is not worth getting more units in stock. If I do work with this agency or brand in the future, will I be able to completely remove this from my memory? Would you be capable of being impartial (or even going into a review hoping to like a product) given this situation? I’ve decided not to name the agency or brand here, because I do hope to work with both again in the future. But this should serve as a lesson to the industry to always be able to deliver what you pitch.

SCTE FOUNDATION EXCEEDS $2.2 MILLION IN ADVANCING CABLE EXCELLENCE CAMPAIGN

October 29, 2013 BG&A Staff
OCT. 23, 2013 (Atlanta, GA) (Revised)—The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) Foundation today announced that it has surpassed the $2.2 million mark in money raised to advance the capabilities of the cable telecommunications engineering workforce as part of the Foundation’s Advancing Cable Excellence (ACE) campaign. At a meeting of the SCTE Foundation Board today at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo® here, the Foundation recognized more than a dozen new donors, including 10 who have Platinum-level contributions of $100,000 each.  In addition, the Foundation announced that 11 leaders in cable telecommunications have joined its Board of Directors. The new Platinum contributors are: • Accenture; • Alcatel-Lucent; • Bright House Networks; • Charter Communications; • Corning, Inc.; • Dycom Industries; • Netcracker Technology; • Pace; • PPC Broadband, Inc.; and • Samsung Electronics America. Also new, the Foundation has received Gold pledges from Harmonic and Suddenlink Communications, a Silver pledge from Times Fiber Communications and Bronze commitments from Aurora Networks, the Broadcom Foundation, CSG, Evolution Digital, Intel and TVC Communications. The following individuals have been newly named to the SCTE Foundation Board of Directors: Tim Baxter (Samsung Electronics Americas); Nomi Bergman (Bright House Networks); Mike Calabrese (Alcatel-Lucent); Joe Cozzolino (Cisco); Gary Ervin (Ervin Construction/Dycom); Andrew Feinberg (Netcracker); John Igel (Corning); Dave Jackson (PPC Broadband); John Phillips (Accenture); Mike Pulli (Pace America); and Chris Whitaker (Time Warner Cable). The existing Foundation Board members are:  Tony Werner (Comcast Cable); Jim Hughes (CommScope); Tom Gorman (opXL); Julian Brodsky (Comcast); John Civiletto (Cox Communications); Mark Dzuban (SCTE); Marwan Fawaz (Sarepta Advisors); Bob Gold (Bob Gold & Associates); Keith Hayes (Charter Communications); Mike LaJoie (Time Warner Cable); Dr. Vish Nandlall (Ericsson North America); Bill Warga (Liberty Global); Ken Wright (Wright Solutions); and Drew Zogby (Alpha Technologies). “The overwhelming response to our ACE campaign shows the deep commitment our industry has to advance the career goals of the cable workforce,” said Jim Hughes, senior vice president of worldwide broadband sales for CommScope, vice president of the SCTE Foundation Board of Directors and Fundraising Committee chair for the SCTE Foundation.  “I look forward to working with the SCTE Foundation Board to develop programs that will support the educational goals of cable engineering and operations professionals and increase the skills and the knowledge base of the industry.” Established in 2005, the SCTE Foundation is intended to increase the technical, business and leadership skills of the telecommunications engineering workforce, attract and recruit women and minorities into engineering careers, and position the telecommunications industry as a desirable career opportunity for aspiring young people in the early stages of their careers. The Advancing Cable Excellence campaign offers four levels of corporate involvement—Platinum ($100,000), Gold ($50,000), Silver ($25,000) and Bronze ($10,000)—as well as a variety of giving opportunities for individuals and SCTE chapters. Funds generated through the campaign will be used to facilitate a variety of educational opportunities, including the creation and availability of online courses and tuition assistance for approved higher education experiences. To donate to the ACE campaign, or for more information about the SCTE Foundation, please visit http://foundation.scte.org. #### The Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) is a non-profit professional association that provides technical leadership for the telecommunications industry and serves its members through professional development, standards, certification and information. SCTE currently has nearly 14,000 members from the U.S. and 70 countries worldwide and offers a variety of programs and services for the industry’s educational benefit. A prime example is SCTE’s Smart Energy Management Initiative (SEMI), an unprecedented effort to help cable operators leverage financial and environmental advantages of implementing Green strategies. SCTE has 68 chapters and meeting groups and more than 3,000 employees of the cable telecommunications industry hold SCTE technical certifications. SCTE is an ANSI-accredited standards development organization. Visit SCTE online at www.scte.org. Connect with SCTE at www.scte.org/socialmedia.

BARCELONA VS. REAL MADRID IS AVAILABLE IN CANADA ON beIN SPORT PLAY

October 25, 2013 BG&A Staff
  Canadian Soccer Fanatics Can Now Watch 'El Clásico' Saturday, Oct. 26, by registering at www.beinsportplay.ca  MIAMI, FL -- October 23, 2013 – beIN SPORT, the international sports network, today announced that the first ‘Clásico’ of the 2013/2014 season between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be available in Canada through the network’s newly available streaming service beIN SPORT Play Canada. Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the world’s most popular and successful soccer clubs and each team’s roster is filled with today’s soccer royalty. This will be the first Clásico for both coaches, Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Barcelona’s Gerardo Martino, as well as for Barca’s Neymar and Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Isco. Coverage will begin with a pre-game show at 11 a.m. ET and there will also be a halftime and post-game show featuring match analysis and interviews. The always exciting and seldom bashful Ray Hudson will partner with play-by-announcer Phil Schoen on beIN SPORT. Special guests include former Real Madrid stars Hugo Sanchez and Bodo Illgner and former Barcelona stars Jose Mari Bakero and Sonny Anderson. “El Clásico is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world and we are excited to bring this amazing match to Canada via beIN SPORT PLAY Canada,” said Yousef Al-Obaidly, managing director of beIN SPORT. “beIN SPORT PLAY offers uncompromised international sports content to Canadian sports fans. Our exciting worldwide coverage of the best athletes and best sports competitions is not available anywhere else.” Users in Canada now have access to beIN SPORT PLAY Canada through their computers, phones and mobile devices. By logging onto www.beinsportplay.ca and entering promo code “beINCanada,” viewers have the ability to watch live, exclusive matches and sporting events from the world’s most popular leagues and competitions. With beIN SPORT PLAY, Canadian subscribers can enjoy live and exclusive coverage of international superstars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Gareth Bale in La Liga; Andrea Pirlo and Mario Balotelli in Serie A; and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Radamel Falcao in Ligue 1. The streaming service also features CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying matches, Copa America, Copa del Rey, the Football League from the U.K., Six Nations Rugby, tennis, boxing and other international sport competitions. For more information, please visit us here:

Turn a buzzword into your most successful strategy yet

October 25, 2013 BG&A Staff
By PR Daily Staff It’s the latest trend in PR and marketing that your competitors, the internet and everyone else won’t stop talking about. Ready to learn how to make content work for you? We thought so. Get behind the buzzword and reap the benefits of the NEW marketing at our Content Summit for PR, Social Media and Marketing Professionals in New York City on Dec. 3-5. Learn how to use a resource right in front of you—your customers—to create content that constantly moves your company’s communications forward. 10 seasoned experts are ready to share how to: - Create an editorial calendar that will supercharge your productivity—and your results; - Use breaking news and trends to create relevant, timely content; - Integrate social media strategies with traditional PR and marketing; - Deliver content optimized for mobile devices; - Be the publisher AND curator of your company’s content. Don’t miss the chance to hear and see this all-star lineup of content marketing masters whose tips will produce bottom-line results for your company.

Why #Google Alerts is the most effective free marketing tool

October 24, 2013 BG&A Staff
By Emily Worden, PR Daily You’ve probably heard of Google Alerts, which sends email alerts about any topic you want. Most people monitor their names and their business, but did you know Google Alerts is quite possibly the most powerful marketing tool in your arsenal and it’s free? Today we’re talking search tips to improve the accuracy of your Alerts, then I’m sharing super-sleuth strategies to maximize your Alerts and take your marketing strategy to a whole new level. It’s easy to get started on Google Alerts; all you need is an email address. Go towww.google.com/alerts. You’ll see five boxes: Search Query (what you’re looking for), Result Type(“Everything” is a great place to start), How Often (“Once a day” is fine), How Many (start with “All results”), and Deliver To (your email address.) You can set up to 1,000 Alerts, so it’s basically limitless. OK, now that you’ve learned how to search, let’s talk about what to search: 1. Set up Alerts on you, your team and your business.  You’ll want Alerts for yourself, key team members, business name, domain name, and top employees. Why? To fully monitor what people are saying about you, your employees, and your business. Bonus tip: Set up Alerts on the names of your top partners and customers—and send them congratulatory messages when they make the news.  2. Set up Alerts on keywords relevant to your industry.  A great way to stay on top of the trends in your industry. Also, set up Alerts on keywords relevant to your clients and prospects. You’ll better understand their marketplace and their needs. Bonus tip: Change your Result Type from “Everything” to “Discussion” to find forums where your topic is being discussed. It’s a great way to assess the market and even join the conversation. 3. Set up Alerts on your top clients.  Not only their name, but also topics that might interest them. When you find an article that’s perfect for your top customers, email them a link or, better yet, print it out and send with a personalized card. It’s a great way to demonstrate expertise and personal attention. 4. Set up Alerts on your dream clients and influential people in your industry.  Stay up to date about their activities, so you’re perfectly prepped when you’re ready to pitch them. It’s also a great opportunity to reach out with personal emails and cards. (See No. 3.) 5. Set up Alerts on your competition.  Not only their name, but also domain name, and names of their top team members. Do exactly as we discussed in No. 1, but for your top competitors instead. Pay attention to what their customers are saying; observe how you can serve them better. Bonus tip: Change your “Result Type” from “Everything” to “Discussions” or even “Blogs” to really discover what their customers are saying and maybe join the discussion.  6. Set up Alerts to monitor plagiarism.  Choose a unique phrase from your site or publication, put it in quotes, and learn if someone uses it without giving you credit. 7. Set up Alerts for fun stuff like sales and Craigslist.  Google Alerts are fun, too. Set up Alerts for “sales” site:nameofyourfavoritestore.com to get sweet deals with your favorite retailers. When I’m in the market for a sewing machine on Craigslist, my search query is “sewing machine” site:craigslist.com and I’m notified when they become available. Bonus tip: Set a budget with “..” – ex: “Sewing Machine” site:craigslist $300..$500.  Emily Worden is a Boston-based entrepreneur and small business strategist. Read more from her atEmilyWorden.com and follow her on Twitter @eMakeItHappen. A version of this story originally appeared on the She Owns It blog.

LA LIGA AMBASSADOR HUGO SÁNCHEZ HOSTS PRESS CONFERENCE PRIOR TO EL CLÁSICO

October 23, 2013 BG&A Staff
Joined in Studio by José Mari Bakero; Former Rivals Faceoff in Miami BILINGUAL EVENT: ENGLISH & SPANISH WEBCAST DETAILS BELOW What: La Liga’s new ambassador Hugo Sánchez will give his first live press conference and simultaneous webcast as Spanish arch-rivals FC Barcelona and Real Madrid prepare to faceoff in El Clásico on October 26th. This glamorous soccer match will feature two mega-stars, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who will renew a rivalry so rich in history that it is known around the world as El Clásico. Who: Sánchez, the former Mexican international striker and legendary star from Atlético Madrid, Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano, has broken countless records. He has played and coached in both LigaMX and for the Mexican National team. His accolades include: top scorer in the Spanish league for five seasons, European Golden Shoe in the 1989-90 season with Real Madrid and being named to Real Madrid’s All-Time Greatest XI. Joining Sánchez is José Mari Bakero, the former Real Sociedad and Barcelona attacking midfielder, who was a one of the most important members of Barcelona’s Dream Team under of Johan Cruyff in 1988. Following his successful playing career, Bakero coached teams in Mexico, Spain and Poland, and currently manages Juan Aurich in Peru. When: 10:30 a.m. ET Thursday, Oct. 24 Where:            LFP America Corporate Office Imagina US 7291 NW 74th Street Miami, FL 33166 Webcast:  http://www.overon.es/la_liga user: entrevistas_liga password:  Q9SPH19L7rEg For journalist questions during press conference Email: elclasico@imahouse.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClasicoLFPnews

15 writing tips from a journalist turned PR pro

October 23, 2013 BG&A Staff
By Becky Gaylord, PR Daily Think back to a time you stared at a blank screen, not sure how to start writing that memo, press release, report, or presentation. Stark and harsh, emptiness intimidates. It can, anyway, unless you know exactly what you want to say. Seeing a vast sea of nothing can deepen feelings of being, literally, adrift. (It sure does for me.) Now, think of a time when you wrote down a shopping list before heading to the grocery store. Or jotted down the things you needed to take on a trip before you packed. Simple recipes or driving directions can serve a similar role: steady reassurance. When consulting such reminders, I tend to check them repeatedly in tackling the task at hand. Here's my secret to writing: before I start, I make a map. (Really, it’s more of a list.) I've been doing it for decades for news stories with urgent deadlines as well as for projects that took months to complete. It always makes the writing part easier. I find it keeps things clicking smartly along. When I feel lost, I just look at my map. Tips for how to make a map-like list for your next written task: 1. At the top of the page briefly describe the audience. 2. Next, write the main reason for writing this. What is the most important thing for the audience to do? Keep it short. 3. Now come the main ideas. I use a dash or asterisk to start each item, so I can just type them without worrying about the order. 4. After the first dash or asterisk, write down one major idea the piece must include, such as the reason you’re writing it. 5. Then, write down another major idea the piece must include. 6. Keep going until you’ve written down each major idea the written work must discuss. 7. Don't forget to list any call to action as a main idea. 8. Determine whether you need to include an attachment or link. 9. If you need information you don’t already have on hand, note that in parenthesis after the major idea it concerns. 10. When you’ve got all of the main ideas, go back and check your first two lines: Who needs to know and why? Do your main ideas all relate to those? Delete any that don’t. 11. Of the main ideas that remain, do any stand out as the most important? Do others need to be discussed in sequence to make sense? Is one a good way to end? 12. Based on that analysis, reorder the main ideas from first to last—it’s OK if some don’t have a precise position and could appear interchangeably (just note that in parenthesis.) 13. Your map-list is now done. 14. Start writing, working through it. 15. As you incorporate items into the piece you’re writing, delete them from the list. This way, the map displays only those ideas you haven’t yet written about in the piece. Here’s a sample for a news release about the launch of a new strong and flexible fabric created, in part, from recycled materials. Audience: Mainstream journalists, trade media, bloggers, and analysts who cover sustainable products, textiles and high-tech fabrics. Main reason for writing: The audience needs to know about the product and its unique and important benefits. * name of company introducing the product * name of product * major benefit it offers, and who'll get that benefit * why and how * unusual uses, attributes ((must yet confirm descriptions)) * lively quote from company exec. ((still need approval)) * another major benefit and why * another lively quote * how to learn more, link to website and social media connections * brief details about the company ((order of these last two could be switched)) It might feel like extra work to do a map-list before you write. But with practice, it gets easier. Doing so is now just part of my writing process. And I am convinced it makes things easier and smoother. Try it. You might disagree. I’d love to hear what you think. Becky Gaylord worked as a reporter for more than 15 years in Washington, D.C., Cleveland, and Sydney, Australia, before she launched the consulting practice, Gaylord LLC. You can read Becky’s blog Framing What Works.
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