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If you haven’t started already, it’s time to start looking at editorial calendars in order to plan next year’s pitches, press releases, and articles for your clients. An editorial calendar is an annual or semi-annual calendar of articles or topics that a media  outlet or social channel will be covering. Since organizations are increasingly becomingRead more

Some professional communicators feel that using a reference resource makes it look as if they don’t know what they’re doing, but as I’ve often said, a well-thumbed reference book is an indication of a conscientious writer. Different writers will need different resources, but I’ve listed a few of my favorite tools below in alphabetical order.Read more

No matter what you’re writing, your piece has to be coherent. Readers should be able to easily progress from one sentence to another and one paragraph to the next without losing the train of thought within the text. Transitional devices connect the ideas within your text and allow them to flow smoothly from one  toRead more

Organizations are constantly hiring or replacing personnel, so alerting stakeholders (e.g., business partners, investors, employees, customers, or/and relevant media) to changes in key staff is a standard public relations task. The most straightforward and most commonly used tool for this task is the appointment release. When I wrote my first appointment release, I found itRead more

Italicized (slanted upward  to the right) words, letters and figures  are not as a common a part of the communicator’s toolkit as other writing devices, but using them correctly will give your piece a polished, professional appearance. If your office adheres to  a particular style guide or a style sheet, you should be set;  e.g.,Read more

Communications professionals typically have  such a heavy workload that exploring media websites  can seem like a waste of time. But  occasionally examining the  websites of media outlets can pay off; sifting through web pages can unearth tools and information that can help you in your PR efforts. Below are a few of the things youRead more

The media can be divided into two main categories: trade and consumer. Trade media outlets focus on a particular profession or industry and support workers’ professional development. Consumer media outlets target the general public or members of the public who are interested in specific activities or issues. Broadcast media (television and radio) are pretty muchRead more

Clichés are an extremely easy way to convey ideas, and that’s the reason communications professionals should avoid them … at least in their standard form. Why? Because clichés become clichés through overuse; those popular phrases and expressions may have been interesting and innovative at first, but now they’re stale and boring. Phrases like “hit theRead more

“On occasions when specialized personnel or additional personnel are needed to meet a tight schedule requirements, we can draw upon the resources of two other offices for assistance.” Can you easily understand that sentence or are all the words getting in the way? Wordiness is the flab on your writing’s bones. And it keeps yourRead more

A big temptation for communications professionals is the “one size fits all” message. Whether it’s the burden of too much work and too little time, the almost overwhelming variety of media outlets and blogs, or simply wanting to avoid the tedium of researching audience segments, many of us find it easier to “mass blast” aRead more