The Work at Home Woman is an essential for any mom wanting to work from home or become self-employed. It is a strong asset because it was started by a fellow work-at-home mom who aims to share the knowledge she’s acquired while working from home herself.
The Work at Home Woman is an online business resource and blog for women and moms who wish to work from home or become self-employed. They cover everything from finding your perfect niche, to blogging, social networking, home business financing, marketing, work at home scams and small business information. Their mission is to help women and moms acquire the knowledge and skills to be able to successfully work from home or to become self-employed while providing support, inspiration and motivation.
Since December 2007, Holly has been researching and writing content for The Work at Home Woman, which officially launched in March of this year. After the birth of her daughter, two-and-a-half years ago, she started networking with past employers and looking for work she could do from home while caring for her daughter.
Her efforts have paid off and soon she started working from home by completing marketing research, establishing joint ventures and working as a social network liaison for a small publishing company. Now, she is motivated to help other women and mothers find legitimate work at home ideas and opportunities.
As with many other work from home moms, Holly finds organization to be a crucial key. “I create a daily schedule; a monthly media schedule and a daily to-do list so that I can keep on top of all my daily tasks,” she said. She also tries to optimize work time while her daughter naps and is sure to turn off her computer at 5 p.m. to focus on her family.
In addition to networking, Holly encourages other women not to give up on their desire to work from home. “If you really want something you will need to work very hard and believe in yourself, but in the end it will payoff,” she said.
 Ok, this is it, the official prize post for the Labor Day Blog Party @ Market Mommy:: The Blog. These are all the great prizes that you’ll be registering to win throughout the week of Sept. 7 – 12. {In no particular order} So, start checking them out now and thinking about your preferences! Thanks to everyone who has agreed to participate! With nearly 20 prizes it is going to be a fabulous party!
This is just a little visual teaser of some of the great prizes we have planned for the upcoming Labor Day Blog Party. The party will run Sept. 7 -12. Be sure to check out the preliminary details here, and comment to pre-register for prizes! It's gonna be fun! Happy WW!
Ok, before I get into today's tip, I want to revisit last week's tip. (It can be found here). I told you about HARO and all the great free exposure you can get by connecting with reporters. I wanted to revisit and prove to you that it works. I responded to a query last week and got in touch with Mike at The Toliet Paper Entreprenuer. Market Mommy can be found featured in his post today about Women Entrepreneurs. {Scroll down, we're #79} TPE has been featured on ABC, Fox News, The New York Times and much more. So, I would chalk that up as a success. If you're not on the HARO mailing list, I would recommend it!
 Now, for today's tip. You may have noticed the cute little tweets and retweet buttons gracing the top of my posts now. I've been searching for a week or so about how to add this little widget to my blog. The easiest instructions I found were here. {I used the code at the very bottom of the post} You really can't go wrong adding this to your blog. It's an easy way to get more attention and it is so convenient for your readers who want to share with their followers. Social media is a great {and free} way to market yourself, might as well take advantage!!
I just wanted to make everyone aware of a few things happening this week.
First, I've started a discussion on our Facebook Fan page. If you're not a fan already, become one and you can participate. Today is the first day of school here, so it has a back to school theme. Everyone that joins in the discussion will be registered to win an Announcements Galore gift certficate! Also, we have a special promotion going on this week. You can save 20% on any listing, advertisement or service at Market Mommy just by entering coupon code SAVE20 at checkout. So, take advantage of that as well!
Last, but certainly not least, we've made a few very minor adjustments to our main site. We've activiated our Guest Book page. So, if you have any compliments or concerns you'd like to share, feel free to visit us there. We've also created a News/Opportunities page, where you can see our press releases (which we'll be uploading soon, I promise) and our current opportunities.
Thanks! Here's to a great week! {And a short one for me, I'll be out of town on Friday!}
 Janis has always been an entrepreneur at heart. As a child, she sold used fireworks on July 5. Since the first dollar she earned, she knew she wanted to own her own business. And, on her first Monday morning commute after the birth of her second child, the inspiration for The Dinner Spin struck her.
“All of my passions combined in this one idea to provide simple recipes and help busy cooks stay organized enough to provide a delicious, nutritious meal every night of the week with minimal effort,” she said.
The Dinner Spin’s mission is to make meal preparation easier by providing simple, online tools. “Our goal is to inspire healthy habits when it comes to planning, shopping, cooking, eating and budgeting,” Janis said.
She has two small children, and like every mom business owner she finds balancing everything a big challenging at times. One thing that really helps her is structuring her day. “Clearly defining work days and hours is hard,” Janis said. “But, making sure you draw that line is important.
The Dinner Spin is free, and easy to use. And, according to Janis, it offers healthy ideas that are easy to implement. Subscribers receive a weekly menu with healthy entree recipes, a grocery list and a game plan to help pull it all together, plus a weekly blog provides more fun food ideas.
Typically, the blog recipes are built around a theme. For example a recent recipe include how to care for, hw to ripen and most importantly, how to use tomatoes. Each week there are new ideas that keep readers coming back!
Janis said she loves being a work-at-home-mom and really enjoys the flexibility. “Being able to drop everything for an impromptu picnic or morning at a nature center is worth more than any benefit package a big company could offer,” she said. 
 If you haven’t come across Her Startup yet, you should pay them a visit. Her Startup shows women how to combine business skill with passion, so they can lead more integrated lives and do more with their businesses than look at the bottom line. If you are ready to launch, grow, and give back – Her Startup is for you!
They are presenting the Highly Empowered Women’s Conference on Sept. 25 and 26 and have a great weekend planned! The conference will feature several speakers on topics such as:
· Women in Leadership;
· More Than the Bottom Line;
· Transforming Stress into Success;
· The Art of Relationship Marketing; and
· Much More!
The conference is being held at the Moonrise Hotel in University City, Missouri. However, if you are not in the area, you can attend virtually for a reduced fee. Until Sept. 1 early registrations are being accepted for only $55. This is a GREAT price for a two-day conference with lunch included on Saturday. You don’t want to miss it! Visit here and here for more information and here to register! 
I'm sure many of the mommies out there are either preparing for the first day back to school or have already endured it over the past week or so. You may be experiencing mixed feelings about it, missing them, but also glad to get some work done with them out of the house! If you're interested in sending some of those 'first day' photos to family and friends, Announcements Galore has some cute back to school photo cards starting at just $.75 each!
Check them out! 
Who doesn't like a good deal? Mom entrepreneurs have a very limited budget to begin with and in this economy things are even tighter. So, how can we continue to market ourselves without breaking the bank? One way is to visit Jessica at Mom Fuse!
Mom Fuse offers a variety of information on topics of interest to all women and moms. If you've never visited, I encourage you to do so! There is info on mompreneurs, beauty, food, family, parenting, reviews, shopping and more. I especially encourage you to visit the mompreneurs page, there are some great guest articles posted there from Market Mommy :-)
And, of course, since we are all looking for great ways to network and get our business name out there, Mom Fuse offers that as well. There is a blog directory, a place to post your blog's giveaways and some great paid advertising spots that start at just $20 a month. You really can't beat it, she has some great statistics! From experience I can say that you get a great bang for your buck!
Mom Fuse is also gearing up for their annual Holiday Gift Guide! Along with having your product featured, there are also some giveaway and advertising opportunities available. If you are interested in having your product featured, e-mail Jessica and provide product information and an image. Happy Thursday! We're almost to Friday, yay!
It is time for the annual Dollar Days sale at Announcements Galore! This is a great opportunity to order your holiday cards early and save!! You can't beat these prices! Order now and they will print your high quality 4x6 photo cards next month, or whenever you have your photo ready to go! All cards are currently $1 or less! Some are as low as 75 cents!
 Pregnant? Or know someone who is? Order now and Announcements Galore will create your custom birth announcements when baby arrives!
 Because we are feeling generous today, we are offering a 50% discount to ANYTHING on Market Mommy! This inlcudes our listings, advertisements and all services! This is for a very limited time {just until Friday} so place your order today! Use coupon code SPECIAL50 at checkout! We look forward to working with you!
HARO, or Help a Reporter Out, is this week's Tuesday Tip. If you're not familiar with this you should be. Each weekday, Peter Shankman sends out 2-3 e-mails to subscribers. Each e-mail is packed full of queries from reporters looking for sources. The subject matter ranges from business and finance to lifestyle and health. You never know, you just may be the perfect source that a journalist is looking for! Free press is always a good thing! You can sign up for this FREE service here. But, please read and abide by his rules!
 How to build a successful business and brand on a shoestring budget is something all mom entrepreneurs wish they could figure out. Stacey Kannenberg was able to accomplish just that. She left corporate America to be a stay-at-home mom with the idea of starting her own home business. After being inspired by the Oprah Show, Kannenberg said he had her ‘aha moment.’ She has now sold 60,000 copies of her self-published book line, broke into the school market and garnered over 700 mom blog reviews.
As an author, publisher, consultant, blogger, speaker, motivator, keynote, spokesmom and Mom CEO, Kannenberg now runs four companies from home, while balancing her family schedule as well. Her books include: Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!, The Spanish/English Edition iA Prepararse Para Kindergarten! and Let’s Get Ready For First Grade! They are used inside homes, preschools, head start programs, libraries and inside over 400 school districts, nationwide.
In addition to being an author and presenter, Kannenberg also blogs. She has created a national platform “Get Ready To Learn Mom” and her blog features “Let’s Get Ready” topics on education, parenting, product and book reviews, publishing and Mom Entrepreneurship.
She also does consulting work on the side to help support her publishing business. Kannenberg definitely suggests social networking as a key marketing tool. She is active on more than 40 networking sites. She has been on hundreds of radio shows, featured in over 30 magazines, 25 newspapers and over 30 television segments. Her books can be found here, and her blogs can be found here and here. 
As mom business owners we are ALWAYS looking for ways to network! This week, Holly from The Work at Home Woman contacted me about her Absolute Lovable Link Event. And, of course, we jumped at the chance to participate!
 Simply click on the button above to visit. There are several women-run businesses and blogs listed! According to Holly, this event was created to help build relationships and to promote women-based businesses and blogs! So, what are you waiting for? Don't worry, if you didn't get the chance to have your business or blog listed, you can still participate. Just leave your name and info in a comment!
Thanks Holly for hosting a fun and beneficial event! Happy Friday! 
Elaine over at the Miss Elaine-ous Life has been an affiliate for Announcements Galore for quite some time. To thank her for all her efforts (and to help promote AG and MM), we sponsored her registration fee to BlogHer ‘09. And, according to her, she had a great time and would definitely attend again.
This was Elaine’s first trip to BlogHer’s annual conference. And, she said she learned a lot. “I learned that most of us are blogging for the same reasons and right now a hot topic is doing reviews,” she said. {{Hear that ladies? Blogs are a GREAT way to get the word out about your products!}} The conference was packed full of two days worth of seminars, speakers, swag and networking. One session even featured male and daddy bloggers. Elaine said that was probably her fave. Below are the founders of BlogHer giving their opening presentation.  Overall, she felt the event was beneficial and was able to meet some of her blogging friends in person and do quite a bit of networking. She said the push for swag was a bit strong at times, but everyone eventually calmed down as the conference got going.
 Thanks Elaine for promoting AG and MM during your time in Chicago. We really appreciate it!
Reservations for BlogHer ‘10 are already being accepted. So, if you are a woman and you blog, you just might enjoy it. The 2010 event is being held in New York.
Here are a couple shots of flowers I've taken recently. I thought the blog could use a little color! Happy WW!
I subscribe to the Daily Buzz, and I highly recommend it!
Each day, an e-mail is delivered to my inbox that gives another valuable tip in regards to public relations. It is completely FREE (which we all love right?) and shows you how to build awareness for your brand and maximize your PR efforts, one tip at a time.
Build-A-Buzz is the brainchild of Marina Echavarria, a 20 year PR veteran and owner of Realm Media Productions, Inc., a PR Consultancy based in the New York area. You can sign up here, and make sure to tell her Dawn at Market Mommy sent you!
Ok, I promised an exciting announcement today..........
As a tribute to all hard-working moms, Market Mommy:: The Blog is hosting a blog party the week of Labor Day (September 7 – 12). Each day (Monday – Saturday) will feature at least one mom-owned business and giveaway. It is going to be a very exciting week! Not only will there be AT LEAST 6 great prizes to win, there will also be some great information. Mom business owners, just like yourself, will be sharing information about their companies and how they balance their business with raising their family at the same time. You won’t want to miss it! Anyone will be eligible to enter to win the prizes, so start telling all of your friends about it now! Anyone who pre-registers by leaving a comment on this post will automatically have an extra entry in each giveaway! Be sure to notify your readers/subscribers/customers about the party! Interested in being featured during the Labor Day Blog Party? Contact us to find out the requirements!
 Nanny Jo*s Boutique carries a full line of custom, handmade boutique clothing and accessories for babies, toddlers, boys and girls. They take great pride in accommodating the customer!
Nanny Jo*s always offers FREE personalization! In addition, customers have their choice of custom measurements or standard sizing. Colors on any item can be changed and all of their designs can be sewn onto their a-line dress, jonjons or tee-shirts to create a coordinating look for the whole family.
 According to Nanny Jo, she loves having the best of both worlds. “I can be the stay at home mom my daughter deserves and still contribute to my family’s income with a job I love doing!” she said. She started the boutique in the fall of 2007 as a way to contribute to the family budge and be able to stay home with her daughter at the same time. She said that organization is a key when being a work at home mom. She keeps one day planner with all of her pending orders and family activities listed so that nothing gets left out. Nanny Jo*s can be contacted here.   Get it! Nanny Jo*s is offering a special discount to Market Mommy readers! Use coupon code:: MarketMommy on orders more than $20 and save 15%!
Mommy Monday is a regular feature on Market Mommy:: The Blog. If you know a great mom business owner that should be featured here, contact Dawn at
Congratulations to Sherri-Lee from Mail 4 Kids! She won the marketing package from Market Mommy during Press Release Week! She has won a free press release, button ad design and business card design! Market Mommy is committed to helping you market your mom owned business, at an affordable price! Visit us for all of our great, low-cost services.
Congratulations Sherri-Lee, you'll be hearing from me soon. Have a great weekend everyone!
Be sure to visit Monday, we will be announcing another great promotion AND we'll have our first Mommy Monday post where we'll feature a great mommy business owner. See you then!
This is Part V of a five-part, weeklong series about how and why to write a press release. Click here for other installments. This evening (August 7, 2009 @ 10 p.m. EST), one winner will be drawn to receive a special package from Market Mommy, including a press release, business card design and button ad design. The package is valued at $75! Please read the fine print at the end of the post for details on how to enter. You can register up to six times each day!!
So now that you’ve written a killer press release, how do you get it read by the right people? Your distribution list is almost as critical as the release itself. You must determine the editors and the publications that would be most interested in your release and send it to them.
In addition to your traditional newspapers, radio stations and television stations, there are also a multitude of websites, blogs and trade publications that may be very interested in what you have to say. So, how do you find them?
If you have the budget, you can pay to have your releases distributed. Sites like PRWeb can distribute your release to thousands in your targeted audience. However, most mom business owners are on a very limited marketing budget. Believe it or not, you can distribute your releases yourself.
First, include all of your business contacts. They may have a newsletter or blog that they may want to include your news in. Plus, it is always good to keep your affiliates and business partners informed of what your company is doing.
Next, include your local and regional media. Who in your area might be interested in what you have to offer? Contacts for your local media can easily be found on the internet. For regional and statewide media, there are directories that can be purchased like this one. However, this can get costly especially in a market where turnover can cause contacts to change frequently.
It is time consuming, but scouring the internet can be very effective. Search for trade publications that relate to your field. Search for blogs that specialize in your type of products or services. Look for news outlets that publish news on entrepreneurs and new products. Networking with similar businesses is also a great way to increase your media contacts.
There are a few outlets that still prefer a mailed or faxed press release, however e-mailed press releases are now becoming the norm. By using the internet to do your search, you will likely be able to easily ocme up with e-mail addresses of contacts.
After distributing your release , you should always post in on your company website. Having a good news section can go a long way in boosting your SEO. Plus, it is a great way for new customers or affiliates to catch up on the history of your company.
Thanks for visiting us for Press Release Week! I hope you’ve learned a thing or two and will be able to put it to good use for the benefit of your company. As always, if you have questions or need a little help, don’t hesitate to contact me. And, stay tuned! At 10 p.m. we’ll announce the winner of the marketing package!
The fine print::
First and foremost the marketing package won must be used to promote a legitimate, mom-owned business. (Market Mommy reserves the right to disqualify any entrant on the basis of this criteria) Winners will be chosen by random.org. Below are the ways to register, you may come back and do the following EACH DAY for each new post! Be sure to leave a comment with a link for each entry or it won’t count! (Comments close tonight at 9:59 p.m. EST)
1. Leave a comment on this post, any comment.
2. Join the Market Mommy mailing list (box to the right of this post) or comment and tell me you’re on the list.
3. Follow this blog or comment and tell me you are already a follower.
4. Become a Fan of Market Mommy on Facebook or comment and tell me you’re already a fan.
5. Follow Market Mommy on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway, if you’re already a follower, just tweet.
6. Blog about this giveaway or grab our button ... you must link back to either this blog or Market Mommy's official site.
This is Part IV of a five-part, weeklong series about how and why to write a press release. Click here for other installments. Come back tomorrow when we discuss how to create a distribution list you’re your release. Friday evening (August 7, 2009) one winner will be drawn to receive a special package from Market Mommy, including a press release, business card design and button ad design. The package is valued at $75! Please read the fine print at the end of the post for details on how to enter. You can register up to six times each day!!
As a journalism minor, the Associated Press Stylebook was something I was introduced to the first semester of my freshman year of college and I’ve had my trusty copy ever since. The book is like any other stylebook, in that it lays out the rules of a particular style of writing, in this case journalistic writing. The AP strives to keep its writing style concise and easy to read. This stylebook clarifies their rules on grammar, spelling, punctuation and usage.
Without going to extremes, I believe it is a good idea to follow AP style when writing a press release. It is the format that most journalists adhere to so why not make your release ‘publish ready’ and limit the editor’s need to edit?
I’m going to walk through some of what I feel are the basic essentials, but this is by no means a comprehensive list. If you are interested, the book can be purchased here, and is definitely affordable.
Abbreviations/Acronyms:: There is quite a bit of information about abbreviations contained in the stylebook. There are rules for abbreviating states, titles, addresses and more. However, it is best to avoid excessive abbreviating. Do not use abbreviations or acronyms that a reader would not easily recognize.
Contractions:: Contractions indicate informal writing and excessive use of them should be limited. It is best to spell them out instead. However, contractions that are listed in Webster’s New World Dictionary are technically acceptable.
Datelines:: A dateline, found at the beginning of a press release or news story, should include a city (in all capital letters) followed by the state, country or territory the city is located in. There should be a comma in between the city and state and there should be a dash following the state. There are cities that stand alone without a state and there are rules for abbreviating the states. All of which can be found in the stylebook.
Numerals:: Numerals zero through nine should be spelled out and numerals 10 and over should be written as numbers. All numbers over 1,000 should include a comma. If a number begins a sentence, it should be spelled out, if the sentence can’t be restructured. There are several entries in the AP Stylebook pertaining to the use of numerals.
Punctuation:: In the AP Stylebook, there is an entire chapter dedicated to punctuation. I will just note some key points. Commas should always be placed inside quotation marks. A colon introduces a list and a semicolon separates thoughts. Exclamation points and parentheses should not be used often.
Quotations:: When quoting someone in your press release, never alter the quotation. Always use it verbatim. Also, try to avoid fragmented quotes. If a quotation is long and cumbersome you may try to paraphrase it.
States:: The AP uses different state abbreviations than the United States Postal Service. This is one of the most common reasons for me to pick up my stylebook. Some shorter state names, like Iowa or Ohio, are never abbreviated in AP Style. The first letter is capitalized and there is a period at the end of the abbreviation. For example, Florida is abbreviated Fla. and Tennessee is abbreviated Tenn. They stylebook gives a comprehensive list of the AP state abbreviations and the ZIP code abbreviations as well.
As I mentioned, there is a lot of information contained in the AP Stylebook and without dedicated studying there is no way to memorize it all. However, it is an excellent reference and can improve your writing for the media. Especially when there is the possibility of a media outlet publishing your release without further investigation, it is nice for it to already be formatted in AP Style for the editor.
Now that you have a factual, concise, grammatically correct press release written we need to discuss distribution. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss creating your distribution list and getting your press release seen by the masses.
The fine print:: First and foremost the marketing package won must be used to promote a legitimate, mom-owned business. (Market Mommy reserves the right to disqualify any entrant on the basis of this criteria) Winners will be chosen by random.org. Below are the ways to register, you may come back and do the following EACH DAY for each new post! Be sure to leave a comment with a link for each entry or it won’t count! (Comments close each day at 11:59 p.m. EST) 1. Leave a comment on this post, any comment. 2. Join the Market Mommy mailing list (box to the right of this post) or comment and tell me you’re on the list. 3. Follow this blog or comment and tell me you are already a follower. 4. Become a Fan of Market Mommy on Facebook or comment and tell me you’re already a fan. 5. Follow Market Mommy on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway, if you’re already a follower, just tweet. 6. Blog about this giveaway or grab our button ... you must link back to either this blog or Market Mommy's official site.
 Since this week has been full of words, a lot of words, I thought I'd throw in a Wordless Wednesday post :o)
This is Part III of a five-part, weeklong series about how and why to write a press release. Click here for other installments. Come back tomorrow when we discuss the AP Stylebook. Friday evening (August 7, 2009) one winner will be drawn to receive a special package from Market Mommy, including a press release, business card design and button ad design. The package is valued at $75! Please read the fine print at the end of the post for details on how to enter. You can register up to six times each day!!
As mentioned earlier in the week, it is best to keep your release short and to the point. Usually one page is more than enough space. In that limited space, however, you need to make sure you answer the 5 Ws:: Who, What, When, Where and Why. This is the basic concept for journalism writing and will help ensure that you are telling the full story. The 5 Ws usually also include one H, How.
Ideally, each of these questions will be answered in the lead paragraph. Sometimes, however, the body of the release is needed to answer the how or why. When writing your release, make sure each of these questions is answered so that you give your contacts the entire picture. Most of this is self-explanatory, but we will visit it in a little more detail.
Who:: The who is usually you. Whenever you are writing a press release about your business, you (the owner) or the business name answers the who question in most cases. This just serves as a reminder to mention your business name in the opening sentence of your release.
What:: What happened or what is going to happen? What could be a new location or a new season’s line. The what could also be your website or your event.
When:: When is easy. It is the date of your launch, your opening or your event. It is whenever the what is happening. Depending on your topic and the timing, the when could be past, present or future.
Where:: Where is also usually easy to answer. It is where the what is happening. It can be a physical location, a web address or even an entire country, i.e. if your company is expanding into Canada, for example.
Why:: Sometimes why can be a little more difficult to answer. Why is your story newsworthy? Why are you launching a new line or holding an event? If you can relate the why back to benefiting your customer, it will make your release stronger. For example, ‘to better serve our customers by making our website easier to navigate’ sounds a lot more customer friendly than ‘to make our website more attractive.’
How:: How can also be a little more difficult to answer, or at least take some more explaining. How are you accomplishing your goal? How did you open your new location? Always focus on your hard work and dedication to customers .
All these are critical pieces to your release. As you can see, the 5 Ws can be used as a proofing mechanism. Before distributing your release, go through them one more time to ensure you haven’t missed anything.
Tomorrow we will talk about the Associated Press Stylebook and its importance when writing press releases. Have a great Wednesday!
The fine print::
First and foremost the marketing package won must be used to promote a legitimate, mom-owned business. (Market Mommy reserves the right to disqualify any entrant on the basis of this criteria) Winners will be chosen by random.org. Below are the ways to register, you may come back and do the following EACH DAY for each new post! Be sure to leave a comment with a link for each entry or it won’t count! (Comments close each day at 11:59 p.m. EST)
1. Leave a comment on this post, any comment.
2. Join the Market Mommy mailing list (box to the right of this post) or comment and tell me you’re on the list.
3. Follow this blog or comment and tell me you are already a follower.
4. Become a Fan of Market Mommy on Facebook or comment and tell me you’re already a fan.
5. Follow Market Mommy on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway, if you’re already a follower, just tweet.
6. Blog about this giveaway or grab our button ... you must link back to either this blog or Market Mommy's official site.
 This is Part II of a five-part, weeklong series about how and why to write a press release. Click here for other installments. Come back tomorrow when we discuss the 5 Ws. Friday evening (August 7, 2009) one winner will be drawn to receive a special package from Market Mommy, including a press release, business card design and button ad design. The package is valued at $75! Please read the fine print at the end of the post for details on how to enter. You can register up to six times each day!!
If you want your release to be taken seriously it needs to be correctly formatted, plain and simple. An editor can take one glance at a release and by that first impression decide whether to even read your release, much less publish it. There are a few other acceptable variations to this format, but I am going to walk you through the format that I use and that has been successful for me.
1. Logo:: If you are sending out a hard copy press release, either by mail or fax, this is probably going to take care of itself. Logos are usually found on letterhead and other office stationary. However, if you are sending out an electronic release, which is now the norm, you will need to make sure that your logo and business identity are clearly recognized. It all goes back to basic branding!
2. Date:: You definitely want editors to know when the release was sent out. This keeps them reassured that the information is timely and gives them a reference if they ever do any type of historical piece in the future.
3. For immediate release:: In some very rare instances press releases are distributed before they are to be made public. In other words, they are sent out as a sneak peek or heads up to editors. This doesn’t happen very often, but it is still common courtesy to let your contacts know the information is fair game, immediately.
4. Headline:: A strong, attention-grabbing headline is crucial. It should be direct, descriptive and one line or less. A headline can make or break your release. A factual headline will get you much further than a fluffy one.
5. Subhead:: In some instances it is necessary to provide additional information to your one-line headline. For instance, when I launched Market Mommy I included a subhead because I felt I needed to further explain the new concept of the site. Use your best judgment, a subhead can be helpful in clarifying a headline.
6. Dateline:: This tells the media where the release is originating from, or where your company is physically located. This is very important for regional publications or if you are announcing an event. It should be formatted as shown. The city should be placed in all capital letters followed by a comma and the state name. There is more information about datelines in the Associated Press Stylebook, which we will talk more about on Thursday.
7. Lead:: Aside from your headline, the next most important line in your release is your first sentence, or lead. It should be packed with facts, answer most, if not all, of the who, what, when, where and why, and leave your reader wanting to read more.
8. Link:: If you are sending out an electronic release, it will save your contacts an extra step by including a link within the text of your release. Launching a new online store? Link to it. Launching a new line? Link to that line.
9. Body:: This is where the meat of your information goes. Give your essential details here. If you can include a quote, maybe from a satisfied customer or the business owner, place it here.
10. Boilerplate Statement:: Every company should have a general boilerplate statement that describes the company. A few sentences that summarize the company’s history and offerings can go along way if you use it consistently.
11. Contact Info:: It doesn’t matter how you decide to format your press release, it is CRITICAL that you include your contact information. Editors work on short deadlines, if they want to contact you and follow up on your release they will want to do it quickly. If they do not have your contact information, they will not seek it out, rather they will toss your release aside. If there is no contact information it is a quick sign of incompetency.
12. Photo caption/Media opportunity:: If you have additional information to provide, i.e. a photo caption or details about setting up an interview, it should go at the end of your release. I typically use asterisks to let the reader know it stands apart from the body of the release.
13. ###:: Always let the reader know they have reached the end of your release by placing three pound signs at the bottom.
As you can see, a lot goes into writing a press release. But, if you take your time and go step by step, you can write a great, attention grabbing release! Be sure to stop by tomorrow when we’ll visit the 5 Ws.
The fine print:: First and foremost the marketing package won must be used to promote a legitimate, mom-owned business. (Market Mommy reserves the right to disqualify any entrant on the basis of this criteria) Winners will be chosen by random.org. Below are the ways to register, you may come back and do the following EACH DAY for each new post! Be sure to leave a comment with a link for each entry or it won’t count! (Comments close each day at 11:59 p.m. EST) 1. Leave a comment on this post, any comment. 2. Join the Market Mommy mailing list (box to the right of this post) or comment and tell me you’re on the list. 3. Follow this blog or comment and tell me you are already a follower. 4. Become a Fan of Market Mommy on Facebook or comment and tell me you’re already a fan. 5. Follow Market Mommy on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway, if you’re already a follower, just tweet. 6. Blog about this giveaway or grab our button ... you must link back to either this blog or Market Mommy's official site.
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Because we are feeling generous today, we are offering a 50% discount to ANYTHING on Market Mommy! This inlcudes our listings, advertisements and all services! This is for a very limited time {just until Friday} so place your order today! Use coupon code SPECIAL50 at checkout! We look forward to working with you!
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