writings of public relations

Chocol4te

MKTG229assignmentpacket2014.docx

Home >Business & Finance homework help >Marketing homework help >writings of public relations

Department of Business and Economics

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MKTG 229, Public Relations

COURSE ASSIGNMENT SHEETS AND EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS

CONTENTS

I. BROCHURE/WEBSITE/BACKGROUNDER

Approximately 500 to 1000 words

II. NEWS RELEASE

Approximately 400 to 800 words

III. PHOTO/VIDEO: RELEASE/PINTEREST/YOUTUBE/INSTAGRAM/FLICKR /FACEBOOK POST

Approximately 200 to 400 words (caption)

IV. NEWS BULLETIN/MEDIA ALERT/PSA/FACT SHEET/FACEB0OK POSTING

Approximately 100 to 200 words

V. EXPANDED HEADINE/LEAD/TWEET

Approximately 15 to 30 words

VI. PORTFOLIO

Before starting any writing project, it may be helpful to gather information using something similar to “The Message Planner.” No points for this pre-writing activity, but such a planner can serve as the PR writer's principal pre-writing tool. Doing it is also a good way for a PR professional to keep track of work for various clients.

1. After you've identified your client, the project you're working on, and the date you began, specify the objective of this PR writing -- that is, what do you want people to do, once they've been successfully targeted by your message?

2. Then list the 5 W's -- who, what, where, when and why/how -- the basic information of your story.

3. Why/how will lead you into a consideration of many Key Ideas... list as many as you can think of, here and on to the back of the page.

4. What's the angle? Think like an editor -- what makes your material newsworthy? The "6th W" is "So What?"

5. Now take your first shot at lining up the points you'll make, paragraph by paragraph. Don't worry, this is still preliminary -- after you're clear on your message, you'll sharpen these points.

6. Think visually. If your story plays on TV, what is the picture you want people to get? Knowing that image will help you paint a verbal picture in the words of your release.

7. Finally, What's the message? Start by asking yourself, What's the headline? Then go on to draft a 20-second soundbite you will want people to carry away from this news item.

Remember, there's nothing mystical about this process. You can do it in any order -- message first, or angle first, whatever works for you. The idea is to get you jump-started. Just make sure you touch all the bases. Here’s what the form looks like:

Here’s what one looks like after it is filled in:

Here’s some additional notes they wrote on the back of the form:

Department of Business and Economics

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MKTG 229, Public Relations

I. BROCHURE/WEBSITE/BACKGROUNDER, etc.

Approximately 500 to 1000 words

REQUIREMENTS: Each student will prepare a written representation of either a brochure, a website, a backgrounder -- or similar piece of promotional writing -- that may be of use to their client. This should be in the range of approximately 500 to 1000 words. Including graphics is a nice touch, but they may be just described instead of being executed, since graphic skills are not included as part of the grading.

POSTING OR PAPER: Samples are provided by your instructor. In face-to-face class sections you must submit hard copy to allow for in-class peer editing and proofreading. In online sections, you must post the assignment on the appropriate discussion board forum.

EVALUATION: Your proofread and edited written work will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria and procedure identified by your instructor and in the syllabus at the conclusion of the course as part of a completed portfolio. One week after submission of each assignment, you must review and revise your writing using classmate and instructor comments as a guide. Then you may include the piece in your final portfolio for grading. Points will be assigned based on the revised writing assignments submitted in the portfolio. In face-to-face classes, portfolios may be submitted either in hard copy or online as a D2L e-mail attachment (to the instructor). In online sections, they should be submitted as D2L e-mail attachments (to the instructor).

REPORT: Learning to edit and proofread each other's work is essential for development as a competent, effective public relations specialist. You will be required to submit comments on some of the written assignments of other students, but not be duplicative. Credit for doing these online or in-class feedback activities is included as part of each written assignment.

Copy for a Website:

There are a myriad of websites that could serve as examples. While you’re surfing sites from organizations or businesses similar to your client, you might want to check out these sites that may also be instructive:

Enhance My Writing http://www.enhancemywriting.com/

Paradigm Online Writing Assistant http://www.powa.org/

Project Gutenberg (Electronic texts of classics) http://www.gutenberg.org/

A Short Style Guide for Writers (Shortened version of JTC 351 AP Style Reminders for PR Writers http://lamar.colostate.edu/~hallahan/hstyle.htm

Copy for a Brochure:

The brochure is one staple of public relations and marketing, essentially a website in a printed form that you can hand out or mail to stakeholders or customers. There are many formats for a brochure and many design approaches. But no matter what format and design you choose for your brochure, your goal is to guide stakeholders and customers to your business or organization.

Step 1 -- Choose the thematic elements that match your business or organization. These include a broad theme, color and appearance of the brochure. If your business has a color scheme, design your brochure to match. For example, a colorful and informal brochure works well for a game store, but not for a law firm.

Step 2 -- Design the front panel to catch the eye. Include your logo and business or organization’s name, your tagline or mission statement and an engaging photo or graphic. Do not put too much information on this panel. The front panel is used to get people to pick up your brochure and open it.

Step 3 -- Put contact information, directions and/or a map on the back panel. This makes it easier for people to find your website, phone number, and location.

Step 4 -- Choose a theme for each of the other panels. Some sample themes include a description of different services or products, history, contributions to charity, testimonials, or a list of frequently asked questions.

Step 5 -- Sketch the general layout of each panel, dividing it into blocks of text and graphics. Write a note describing each photo and theme of each text block.

Step 6 -- Gather attractive and appropriate graphics for each graphic block. Consider whether a graphic matches the theme and color of your brochure. Confirm that it will be appropriate for the size of the block you have set aside for it as some photos become distorted and difficult to view when resized.

Step 7 -- Write the copy for each of your text blocks. Provide enough information to pique the reader's interest.

Step 8 -- Place a call to action on at least one panel. This is typically one or two sentences instructing the reader what to do next or it can be a coupon or other offer. The call to action is one of the most important aspects of good promotional writing.

Sample Brochure:

Copy for a Backgrounder:

As its name implies, a backgrounder is a document that provides the reader with background information on an organization, place, product or issue. You can use it in the following ways:

· An accompaniment to press releases or pitch letters

· A component of media kits and online press rooms

· A source of material for speeches, articles or other promotional materials

In short, with this document, communication professionals can keep their press releases and other materials short and focused instead of obscuring their message with “backstory.”

You can easily find more information about the backgrounder’s purpose and the general principles for its creation (e.g., accurate research), so we’ll examine the basic building blocks.

The backgrounder consists of several elements, the first usually being a summary of the topic. The remaining components are arranged in the order that best suits the particular backgrounder. A paragraph may be devoted to one particular element or consist of a combination of multiple elements. Let’s look at five basic elements:

1. First Paragraph/Summary -- As mentioned, the backgrounder begins with an overview of the document’s subject. Example:

“XYZ Corporation, in Baltimore, MD, is one of the world’s largest widget makers, with sales in the past fiscal year exceeding $56 billion.”

2. Scope -- If you’re writing about an issue or nonprofit, you’ll describe the geographical and/or demographic range of its impact. Example:

“Wild birds may carry H5N1 from one area to another through the process of migration. However, the conditions in the production environment, on farms and in rice paddy fields play a major role in subsequent secondary spread of the disease, as do the carrying of poultry from one point to another and live bird markets.” (Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Avian Flu backgrounder)

If you’re writing about a business, you’d describe its product line or services. Example:

“XYZ’s gaming widgets, smartphone doo-hickeys and audio-visual equipment are distributed worldwide. Its products are marketed under the brand names WidgetPro, Tele-Widgets and WidgetTech, respectively.

3. Mission/Philosophy/Organizational Process -- Here, you’d include your organization’s objectives, areas of focus and possibly its overall way of operating. Example:

“Leading the widget market through innovation is XYZ’s founding principle, and the company devoted more than $3 million to research and development during the last fiscal year. The XYZ approach is to observe how people use its products in the ‘real world,’ collect direct feedback from users through focus groups and regional conferences, and use that knowledge as the basis for product improvement.”

4. History -- This component describes the subject’s origins and/or major milestones. It’s typically written in one paragraph, but the avian flu backgrounder I cited earlier provides the disease’s history over approximately three paragraphs (you can do that with a Web page). However, it can be condensed for our purposes:

“…in the last 10 years there has been a progressive increase in the number of outbreaks of avian flu in poultry compared with the previous 40 years… The human health implications of avian flu were revealed in 1997 during outbreaks in Hong Kong. …Since then, there have been other episodes with human deaths – in Hong Kong and in the Netherlands in 2003, and the current series of outbreaks in Asia …”

For an organization, you might use something like this:

“Founded in 1945 by John Doe under the name ZYX Co., the company received its first patent for widget design in 1947. The organization’s name was changed to XYZ Corp in 1980 and it now has nearly 12,000 employees and 60 manufacturing plants around the world.”

5. Conclusion -- The final paragraph usually provides information such as the geographic location of offices and factories.

You can add any other information you consider relevant to your backgrounder. However, remember that if printed, the document should be only one page, so it’s best to include (and condense) only the most important information. For your easy reference, I found an interesting example of a backgrounder on Scribd and another (lengthy) Web page example from the National Sleep Foundation.

Sample Backgrounder:

Department of Business and Economics

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MKTG 229, Public Relations

II. NEWS RELEASE, etc.

Approximately 400 to 800 words

REQUIREMENTS: Each student will prepare a written representation of a news release -- or similar piece of promotional writing -- that may be of use to their client. This should be in the range of approximately 400 to 800 words. Including graphics is a nice touch, but they may be just described instead of being executed, since graphic skills are not included as part of the grading.

See sample that follows:

News release format

(leave room for your letterhead)

Contact: Alton Miller, Publicity Director

Phone: 312-555-5555 ext. 555

Night line: 312-555-5555

September 30, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INSTRUCTOR DICTATES "ONLY VALID RELEASE FORMAT"

"There is only one correct format for a press release," Columbia College

instructor Alton Miller said today, "and that's the way your boss wants it."

In his PR Writing class at Columbia, Miller requires that releases be typed

with one-inch margins all around. Phone numbers belong on the upper left, with a night line

(usually the publicist's cell or home phone) supplied. "An editor working late may need to be

able to reach you for that one final detail," Miller says. "It can mean the difference between

a story that makes the papers, and a story that gets killed."

One line down from the second phone number line, flush right, should be the date

the release is distributed (faxed, mailed or delivered). On the next line, also flush right,

should read FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, or FOR RELEASE ON ___(date)____ if the story is to

be held for a later date.

The first page should always break at the end of a paragraph. Paragraphs should be

short -- not more than three sentences -- so this is easy to arrange. At the bottom of the first

page should appear the word "more", offset with hyphens and spaces as shown.

- more - or (more)

ONLY VALID RELEASE

PAGE TWO

The first page should always break at the end of a paragraph. Paragraphs should

be short -- not more than three sentences -- so this is easy to arrange. At the bottom of the

first page should appear the word "more", offset with hyphens and spaces as shown.

The press release should fit on two pages, and the first should begin about one-

third the way down, to leave room for newspaper editors' notes. The headline should be

succinct, attention-grabbing. A one- or two-word "slugline" on page two should use a word

or two from the headline on page one, in case the pages get separated.

Indentation for paragraphs should be exaggerated, 5-10 spaces or so. Body text

should be justified on the left only, not on the right. Hyphens should not be used to break a

word between lines, even when that leaves trailing white space.

To communicate more information than can be fitted in one and a half pages, the

publicist can attach fact sheets, backgrounders, or other additional information, Miller says.

"In any case, no matter what the temptation, each press release should be kept to just two

pages," he says.

Miller explains that he doesn't really believe his is the only right way to prepare a

press release. "The truth is, there are many valid styles," he says. "But because each agency

you work for -- or each client you serve -- will require you to conform to their preferred

style, it's good training to accept the idea that for every release there's a “classic”

format."

Press releases should close as shown below.

- end – or ###

A few notes:

· See separate guidelines for online news releases and media alerts.

· At the end of the release, some prefer "end" rather than "30" or pound signs, only because so much of our work will sooner or later be online, where symbols and numbers have different meanings that could cause confusion. The student should be aware, of course, that these other traditional symbols are often used.

· There's a newspaper editor's convention of using "ADD ONE" instead of my choice, "page two". I've avoided that for the same reasons of clarity.

· I insist that you keep your release to no more than two pages (this example is a little over 400 words) because your objective is (a) to interest the editor and convince him or her to assign this story to a reporter, and (b) ultimately to place a story of about that length. You need to show the editor not that it's a good story only if there's full page of newsprint available for it -- but that it's a good story even given the editor's length considerations. Of course you will sometimes have a more complicated tale to tell, requiring additional materials, sidebars, photos, etc., to do it justice. To help inspire these, use additional materials in your press packet -- but also include as your "platform" a good two-page press release.

· Do you feel that you don't have enough material to write two pages of press release? You certainly don't want to pad your release with empty stuff just to achieve a 2-page length. But perhaps the problem is that you haven't exploited all the available material. Remember -- if all you can come up with for a story is a paragraph or two, you are in effect asking the editor for no more than a little news note. Sometimes that's all you can expect, but our objective is usually to stimulate the editor -- and the reporter -- to produce a nice big story with a nice big photo.

More on How to Craft a News Release:

You've got your announcement in mind, and now it's time to get it down in words to share with your community, industry, and followers. Take Catbrella Inc., a fictitious ad agency, which just gained its 10th Twitter follower after two years of paid social media efforts. To announce its achievement, Catbrella could issue a press release like the one below*.

Sample News Release follows:

*Disclaimer: HubSpot is entirely responsible for the silliness of this faux announcement.

Screen_Shot_2013-10-22_at_4.44.25_PM

1) Make Your Headline Irresistible -- Like writing the perfect blog post title, setting up your press release for success starts with your headline. You only have one line to work with, which can seem scary, but consider diction carefully to make your headline captivating. In the Catbrella release, the word "celebrates" demands more attention than "sees" or "gains." Seemingly simple changes like that can change the feel and urgency of your announcement.

Most importantly, though, your headline needs to set up your news in just a few words, so choose them wisely to capture the heart of the announcement.

2) Don't Play Hard to Get --For reporters, analysts, influencers, or followers to be inclined to share your announcement, you have to tell them upfront why they should care.

The first paragraph of your release should cover the who, what, why, where, and how of your new launch, update, or development. Reporters don't have a ton of time to sift through details and fluffy background information -- they just need the facts that'll help them tell your story to someone else from a position of authority. There shouldn't be any new, crucial information covered after this section that the reader could potentially miss.

3) Offer a Tempting Quotable -- Once you've set the scene, it's time to bring your details to life with a quote that reporters can use for context around your announcement and help paint a picture of how your news affects the given industry, customer base, and landscape.

Ideally, quotes will be from key stakeholders in your company including your executive team, project leads, or those directly impacted by your announcement. Quoting key figures and authorities underlines the importance of your development. The chosen quote should shape your narrative and emphasize the core of the announcement.

4) Provide Valuable Background Information -- In this last paragraph, keep in mind that the reader already has all of the vital details and information they need to file a story or spread the word. It can be tempting to provide superfluous facts and tidbits about your company or the development of your announcement -- we sometimes think a piece of writing is lacking if it isn't drawn-out and just shy of being a novella. However, a press release needs to be helpful and concise. Offer details here that strengthen your narrative, like creative or noteworthy ways your company developed the project or announcement at hand, or, when applicable, comment on future implications of your announcement.

5) Serve as an Easy Reference -- This section is where you provide a few sentences that summarize your business. Like a boilerplate, it should be easy for a reporter to grasp what your company does and a brief history of growth. Also, be sure to include a link to your company's homepage so readers don't have to go hunting for more information or your website.

The key to keeping your PR strategy new-school is to forget all your preconceived notions of what public relations is or needs to be. There are aspects of traditional PR, like the press release, that are still very much valuable and shouldn't be abandoned. Instead of ditching tactics like this one, just give them a modern makeover to make them more useful for your efforts. Create content to craft your own story and use tactful outreach to get reporters and analysts familiar with your brand.

Also, I never write a press release without at least one quote -- Why are quotes effective? Here are a few reasons:

· Quotes add personality -- you see those little curly quote marks in any kind of literature and something warm bubbles in you... there is a human being in the room, and not just a load of "ideas"...

· Quotes add authority to a press release -- its one thing to say poverty is on the rise, and it's another thing to cite state statistics... its one thing to say that the city is behind this project, and it's another thing to be able to write, Mayor Cline said today, "The city is behind this project." Quotes add third-party credibility – information straight from the horse's mouth.

· Quotes allow you to use colorful phrases -- in a release about resource allocation of city funds you might write City officials are concerned that the park district is consuming a disproportionate share of the revenue resources... or you might quote your client as saying "The parks are hogging all the funds." That's a much pithier and more memorable phrase, but it's the kind of language you could never use in a news item -- except in the form of a quote.

· Quotes allow you to inject opinion -- although journalistic style permits you to convey enthusiasm, you have to stop short of hype... if you're writing about a new play that's opening, you can't claim that It will be the biggest hit in Turtle Bay since Elvis Costello played at the Westland Auditorium ... the editor would consider that pure hype -- that's your opinion -- and it would make your release less professional... but it would be perfectly appropriate to quote the director of the play, Dale Levensan -- "Even before it opens, we've got a hit on our hands," says director Dale Levensan. "Our advance sales are stronger than the time Elvis Costello played at the Westland Auditorium."

· Quotes allow you to restate your message. This can be especially effective when you use a quote as the last graf, to wrap up your release. The message you packaged in your lead can be restated, in stronger, more colorful personal language, to bring readers back to the point where they began.

· Quotes make the client happy -- this is not a silly reason to use a quote... if your client wants to put his or her personal stamp on the project, it's a very practical reason.

In my pre-writing (that is, on the Message Planner), I will often circle an item on the outline of paragraphs to indicate that the point will be conveyed by a quote. For example, when writing a release on "From the Heart," in my outline of paragraphs, paragraph six will be about the students' "Challenge to the community." I will circle that item on the Message Planner. This means that when I get to that paragraph, instead of writing

The Westland College Student Association is issuing a challenge to the other civic institutions of Turtle Bay, to take responsibility for the other six days of the week.

I will use a quote to do the work of that paragraph:

"We're challenging the other civic institutions of Turtle Bay to follow our lead," says Westland College Student Association president Sue Jennings. "We're taking care of Wednesdays but there are still six other days of the week."

Always make sure that the quote advances the story. You can't afford to have any dead weight in your press release. A quote is there to help the story move along.

Three last things you should know about quotes:

1. Always attribute -- You must never use a quote without identifying the person being quoted. You can't say, "It was terrific," one member of the audience said. Readers (and editors) need to know the person quoted and who they are in the context of the story (i.e., not just Sue Jennings, but Sue Jennings, president of the Westland College Student Association). As a practical matter, since I'm not going to allow you to make up "facts", the only people you could quote for this release would be Sue Jennings, David Jackson or (if you called the mayor's press office) Mayor Jimmy Cline.

2. No partial quotes -- Don't write Sue Jennings said that "we're challenging the other civic institutions to follow our lead." -- that's not a complete sentence; don't begin a quote in the middle of a sentence.

3. No puffy or "excited" quotes -- The editor doesn't care that "everyone here is extremely excited about the new developments!" or other evidences of enthusiasm or self-praise. The editor wants the facts that generate the enthusiasm, not the raw enthusiasm in a gushy quote.

4. Where do quotes come from? -- Often your quotes will come from interviews you conduct to collect information from your client and others. But to cut to the chase: you write the quotes. It's the same principle as if you were a speechwriter -- you are expected to create the best quotes for the occasion, and then submit them for approval. Once approved by the client, "your" words become the client's words... just as surely as speechwriter Ted Sorensen's phrase, "Ask not what your country can do for you..." became John F. Kennedy's famous saying.

Do not submit a press release draft with a gap in it where you expect a quote to be, expecting your client to "say it in your own words." Your client expects you to write the quote. If appropriate, you can then present it deferentially -- "I took the liberty of quoting you where I think it will be most effective; of course, feel free to change the words any way you like." Any client used to dealing with professional PR writers will not need to be handled deferentially -- they'll understand what you're doing, and will expect you to act as their ghostwriter in the press release.

8 Common Errors in News Releases:

The best news releases are those that pass the “So What?” test; they are newsworthy to those outside your client’s organization. They are well organized and clearly written. Here are some common errors I sometimes see:

1. Using “we” or “our” when it’s not part of a quotation (a news release needs to sound like a story one would read in an impartial newspaper, not in a company newsletter). News releases need to be written in third person, not first.

2. Improper use of commas (either too many or not enough)

3. Puffery (making statements in the news release that don’t seem newsworthy. Some of these would be okay as part of a quotation, however.)

4. Calling women “girls” or “ladies” (even though it’s common in sororities to do this, AP Style calls for the use of the word “women” when you are writing about female adults)

5. Abbreviating the word Georgia as GA (rather than Ga.) or Florida as FL (rather than Fla.).

6. Improper formatting on dates, times, numerals, etc.

7. Format (forgetting to put an embargo date or For Immediate Release, end sign, page slugs, letterhead with mailing address, etc.).

8. Including a headline that is not compelling. Your headline should be active and entice the reader to dive right into your story, not bore him or her to sleep.

Be sure to avoid these errors when writing future news releases. I’ve been using AP Style for all of my adult life, and I still need to look some things up.

Are you done?

You write up a press release. You use press release distribution services to send it out to a list of targeted reporters. If you're lucky, your story gets some traction and earns some decent media coverage, but then what? That press release is done? It no longer serves a purpose?

That's not the case is you recycle it. By repurposing your press releases, you can get more from your content. Here are some easy ways you can do it:

-- Post the news on your website: A lack of news can make your company look outdated. Customers like to know that they're doing business with active companies who are on the cutting-edge of their industry. Posting the latest company news on your website shows buyers your company is active and relevant.

-- Send it out in your email newsletter: Email marketing is still one of the most effective methods of direct marketing. Sending out monthly newsletters can help you keep customers engaged and coming back. Of course, you need content for your newsletter. Here's an idea: Why not put your news in it? Take snippets from your press releases and share them with your email subscribers.

-- Use it for a blog post: All blogs can use fresh content. By turning your press release into a blog post, you give your readers new material, and you stave off writer's block for another day.

-- Enjoy the SEO benefits of press releases: Optimizing your press releases can help your website enjoy better search engine rankings. So, when you're placing the repurposed release in your news section, as a blog post, or offsite, make sure you target top keywords and use keyword-rich links to get the maximum SEO benefits from your content.

Department of Business and Economics

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MKTG 229, Public Relations

III. PHOTO/VIDEO: CAPTION FOR PINTEREST/FLICKR/YOUTUBE/INSTAGRAM/FACEBOOK

POST, etc. Approximately 200 to 400 words (caption)

REQUIREMENTS: Each student will prepare a written representation of a caption for a video or photograph -- or similar piece of promotional writing -- that may be of use to their client. This should be in the range of approximately 200 to 400 words. Including a corresponding video or photo is required for this assignment, but graphic skills are not included as part of the grading.

Captions:

Photos and videos grab attention, making your news stand out from the crowd. Editors want eye-catching, interesting content for their publications. And the first thing those editors look for is a good caption. Photo editors with the Associated Press or other agencies won’t look at a photo without a caption; they need to know context and details. Your caption should answer, in a couple of sentences, questions like:

· Who or what is it? Identify everyone and everything of interest in the photo or video. If it’s a product shot, give the full name of the product. If it’s a group photo, list the names and titles of everyone in the shot.

· Why is it important? What’s the occasion for the photo? Maybe your company rang the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange or unveiled a new, faster, more powerful version of your product. Include a brief summary of the story behind the video or photo, so that readers understand the significance of what they’re seeing.

Your caption should also be able to stand on its own, without being accompanied by a press release. Editors are often looking for “standalones,” photos and captions that can tell a story by themselves. If you’ve got a compelling photo or video and an informative caption, it’s a great chance to get some extra visibility for your news. Remember, having a good caption is just as important as having a good photo or video. Your picture may be “worth a thousand words,” but with another few sentences, you can turn it into something that will really shine.

Here is a possible process: Find the photo or video you are going to write the caption for. Look at it, and find the thoughts that you are trying to communicate via this image. How is it relevant to the topic? Using the main idea of the picture, write simple sentences that will sum up everything that is happening in it. For example, if your photograph were of a baby giraffe, you could start the first sentence by writing, "A giraffe calf with its mother."

Add to the sentences where this is taking place. You can keep it short or be descriptive. To add to your giraffe sentence, you could write, "A giraffe calf with its mother at the crowded Zoo." Add a little detail. Describe the main "character(s)" of the picture, or throw in an interesting fact or statistic that complements the topic. To your giraffe sentence, you could write, "A lanky newborn giraffe calf with its mother at the crowded zoo."

A lanky newborn giraffe calf stumbles around its enclosure with its mother at the crowded Anywhere Zoo this past Saturday. Not even two months old, baby giraffe "Naomi" never lets her mother "Kita," out of sight. Naomi was the product of a national "arranged marriage" program for giraffes which couples healthy males and females from different zoos. Participating animals are catalogued in something known as a "studbook." (Ron Magill, Miami Metrozoo)

What is happening in the picture or video? Throw in some action to spice things up. For example, your first sentence would now be, "A lanky newborn giraffe calf stumbles around its enclosure with its mother at the crowded Zoo." Write the rest of the caption and then you're done! Polish off your sentences and fix any possible spelling or grammatical errors, and you're as good as gold. Hopefully, you’ve now written a prize-worthy caption!

Audio for a Video:

VIDEO

Anchor on camera

Exterior: Dandy Candy

headquarters entrance

Montage: Chocolate being

poured, racks of bars

stamped with Dandy logo,

sprinkles sprayed onto

drying bars...

Close-up on new

candy bar

Shots of new machinery

Barney Golub,

Candy Technician

Shots of candy laboratory

with technicians

at work

Barney Golub voice over

Montage of factory

process, with a candy

taster showing

candy's chewiness

Exterior, new

factory loft building

Shots of assembly

line focusing on

men and women at

work

Marshall Witt,

Candymaker

Still shot: WWII era

Witt family photo.

Witt (VO)

Pull back from close-up

of candy bars in

rack, side by side:

Dandy Grams,

Dandy Crunchy Bars, and

Dandy Chewy Chocolate Bars

Exterior,

Dandy Candy on Michigan

Anchor on camera

inset: Dandy logo

AUDIO

IF YOU THINK CHICAGO SEEMS EVEN

SWEETER THAN USUAL THIS SPRING,

YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT'S BECAUSE

CHICAGO'S OWN DANDY CANDY HAS

OPENED A NEW PRODUCTION LINE TO

PRODUCE THE DANDY CHEWY CHOCOLATE BAR.

DANDY CANDY HAS BEEN A CHICAGO

FIXTURE FOR ALMOST SIXTY YEARS,

MAKING THE POPULAR DANDY GRAMS AND DANDY CRUNCHY BARS FOR TWO

GENERATIONS OF CANDY LOVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.

NOW THERE'S A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK WITH A NEW TASTE AND FEEL BUT THE SAME FAMILIAR LOOK -- CHEWY CHOCOLATE

OUR TASTE FOR CANDY HASN'T

CHANGED, BUT CANDY TECHNOLOGY HAS, AND THE NEW ASSEMBLY LINE IS

STATE-OF-THE-ART.

"It's funny but the sweet tooth

stays remarkably consistent over

time. If we make even slight

adjustments in our Dandy Grams, we

hear about it -- you should read

some of the letters! So it's a

pretty big deal, coming up with a

totally new candy bar."

TO DEVELOP THE NEW DANDY CHEWY

CHOCOLATE BAR, CANDY SCIENTISTS

HAD TO GO BACK TO BASICS.

"We actually had to engage the

molecular structure of chocolate

and redesign the molecule to make

chocolate that's not only tasty

but chewy. we've produced a chewy

chocolate that's richer and also

a lot longer-lasting."

THE NEW DANDY CANDY ASSEMBLY LINE WAS INSTALLED IN A RENOVATED LOFT BUILDING, NEXT TO THE COMPANY'S FAMILIAR FACTORY SITE, AT 4500 SOUTH HALSTED STREET.

WHILE PRODUCTION CONTINUES FULL-

STEAM ON THE DANDY GRAMS AND

CRUNCHY BARS, THE NEW LINE HAS

ADDED ANOTHER 35 EMPLOYEES TO

CHICAGO'S SKILLED WORKFORCE -- AND

HAS BROUGHT A NEW GENERATION OF

PROFESSIONALS INTO THE WORKPLACE.

"I grew up on Dandy Candy. It was

always a part of my life. My

grandmother worked in the first

Dandy plant back during World War

II and my Dad retired from Dandy

as a supervisor only last year.

And now I just started in the new

plant. So I'm the third generation

of my family to -- what I call it

-- bring a little sweetness into

the world!"

THE NEW DANDY CANDY CHEWY

CHOCOLATE BARS ARE CURRENTLY

AVAILABLE IN WHAT THE COMPANY

CALLS A LIMITED EDITION, AND ARE

BEING SOLD EXCLUSIVELY AT THE

DANDY CANDY DOWNTOWN LOCATION ON MICHIGAN AVENUE. BY THE SUMMER, WHEN THE NEW PLANT IS IN FULL PRODUCTION, DANDY CANDY CHEWY CHOCOLATE WILL TAKE ITS PLACE IN STORES AND VENDING MACHINES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

DANDY CANDY EXECUTIVES SAY THE NEW CHEWY CHOCOLATE FORMULA WILL BE LICENSED TO OTHER MANUFACTURERS OF

FINE CANDY AND WILL BE AVAILABLE

IN SINGLE-BITE AND CANDY BOX

OFFERINGS.

Department of Business and Economics

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MKTG 229, Public Relations

IV. NEWS BULLETIN/MEDIA ALERT/PSA/ FACT SHEET/FACEB0OK POST, etc.

Approximately 100 to 200 words

REQUIREMENTS: Each student will prepare a written representation of either a news bulletin, a media alert, a PSA, a fact sheet, a Facebook post -- or similar piece of promotional writing -- that may be of use to their client. This should be in the range of approximately 100 to 200 words. Including graphics is a nice touch, but they may be just described instead of being executed, since graphic skills are not included as part of the grading.

Fact Sheet:

A fact sheet is a one-page document that provides basic information on a specific topic in an easy- and quick-to-read format. Fact sheet are particularly useful to reporters and state and national legislators. What do all this groups have in common? They have very little time to gather enough information to write a quality article or make a quality decision.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

· Write using words that the average person (someone without professional training in the subject area) can understand.

· Find ways to simplify complex ideas. Search for comparisons and everyday analogies that will express complicated processes. Transform jargon into English.

· Write in the present tense and as active as possible

· Keep the text brief - no one wants to read tons of information in small font

· Keep the most important information in the first paragraph - what the issue is, what action is needed, and label the main message(s)

· Use terms consistently

· Double check all numbers and percentages used

· If details are given in a table or chart, there is no need to give those details in the narrative (use general terms instead)

· If using lists, put them into bullets

· The fact sheet must be self-contained - do not refer to previous documents or assume that they remember the information

· One page is best

· Use at 10-14 point font

· The page should begin with the words “Fact Sheet,” followed by a very brief headline that explains the subject of the page.

· Use bullets when you can

· Leave a lot of white space

· Use bolding, text boxes, and graphics to emphasize important points

· Simple graphs and charts can give the reader the information with just a glance. Pie charts are the easiest to understand

· Give references for more information - in electronic communications you can offer links

Fact Sheet Example:

The White House - Office of the Press Secretary

Fact Sheet: Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

Health reform legislation signed by President Obama includes a Small Business Health Care Tax Credit to help small businesses afford the cost of covering their workers.

Key Facts about the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

· The tax credit, which is effective immediately, can cover up to 35 percent of the premiums a small business pays to cover its workers. In 2014, the rate will increase to 50 percent.

· The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the tax credit will save small businesses $40 billion by 2019.

· Both small for-profit businesses and small not-for-profit organizations are eligible.

Key Elements

· Available Immediately. The credit is effective January 1, 2010. As a result, small businesses that provide health care for their workers will receive immediate help with their premium costs, and additional firms that initiate coverage this year will get a tax cut as well.

· Broad Eligibility. The Council of Economic Advisors estimates that 4 million small businesses are eligible for the credit if they provide health care to their workers. Qualifying firms must have less than the equivalent of 25 full- time workers (e.g., a firm with fewer than 50 half-time workers would be eligible), pay average annual wages below $50,000, and cover at least 50 percent of the cost of health care coverage for their workers.

· Substantial Benefit. The credit is worth up to 35 percent of a small business’s premium costs in 2010. On January 1, 2014, this rate increases to 50 percent.

· Firms Can Claim Credit for Up to 6 Years. Firms can claim the credit for 2010 through 2013 and for any two years after that.

· Non-Profits Eligible. Tax-exempt organizations are eligible for a 25 percent tax credit in 2010. In 2014, this rate increases to 35 percent.

· Gradual Phase-Outs. The credit phases out gradually for firms with average wages between $25,000 and $50,000 and for firms with the equivalent of between 10 and 25 full-time workers.

· Premium Cost Eligibility. To avoid an incentive to choose a high-cost plan, an employer’s eligible contribution is limited to the average cost of health insurance in that state.

Media Alert Format:

(leave room for your letterhead)

Media Alert

Who	Mayor Jimmy Cline, together with Dr. Arnold Bevins, Commissioner of Economic Development and Bernard J. Haskins, Chief Architect and CEO of the architectural firm of Ogilvy, Wollman and Hubben
What	The mayor's economic development team will make a major announcement concerning development of land formerly owned by the county at Two Day Road and I-69, just within the city limits.
Where	The announcement will be made on site, on the north end of the parcel. Those using I-69 exit 405 (approaching from north or south) will see the colorful green and white tent on the left (south) side of the ramp past the toll booth. Those approaching from town on Two Day Road will see the tent on their left. Parking will be clearly marked. Note: no electric power is available on site.
When	Monday, March 6, at 11:00 p.m. A luncheon buffet will be served from 11:00 to 11:30. The press conference will begin at 11:30 promptly. The mayor and other participants will be available for live TV and radio interviews beginning at about noon.
Why	Mayor Jimmy Cline was reelected on a platform of development. His "Blueprint for Progress" included plans for expansion of light industry and retail commerce from the Orizon River to the interstate. This press conference will be the first in a series of important announcements concerning progress in this effort.
Contact	Press office: Jennifer Burton, Press Secretary, or Hugh Stevens, Depty. Press Secretary, at 309-345-8900

A SIMILAR LENGTH PIECE

Department of Business and Economics

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MKTG 229, Public Relations

V. EXPANDED HEADINE/LEAD/TWEET, etc.

Approximately 15 to 30 words

REQUIREMENTS: Each student will prepare a written representation of either a headline with subhead, a lead paragraph, a tweet -- or similar piece of promotional writing -- that may be of use to their client. This should be in the range of approximately 15 to 30 words.

How to Write a Better Twitter Headline:

Twitter is awash with information and headlines calling out for attention. How do you make a splash and not just a drop in this ocean? Part of the secret lies in having a "catch" to gaining other people's attention; another large part is to have followers who trust and rely on your headlines and the content you lead them to.

Think about how you scan Twitter. Nobody opens every single link or even reads every single tweet; do you? What is it about the tweets you do read and follow through on that make you notice them? Basically, when there is a cacophony of headlines competing for attention, you're going to be looking for the tweets that reward your reading effort and that's precisely what your followers do too. The "rewards" focus on such things as the usefulness of the tweet, the sense of urgency compelling you to read it, and the unique nature of the tweet content. Summed up, aim to give the flavor and offer the temptation to learn more when preparing your Twitter headlines.

Keep the tweet short. While Twitter is already short enough, keeping your headline shorter than the allotted 140 characters is alluring because it stands out and tells the follower "hey, here's one that is easier to read"! Can you keep your tweet to just eight words and under? Eight words or less is apparently the optimal amount for gaining instant attention![2] While it may seem tempting to use text language to shorten words or to use abbreviations to cram in as much information as possible per tweet, that could simply create a crowding impression and send your followers off to a simpler tweet.

· If you do have a lot to say, can you break it down and feed it through in a series of well-timed tweets instead of trying to be too clever with too many words at once?

· Keep in mind that there needs to be space for retweeting your information. While some tweeters simply cut off anything superfluous when retweeting, it's best not to make your followers have to go to that effort where possible.

· Don't mix up ideas, themes, news items, etc. Each tweet should focus only on one thing; plan how to feed unrelated information in at different intervals instead.

Write well. You have very few words, so make them count. Why use plain words when you can find ones that are far more descriptive and therefore more powerful, moving, and appealing to the reader? Be sure to explain why your headline will give the reader the best, the worst, the most, the biggest, the strangest, etc., information possible. Make the most action words, especially verbs; saying less with more increases the impact of your tweet.

· If you struggle with finding the apt word, make friends with the thesaurus. While they are online, it's a good idea to invest in a printed copy because it's a feel-thought connection that arises with flipping through a book; you can also page mark your favorite words.

· Avoid being obscure, obtuse, or obstinately obfuscating. If your follower doesn't get what it is you're on about, they'll ignore your tweet for one that makes sense. It is as simply – and ruthless – at that. Leave out puns and inside jokes, and avoid being too clever by half. Stick with simple headlines that everyone will understand.

Ask a question. This usually will cause a person to be engaged, (for at least a second or two), enough to either answer the question or follow the link referred to by the question. If your question is about content you're promoting, relate the question to the nub of the issue you're discussing in the content by identifying a good keyword or two that summarizes your query. Good question openers include:

· "How would you...?"

· "Do you know how many people...?"

· "Are you struggling with/overwhelmed by/easily defeated by, etc..." – this is a good one where you have the answers, especially answers to social media/networking problems, organizing digital life, fixing known technical hitches, etc. It's also good in relation to relationships, such as "Are you hopeless with small talk?"

· "Would you like to know an easy way to...?"

· "How many times have you...?"

Ask for help. Related to the previous step on asking a question but different in intent, asking for help can be another excellent way to engage your followers. Maybe you'd like someone's opinion, or their input on something. Whatever your need for an answer, a lot of people like to help others and by asking them, you've just made it easy for them. However, don't just gulp up the answer and leave it hanging; be sure to engage in a conversation with those who respond, and provide a round-up of how their answers led to your solution. This tells your followers that you listen, that you act on their replies, and that you honor them by demonstrating how they have helped. Some examples of asking for help include:

"How do you/I...?" "What can I do about...?" "Where can I find...?"

"Who is the author/singer/writer of...?" "Can you recommend a good...?"

Tell your followers something unique and interesting. Your reader will want to know how your information or observation will affect them in their world. Yes, even the most rampant philanthropists will want to know information like that (their world is helping others) and they want to know how you can help them with that. Search Twitter before adding your tweet to make sure it hasn't already been added a lot that day or recently and therefore be at saturation point. Find a new angle or way of presenting information that is already bloated on Twitter. Eyewitness accounts are really interesting. Are you somewhere where the news is breaking? If so, make it compelling by exploring how what you're witnessing is making you feel and how you see others responding.

Talk about social media content . Headlines likely to pull interest from followers are those focused on Twitter itself and other social networking sites. After all, if you're on Twitter and someone suddenly states that "Twitter users are more likely to have better friendships" or such that makes followers sit up and read! Think about how Twitter helps, revolutionizes, improves, changes, etc., people (aka "tweeple" or followers), businesses (from small to large), disaster relief, communities, and more. Or headlines about ways to improve your Twitter experience and strategies. These sorts of headlines will cause much interest.

Nix the punctuation. It's no longer a headline if you're adding punctuation and seeking to get your followers to keep on reading more. In conjunction with the recommendation above to keep it short, also keep the colons, semi-colons and tripled-up exclamation marks out of your tweet headlines. Too much punctuation marks out your headline as being complicated or, in the case of too many exclamation marks, not to be taken seriously. Related to punctuation is the need some people seem to have to leave a reference trail to the original newspaper/news site on Twitter; it's so unwieldy! Leave out unnecessary info that clutters, such as the page number, date, name of newspaper, etc. The reader will find that information upon arrival, so why burden your tweet with such details? Remember, just get to the point and that you're micro-blogging, so shortcuts are expected.

Build trust. Crafting a brilliant headline each time is only part of the art of good tweeting. The main part is the rapport you have with your followers and the manner in which you've built trust with them. By interacting with them consistently, by answering their tweets and retweeting their information, and by providing reliable content through your tweets, trust is formed and maintained.

Department of Business and Economics

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MKTG 229, Public Relations

VI. PORTFOLIO

REQUIREMENTS: To get the points for written assignments, you must submit a final portfolio for grading, which should include all five assignments that have been edited, proofread and revised. Points will be assigned based on the revised writing assignments submitted in the portfolio. In face-to-face classes, portfolios may be submitted either in hard copy or online as a D2L e-mail attachment (to the instructor). In online sections, they should be submitted as D2L e-mail attachments (to the instructor) or posted on the applicable discussion board forum.

Notes on the Final Portfolio:

Your final portfolio must be professionally presented, in a form suitable for delivery to an editor. Do not, however, spend your hard-earned money on a fancy portfolio presentation book. It is perfectly acceptable for me to receive your work in an e-mail attachment or posting to our discussion forum board.

I am evaluating the copy and content of each item, not the overall presentation of your portfolio. Also, be sure to keep your own copies of your work, as final portfolios may be used for assessment purposes, to help improve this class from year to year, and thus are not returned to students unless specifically requested.