There is no shortage of advice on how to write effectively for PR. But rather than engage in another theoretical discussion about what works and what doesn’t work, we went directly to PR News' audience, and posed the question: What’s the most constructive suggestion you’ve ever received about your own PR writing? Here are nine PR writing suggestions those on the receiving end took well—which is not always the case with writing critiques.
- Make your writing engaging; have a conversation with people.
- Find a balance between bragging about a client or brand and stating accomplishments that add credibility.
- The humble reminder is to think in terms of hard news. Think like a journalist, not a salesperson.
- Keep your writing short, sweet and to the point. Don't write in flowery language or like you are writing an essay.
- Ask yourself "Why am I writing this? Why should they care?" And go from there.
- Tailor your writing for each audience—one style does not fit all.
- Never get married to your work.
- Be concise and precise.
- Assume editors only read the first two paragraphs, so get the salient facts in there up front.
What constructive PR writing criticism would you add to this list?
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