Writing Boot Camp: A One-Day Immersion in the Craft of Effective PR Writing

Early Bird Rate Ends November 22

By attending this boot camp, you’ll get the how-to’s from expert trainers in writing SEO optimized and shareable press releases, crafting email pitches
that stand a chance of getting opened by journalists, writing content for mobile devices and social media, applying storytelling concepts to your PR writing and much more.

We look forward to seeing you on August 5—and bring your laptop or tablet for a day of interactive learning. Don't forget to also join us the following day for our PR News' Next Practices PR Conference, which will be held the following day at the Westin San Francisco.

Speakers:

• Rachel Balik, Senior Editor, LaunchSquad
• Ashley Callahan, Manager, Digital and Social Media Communications, The Coca-Cola Company
• Stephanie Corns, Director of Corporate Communications, Charles Schwab
• Jennifer Dulski, President & COO, Change.org
• Sally Falkow, Social Media Strategist, Meritus Media
• Melissa Griffin, Columnist, San Francisco Examiner, Contributor, KPIX-TV
• Beth Haiken, Vice President Corporate Citizenship & Communications, Waypoint Homes
• Andrew Hindes, President, The In-House Writer
• Declan McCullagh, Chief Political Correspondent, CNET
• Ty Sheppard, Vice President/Associate Partner, Finn Partners

Effective PR writing is the bedrock of a successful PR career. It underlies all of your individual efforts and all of your team efforts. Effective PR writing powers successful email pitches to journalists, internal memos and emails, client pitches, press releases, social media campaigns, blog posts…the list goes on. And to be an effective PR writer, you can’t stand still and reread Strunk & White every two years.

8:30 - 9:15 a.m. Writing Do's and Don'ts for Communicators

You’ve had that experience of reading a fellow communicator’s email, press release or blog post and cringing when you spot empty jargon and overused catchphrases, typos, buried leads and a lack of true understanding of a product or service. Worse, you’ve had that sinking feeling when you’ve reread your own material after sending or publishing it, and spotted the same kinds of missteps. We’ll give you a fast-paced rundown of rules you can almost always write by, and habits to avoid.

You'll learn how to:

• Avoid “padding” such as needless adjectives, hyperbole and overused, empty catchphrases
• Determine the business reason for a document before typing a single word
• Put your intended audience or reader at the center of your written communications, instead of yourself
• Adhere to basic rules of grammar, and choose from a list of reference guides
• Simplify your language and avoid the use of complex or vague industry jargon
• Manage edits from clients and colleagues that compromise the quality and power of your PR writing

Stephanie Corns
Director of Corporate Communications
Charles Schwab
@CharlesSchwab

Beth Haiken
Vice President of Corporate
Citizenship & Communications
Waypoint Homes
@BethHaiken

 

9:15 - 10:00 a.m. Press Releases for the Digital Age

Far from being extinct or irrelevant, press releases are still an excellent way to deliver news stories to journalists, bloggers and other media outlets, while also providing shareable, informative content that spreads your brand message online. As reporters and editors find themselves increasingly forced to do more with less, your well-crafted press releases can make their lives easier—and advance your company’s communications strategy. Our trainers will show you how to craft releases that work in the age of downsized newsrooms and media-savvy consumers.

You'll learn how to:

• Write killer press release headlines and leads that grab readers' attention
• Turn the executive quote from a generic placeholder into a powerful brand messaging tool
• Craft releases that go beyond just “what, where and when” to “why” and “why now”
• Include key supporting material that does journalists’ jobs for them
• Revise releases so they are more concise, clearer and more compelling
• Focus on the benefits to the reader of your product or service in your written materials, instead of on its features and internally perceived uniqueness

Andrew Hindes

President
The In-House Writer
@inhousewriter

Ty Sheppard
Vice President/Associate Partner
Finn Partners
@FinnPartners

10:00 - 10:15 a.m. Networking Break

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Luncheon & Keynote Presentation: Change, Risks & the Road to Leadership

Jennifer Dulski, president and COO of Change.org, which now boasts 40 million global users who start and contribute to campaigns that transform their communities, will share insight into how pushing herself into the unknown has led to both personal and professional growth. Taking on new challenges not only equips one for leadership roles—it leads to a broader worldview that encompasses positive social change.

Jennifer Dulski
President and COO
Change.org
@jdulski

 

12:40 - 1:00 p.m. Mobile Communications: Write Right for Mobile

If you want to succeed as a PR pro, you need to think small—small as in mobile phones and “phablets.” This forward-looking session will show you what the future of digital communications looks like, what the limitations of the small screen will mean for your PR writing, and what opportunities they will open.

You'll learn how to:

• Write concise content that doesn’t test the impatience of mobile users
• Create the kind of fun content mobile users love, such as lists and news briefs
• Tweet and post on Facebook with the small, mobile screen in mind
• Tailor your content for specific demographics
• Optimize your content specifically for mobile devices

Rachel Balik
Senior Editor
LaunchSquad
@LaunchSquad

 

1:00 - 1:30 p.m. How to Craft Emails for Media Relations Success

As a PR professional, your job is getting the right media coverage for your or your client’s product or service. One of the most effective methods for doing that is sending well-written, carefully targeted email pitches. A good pitch makes life easier for a journalist or blogger, by giving him or her  a clear sense of what the story is about and why it would be of interest to their audience—in the fewest words possible. That starts with a strong subject line and ends with a  brief description that delivers on the subject line’s promise. Solid pitching practices also demonstrate to your media contacts that you understand what they do and value their time, and will help you develop relationships with people who can make your job easier.

You'll learn how to:

• Write compelling and concise email subject lines
• Think like a journalist
• Sell the story, not the product
• Research the outlet and write and tailor the pitch specifically for them

Andrew Hindes
President
The In-House Writer
@inhousewriter

Declan McCullagh
Chief Political Correspondent
CNET
@declanm

Melissa Griffin
Columnist, San Francisco Examiner
Contributor, KPIX-TV
@SFEX_Griffin

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Writing Clinic II: Craft an Email Subject Line and Pitch

Andrew Hindes, president of The In-House Writer, will lead you in an exercise in which you’ll craft an email subject line and pitch, and present it to our panel of journalists for their on-site feedback.

2:45 - 3:30 p.m. SEO and Writing for the Web

Landing at the top of search results is the Holy Grail for many brands as it can generate new customers, raise brand awareness and drive the bottom line. With recent updates to Google’s search including Panda and Penguin, refining your optimization strategy is a must. Knowing how to use keywords in press releases and other PR content is essential to getting your messages heard by your target audience—and beyond.

You’ll learn how to:

• Research target keywords and implement them to gain better visibility and increase brand exposure on search engines
• Use keywords and phrases in lead paragraphs
• Place keywords in headlines to increase their visibility
• Format written content to increase its SEO potential
• Emphasize the shareability of all of your written content

Sally Falkow
Social Media Strategist
Meritus Media
@sallyfalkow

 

 

3:30 - 4:00 p.m. Make the Leap From Online Communications to Online Storytelling

Our trainer will show you how PR pros can use storytelling tactics for their companies and clients as an alternative to the standard media pitches and press releases. You’ll learn how to deliver exactly what your customers want to hear; effectively ensure that tactics used will tell your brand’s story in the best possible way; create content that aligns with your storytelling concepts; and effectively use storytelling to lift your pitches above the hard-sell fray.

You'll learn how to:

• Spot opportunities within your organization for brand storytelling
• Tell your brand's story through social media
• Understand how effective storytelling relates to PR
• Unleash your verbal and written storytelling skills
• Bridge the gap between good writing and effective storytelling

Ashley Callahan
Manager, Digital and Social Media Communications
The Coca-Cola Company
@ashhazie

 

 

Pricing:

PR News' Next Practices Annual Conference will take place on August 6, a day after the Writing Boot Camp on August 5. Both events will be held at the Westin San Francisco on Market Street. When registering, you have the option to register for the PR News Writing Boot Camp only or add the Next Practices Annual Conference to your registration.

Questions? 
Contact Saun Sayamongkhun at saun@accessintel.com or 301-354-1694.
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Bonuses For Attending:

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Location:

Who Should Attend:

Letter to Attend:

Justification Letter to Attend

 

 

The PR News PR Writing Boot Camp will help you discover and implement ideas that deliver results. It will provide opportunities to make valuable connections with other PR and communications professionals who have solutions you need. And, it will prepare you for the road ahead.  Do you need a justification letter to attend? The template is simple to fill out and drop off with your supervisor for approval.
Download Editable Word Doc

 

 

Proceeds

Some proceeds from the Conference will go to One Laptop per Child's - whose mission is to create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.