Press releases can help you gain exposure for your business, products or services and increase your visibility and credibility online.

It’s the editorial feel and informative nature that separates it from tradtional advertising. This is a critical distinction. Journalists are trained to weed out and scrap any press releases that come off sounding like a thinly-veiled ad.

The idea is simple, “If you want to advertise your product or company you can buy the ad space like everybody else. If you want me (the journalist) to give you free publicity, you better make my job easier by giving me something that helps my readers live or work better; helps my paper or magazine sell more copies or more ad space, or helps attract more interested visitors and advertisers to my web site.”

You can target traditional media like magazines, newspapers and major online news portals or look to “grassroots” media, like influential site owners and bloggers.

An email press release should be a brief (350 - 500 words) and objective announcement about your company, product or service to the media. Paragraphs should be no longer than 3-4 sentences.

Spend time developing and writing from a unique angle that matches the mindset of your target audience. What you consider “newsworthy,” may be considered “old news” by a journalist. Try to find supporting, unbiased information that adds credibility to your angle.

As you draft and edit your press releases, keep looking at it from the journalists and then the intended reader’s point of view. You have to answer two simple questions:

1. “Why should I the journalist/reader care?”

2. “Why should I stop what I’m doing right now and read this press release?”

Note: It’s considered poor etiquette to attach photos and other documents when contacting reporters through email. It’s better to post that information on your site in an online media kit�including any photographs, biographies, white papers and other product/company information.

If you are working with a very small budget and possess some creativity and writing skill, you can get away with writing your own release and submitting it through free submission services. If you have the money to hire someone, there are many press release services available, with prices all over the map. If you have a larger budget, you can use a service that will write and distribute releases for you. Press Release Guidelines

* Submit to media that reaches your target market.

* The first line of the email message should read FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

* Compose a compelling e-mail subject header and headline (less than 10 words).

* Cover the �five W’s� in your first paragraph.

* Write for a journalist, not a customer (make it �newsworthy�)

* Position your story as a solution to a business or consumer problem or highlight your expertise in an area of interest/trend.

* Provide electronic contact information including an e-mail address and telephone number for the press contact and web address of the company.

* Include testimonials of key clients or endorsement from a ‘non-biased’ sources (with permission).

* Give a brief personal or company background at the end of the release.

* Don�t rely on spell-checker to proofread for you.

* Close the release with -30- or ### which are generally accepted indicators for the end of a story.

Example

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Peanut Boy Introduces Squeezable Peanut Butter

PLANTERS, Mass. � January 16 (Tike Press)- Paragraph One�

Body Text/Paragraphs

Hassan Ait Ali, HR Connect, Communication 1 Traduction Maroc

Are press releases really important ?

It seems to me that some web users are completely unaware of the importance and the power of a good press release.

I�ve read recently somewhere a user�s assertion that really scared me:

“Press Releases have been devalued a lot by Google, so they�re no magic answer.”

Who cares whether Google values or devalues a press release?

Press releases are not addressed to Google, but to the people! While online press releases might generate positive �secondary effects�, such as inbound links, this is not their main purpose.

You might be surprised to learn that press releases are really powerful online media tools. I am not talking just about immediate results, but also about results that can be seen in time, sometimes weeks, even months, after� “releasing the news”.

I am still amazed that people confuse advertising and publicity. Could it be because in the dictionaries these two terms are synonyms? Then I�ll not write �publicity� anymore, but public relations. Advertisers focus on the �now� and on the direct sales.

Public relations experts focus on the long-term relationships with the industry, clients, media and business partners. Public relations generate �credibility�. Sometimes PR experts present news about a company in the form of relevant press releases.

If online PR officers should focus on keyword optimization to ensure broader exposure, offline things are easier. But offline press releases don�t have such huge chances of coverage as it happens online! From my point of view, using the Web for certain public relations campaigns is far more worth than using offline channels.

Press releases are read by journalists online or offline, and if they decide a story is worth publishing, they might write an article or publish it “as is”.

To make a long story short, an online press releases has the following purposes:

• to give journalists information that is useful and accurate about a product, service, company and even a person;
• to gain public confidence and strengthen public image for a brad, company or product;
• to inform the market of a new or improved product or service.

The purpose of a press release, I have to repeat that till it is clear, is not to make a sale, but to �announce� in a sober, neutral and realistic manner news about products, services and changes. The press release is not a story that should be published word for word. It�s just a tool to grab the attention of the editors.

Hassan Ait Ali, HR Connect, Webdesign Maroc, Web Design Maroc Traduction Maroc, Flash Maroc, Formation Maroc, Multimedia Maroc, Interprétariat Maroc, Web Agency Maroc, Web Maroc, Agence Conseil en Communication Maroc, Communication Maroc, Agence Conseil Maroc, Consulting Maroc, Tourisme Maroc, Développement Web Maroc, Outsourcing Web Maroc

When the media comes calling, do you know how to handle the situation to gain positive visibility for your company? Often, small business owners miss out on great opportunities�or turn a potentially positive situation into a negative one for their firms. Dealing with the media does not have to be scary or confrontational.

A writer or reporter working on a story will often contact local businesses for one of three reasons: to get an expert opinion from inside a particular industry; to obtain a reaction to a trend or recent event from a local business; and to gain background information on a complex subject. All of these reasons give you a great opportunity to position yourself as an expert and a leader. Use these five tips to work with reporters, and reap the benefits in good publicity.

Answer the phone. I�m amazed at the number of business people who shy away from taking a call from a writer or reporter. Writers are calling to get an industry perspective or to gain a quote from an expert�you. You can�t be quoted if you don�t answer the phone!

Respond promptly. Writers work on deadline. A reporter for a daily newspaper may have only a few hours in which to gather information before the story is due. A magazine writer may have a few days. So many times I�ve seen business owners put off returning a call only to find out that the article has been written without their input. Think of the opportunity to get quoted positively as a free ad for your company. It�s a gift. Don�t keep the giver waiting.

Avoid paranoia. Although it is fashionable in some circles to be cynical (and even hostile) to the media, the truth is that most reporters are just trying to do a day�s work�which for them is writing articles and stories. Unless your firm has done something wrong, the writer is rarely �out to get you.� Some companies create a negative story where none previously existed by treating reporters as the enemy or by responding in an adversarial way. Give the writer the benefit of the doubt. You certainly don�t want to volunteer any negative information, but you can use the power of the pen to showcase your company in a positive light. Never say �no comment.� It always makes you look guilty or scared. Even in a bad situation, say something that offers insight into the actions you plan to take or the way you hope to turn things around.

Think before you speak. I�ve heard people complain about being misquoted by writers or even made to look bad. In reality, the reporter most likely used the person�s exact words, which may not have come across very well when the person read what he actually said. You can avoid having this happen to you by taking a moment to collect your thoughts instead of blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. Asking for a moment to think through the question is perfectly legitimate. Most writers will be willing to wait. After all, the writer wants a good quote, too! So take a moment and say what you really mean. It will look better the next day when you read it in print.

Avoid puffery. Avoid the urge to brag. Saying that your company is the best, the only or the first in its industry creates liability for the writer unless you can back up your claim. Talk about your services and what makes your company different, but avoid overstatements that are likely to get your quote deleted.

By using these five tips, you can leverage a writer�s question into great visibility for your company. Always be sure to spell out your name even if the writer forgets to ask, and make sure he or she has your correct title, the full name of your business, and even your email address for any follow-up questions or clarifications. By making the most of the chance to be quoted, you are putting good public relations to work for your company�for free!

Hassan Ait Ali, HR Connect, Media Maroc

Crisis Communications :

you have a crisis management or crisis communications plan for your business or organization? Do you believe your business or organization is too small to need a crisis communications plan? Or do you believe that crises only happen to others?

If you are like the majority of businesses and organizations today, especially small to medium sized ones, you answered NO to the first question and probably YES to the second question. And I hope you answered NO to the third question.

Well, I cannot emphasize too strongly that no matter how big or small you are, every organization should have a crisis management and crisis communications plan.

If you read the newspapers or watch the news on TV or hear the news on the radio, you know that crises happen every day. No person or organization is immune from crises. Think about such recent crises as fires, bank robberies, corporate scandals, sexual harassment, product recalls, death of top executives, closing a facility, etc.

So what should you do? The answer: develop a crisis management plan in 2 parts. The first part is the crisis management plan (how your company or organization will deal with the crisis at hand to minimize negative impacts). The second part is the crisis communications plan (how you will communicate with the media and the public about the crisis).

Too many companies prepare one without the other. Both are critically important. Your goal needs to be that most crises will never get reported in the media because you handled the situation skillfully enough that it never became visible to the media. And the development and implementation of a good crisis communications plan will help make sure of that.

Some great tips and techniques for your crisis management program can be found on the Public Relations Society of America website. General principles that can positively affect your actions and communication in a crisis situation.

Crisis communication planning can help you deal effectively with those unexpected disasters, emergencies or other unusual events that may cause unfavorable publicity for your organization.

Before the crisis, successful communication will depend, in large part, on the preparations you make long before the emergency occurs.

During the crisis, your focus is to deal with the situation, gather accurate information and communicate quickly.

Reporters provide few surprises in a crisis situation.

Your spokesperson should be forthright in dealing with media questions. There are, however, some questions he or she simply cannot and should not answer.

Your spokesperson should not respond to media questions with “no comment” because this answer can imply a lack of cooperation, an attempt to hide something or a lack of concern. There are more appropriate responses when he or she either doesn’t have one or is not at liberty to give certain information after the crisis.

Hassan Ait Ali, HR Connect, Webdesign Maroc, Web Design Maroc Traduction Maroc, Flash Maroc, Formation Maroc, Multimedia Maroc, Interprétariat Maroc, Web Agency Maroc, Web Maroc, Agence Conseil en Communication Maroc, Communication Maroc, Agence Conseil Maroc, Consulting Maroc, Tourisme Maroc, Développement Web Maroc, Outsourcing Web Maroc

Rabat - TVM change de nom pour devenir « Al Aoula » et change par la même occasion d’habillage. Ce nouvel habillage a été lancé le 28 avril 2007 en concomitance avec la première édition du « Al Aoula Show » qui a rassemblé les principales figures de la nouvelle vague de musique urbaine marocaine.

A la une de Al Aoula Mag

A travers cette nouvelle identité visuelle, Al Aoula affirme son côté pionnier et son ambition d’être la chaîne la plus proche de tous les marocains. Un vent de nouveauté a également soufflé sur le plateau du Journal Télévisé puisqu’il a été entièrement refait. Sobre et moderne tout en étant convivial et chaleureux, il reflète parfaitement la nouvelle dynamique de la chaîne.

Les programmes ne sont pas en reste. La nouvelle grille en place depuis le mois de Janvier 2007 ne cesse de s’enrichir comme vous pourrez le constatez à travers « Al Aoula Mag », votre nouveau rendez-vous mensuel avec l’actualité de la première chaîne.

Al Aoula donne rendez-vous aux téléspectateurs pour des grands moments de cinéma dans le cadre du Cinéma du Mercredi avec des productions arabes et marocaines alors que Ciné Jeudi fait la part belle aux productions américaines et françaises avec la programmation en Mai d’un cycle du cinéma fantastique. Enfin, tous les Dimanches à partir de 16h rendez-vous avec les dernières production du Cinéma international en VO sous-titré en arabe. La fiction marocaine est à l’honneur tous les Lundis à 21h avec un feuilleton marocain inédit Al Oukhoubout et tous les Samedis et Dimanches à 13h avec le sitcom marocain Ghraib Maria.

L’actualité et les débat s politiques et économiques sont également bien représentés avec des émissions comme Hiwar, Difaf ou Entreprendre qui fête ses 15 ans ce mois ci. Enfin, les problématiques de la société contemporaine sont débattues tous les Vendredi à 21h dans le cadre du magazine de société Oussar Wa Houloul.

Printing is a process for production of texts and images, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing.

 Modern printing technology

In 2006 there are approximately 30,700 printing companies in the United States, accounting for $112 billion, according to the 2006 U.S. Industry & Market Outlook by Barnes Reports. Print jobs that move through the Internet made up 12.5% of the total U.S. Printing market last year, according to research firm InfoTrend/CAP Ventures.

Books and newspapers are printed today using the technique of offset lithography. Other common techniques include

• flexography used for packaging, labels, newspapers
• relief print, (mainly used for catalogues),
• screen printing from T-shirts to floor tiles
• rotogravure mainly used for magazines and packaging,
• inkjet used typically to print a small number of books or packaging, and also to print a variety of materials from high quality papers simulate offset printing, to floor tiles; Inkjet is also used to apply mailing addresses to direct mail pieces
• hot wax dye transfer
• laser printing mainly used in offices and for transactional printing (bills, bank documents). Laser printing is commonly used by direct mail companies to create variable data letters or coupons, for example.

Gravure

For gravure printing, the image to be printed is made up of small holes sunk into the surface of the printing plate. The cells are filled with ink and the excess is scraped off the surface, then a rubber-covered roller presses paper onto the surface of the plate and into contact with the ink in the cells. The printing plates are usually made from copper and may be produced by engraving or etching.

Gravure printing is used for long, high-quality print runs such as magazines, mail-order catalogues, packaging, and printing onto fabric and wallpaper. It is also used for printing postage stamps and decorative plastic laminates, such as kitchen worktops.

Digital Printing

Printing at home or in an office or engineering environment is subdivided into:

• small format (up to ledger size paper sheets), as used in business offices and libraries
• wide format (up to 3′ or 914mm wide rolls of paper), as used in drafting and design establishments.

Some of the more common printing technologies are

• line printing — where pre-formed characters are applied to the paper by lines
• daisy wheel — where pre-formed characters are applied individually
• dot-matrix — which produces arbitrary patterns of dots with an array of printing studs
• heat transfer — like early fax machines or modern receipt printers that apply heat to special paper, which turns black to form the printed image
• blueprint — and related chemical technologies
• inkjet — including bubble-jet — where ink is sprayed onto the paper to create the desired image
• laser — where toner consisting primarily of polymer with pigment of the desired colours is melted and applied directly to the paper to create the desired image.

Vendors typically stress the total cost to operate the equipment, involving complex calculations that include all cost factors involved in the operation as well as the capital equipment costs, amortization, etc. For the most part, toner systems beat inkjet in the long run, whereas inkjets are less expensive in the initial purchase price.

Professional digital printing (using toner) primarily uses an electrical charge to transfer toner or liquid ink to the substrate it is printed on. Digital print quality has steadily improved from early color and black & white copiers to sophisticated colour digital presses like the Xerox iGen3, the Kodak Nexpress and the HP Indigo Digital Press series. The iGen3 and Nexpress use toner particles and the Indigo uses liquid ink. All three are made for small runs and variable data, and rival offset in quality. Digital offset presses are called direct imaging presses; although these receive computer files and automatically turn them into print-ready plates, they cannot insert variable data.

Small press and fanzines generally use digital printing or more rarely xerography. Prior to the introduction of cheap photocopying the use of machines such as the spirit duplicator, hectograph, and mimeograph was common.

By HR Connect - Print media Maroc