As we begin to enter […] fall, [charitable] organizations like churches, the Salvation Army, the United Way and the American Red Cross are beginning [to finalize] their plans to help the homeless in their communities [through the winter]. This is a tradition that Americans have repeated for decades.
Most cities and government agencies are making a real effort to help the homeless, but they can’t keep up with the demand. Ironically, many cities have passed laws banning sleeping in parks and other public places, [s]o when a town does not have enough beds for the homeless, where can they sleep?
Boise, Idaho, [officials] created such a ban on sleeping in public places. A case was brought against the city by homeless plaintiffs who were convicted under the Boise ordinances that criminalize sleeping or camping in public. According to The Idaho Statesman, the U.S. Department of Justice jumped into the suit and sided with the plaintiffs by arguing that criminalizing public sleeping where there is insufficient shelter space unconstitutionally punishes them for being homeless. The government cites the Eighth Amendment, which disallows cruel and unusual punishments to our citizens. In its filing, the Justice Department said, “[E]nforcing these ordinances is poor public policy, because pushing homeless individuals into the criminal justice system does nothing to break the cycle of poverty or prevent homelessness in the future.”
Boise is not alone. […] When there are 578,424 homeless people on any given night this year (401,501 in shelters and 177,373 sleep unsheltered), of which 49,933 are veterans, cities simply can’t keep up. For veterans, stepping back onto American soil isn’t the end of the battle—it’s the beginning of another battle for stability in housing, finances, health and support systems that too easily ends in homelessness. In June, the Department of Veterans Affairs launched the Homeless Veteran Community Employment Services program, which aims to help veterans exiting homelessness and those on the brink of homelessness gain stability and long-term employment. Let’s hope it takes off quickly.
We know that homelessness cannot be solved by the government alone; [t]his is a major problem that affects all of our communities. There are many ways the average citizen can help, [whether] by donating or volunteering. The Covenant House opens up its doors to help homeless youth. Stand up for Kids helps homeless street kids. Support Homeless Veterans works to get these forgotten heroes off the streets. […]
With the limitless potential that the homeless have to make a lasting positive contribution to our communities, we cheat not only them but ourselves by not allocating dollars, either in the taxes we collect or the disposable income we can spare, to helping them. If we ever found ourselves in that situation, wouldn’t we want someone to do the same for us? Together, we can work to get the homeless back on their feet.
Here we are heading into another school year, and, once again, communities all across America are struggling with funding cutbacks that affect teachers, school programs and school facilities. Much like marketing is the first department to be cut back when a business has to downsize, the arts-education departments are the first to lose funding when schools are in trouble. This is evident just by looking at the history of our government’s National Endowment for the Arts program; in 1992, we were funding it at $176 million a year, and now it’s only $146 million. Contrary to what many of our political leaders think, the arts in school are essential to creating the innovative workforce of tomorrow.
Arts education is one way to help develop critical and creative thinking, according to PBS. For instance, music education may improve skills like reading, writing and foreign language learning, because it trains auditory skills. It takes discipline to learn to play an instrument, which increases concentration skills. Making music involves more than the voice or fingers—a child taps into multiple skillsets using their ears and eyes, as well as small and large muscles. Music also helps kids visualize various elements that should go together, much like the thinking they would use in solving a math problem. Solving these multistep problems prepares children for careers in architecture, engineering and technology.
A study at the University of Kansas showed elementary schools that had superior music-education programs scored 22% higher in English and 20% higher in math on standardized tests, compared to schools with low-quality music programs. Theater participation where students recreate stories may strengthen memory and verbal skills, and, because it involves roleplaying with others, may help in understanding the viewpoints of others in real life. Creating art and […] visiting museums [both] boost analytical thinking by teaching students to notice details in paintings, which may help train them to consider details in their future.
Research by the NEA found that at-risk students who have access to the arts show better academic results, [have] better workforce opportunities and [demonstrate] more civic engagement. They found that low socioeconomic status (SES) students who had a history of arts involvement in the eighth grade were more likely to have plans to earn a college education. […] These SES eighth-graders were nearly 30% more likely to read a newspaper and volunteered at a rate of […] 20% [more] than that of the other students.
In […] Arizona, a model program by the Tucson Unified School District known as Opening Minds Through the Arts (OMA) was inspired by the ongoing research into brain development and music. [The] program […] integrates arts education with core curriculum from Kindergarten through eighth grade. OMA uses instrumental music, opera, dance, theater and visual arts to help teach reading, writing, math and science. Each school has an Arts Integration Specialist and a team of seven artists working alongside classroom teachers, adapting each lesson to support teaching of core content and knowledge. In addition, the children learn to play the recorder, violin, a wind instrument and keyboard. The OMA program employs 26 artists from the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Opera Company and [the] University of Arizona’s School of Music who teach 30-minute twice-weekly classes for 36 weeks of the school year. The quality of this program and the documented student achievement results [have] gained national recognition from the U.S. Department of Education, Harvard Project Zero and the Arts Education Partnership.
Innovation is needed in today’s competitive workforce. Innovation relies on a broad mix of skills [and] several types of people, [primarily] scientists, developers [and] entrepreneurs. Skills by job group obviously are different, but certain skillsets overlap most innovative jobs. Technical skills need content and procedural knowledge, thinking and creative skills question ideas and find solutions to problems, and social and behavioral skills involve communication, collaboration and persistence. These jobs all need a skillset that pulls in knowledge from several different experiences. Having kids exposed to music, drama, dance, choir, [the] performing arts, literary arts, media arts and visual arts starts them on the path to innovative thinking.
We know most school districts have arts on the back burner. What can adults passionate about the arts do to help? If you love the arts, you can volunteer in the schools sharing your enthusiasm for music, performing arts or the visual arts. If you don’t have the time to volunteer, there are several organizations that will take your donations to help students. The Afterschool Alliance enriches kids when school is over. The Scholastic Art & Writing program encourages students on a local level [by holding] exhibitions of [their] work. Americans for the Arts works on advancing the arts and art education. The Arts Integration Solutions’ mission is to transform the education system by bringing the classroom practice of arts integration to every child. […]
Arts education matters. People exposed to the arts play a significant role in the continued innovation of the United States. The arts are an essential part of our heritage and vital in what makes us human and separates us from other creatures. Our lives are infused with the arts as we listen to music, watch TV dramas and comedies, read fiction, attend museums [and] theaters, and watch the dance of “The Nutcracker.” Our lives and our children’s lives would truly be empty without the arts.
DollarDays is an innovative online wholesale distributor on a mission to level the playing field for growing businesses. By taking manufacturing and distribution to the digital marketplace, the site provides small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and nonprofits with the economic security necessary to take on the challenges of 21st-century entrepreneurship.
SMEs have always been the backbone of North American industry, but, in recent years, vast changes in the domestic economy have threatened the livelihood of small businesses everywhere. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the last year alone, over 470,000 U.S. businesses died, with only 400,000 new ones created. Despite these daunting statistics, the reality is that many small firms are still fighting the good fight, and, today, DollarDays may just be the solution.
The firm’s hybrid business structure blends the accessibility of the Web with the professional tradition of personalized service, an approach that has propelled the site to the forefront of the sector. With 3.5 million registered users and an average of over 1,500 new customers a day, DollarDays has emerged as an unlikely competitor in the high-stakes world of manufacturing and distribution. With statistics showing over 50% of customers ordering from DollarDays.com four times or more, the website is an example of not only how to gain, but to keep customers coming back for more.
The website’s ongoing growth has garnered widespread attention internationally, but, according to Marc Joseph, the CEO and president of DollarDays, this success is more than accomplishment; it’s a pursuit of passion. “I am very passionate about making sure we support growing businesses. It’s our mission to support them in any way we can to keep them alive and growing.”
DollarDays was created in 2001 as an answer to an evolving sector and a changing global economy. Soon after the global recession hit, the significance of DollarDays.com grew even more apparent.
“We always put ourselves in our small-business customer’s shoes, and we ask ourselves, ‘What do they need to compete?'”
As many small businesses felt the pangs of economic disparity, financially driven changes in the manufacturing and distribution sectors made commercial success harder than ever.
Traditionally, manufacturers and distributors relied heavily on salespeople. Following the downturn, many of these companies moved to diminish their operating overheads by limiting the number of sales representatives on staff. This seemingly small change had a significant impact on the ability of SMEs and nonprofits to source quality products. This change, paired with the price of shipping and increasing credit restrictions, pushed the cost of operations so high that there was little chance of any small firm surviving in the monopolizing marketplace.
This is where DollarDays comes in.
Leveraging the Internet as a new channel of distribution for wholesale and closeout products, the company’s Web-based platform became a hotspot for SMEs and nonprofits seeking an alternative route to sourcing stock. “We felt the Internet would give us the ability to level the playing field for these small businesses, giving them a chance to compete, survive and thrive against the chains in the area.”
It brings to the table several major benefits [that] are based on the company’s unique hybrid approach. From a product standpoint, there are few companies with the range and affordability of DollarDays, which carries over 300,000 products at any one time.”We are [a] one-stop shop in terms of products [businesses] can promote, products they need and products which show their customers that they are relevant with the trends.”
The site is easy enough for clients to navigate quickly and independently, as high-resolution images and descriptions provide customers a clear view of products. As the site is a favorite for many nonprofit organizations, the range of back-to-school essentials and seasonal goods [is one] of the most diverse and affordable on the market.
One of the primary benefits of using this Web-based supplier is its uniquely accessible format. Any business owner knows running your company is an around-the-clock responsibility. For thousands, the company’s 24-hour accessibility is a priceless, timesaving asset that accommodates those who simply cannot take time out of the workday to browse and restock. Often, one of the site’s busiest times is the early hours of the morning, when thousands place orders from the comfort of their homes.
“I am very passionate about making sure we support growing businesses.”
Marc Joseph, CEO and President, DollarDays
When it comes to serving growing businesses, the price point is inarguably the most important factor. The cost-saving benefits of DollarDays are twofold, as both the starting price and order minimums are substantially lower than the typical manufacturer or distributor.
It gives smaller businesses a chance at buying power that has typically been reserved for powerful multinational firms. “Closeouts help businesses buy more with the dollars they have.” The company provides unparalleled closeout deals throughout the year, which spell[s] serious value for companies looking to increase inventory or offer deals.
Most manufacturers and distributors require companies to order products by the truckload, which can be a very expensive or risky move for those with smaller budgets. These requirements make it difficult for businesses with less working capital to expand their range and test out new products. DollarDays has a minimum order of one case, which enables customers to grow their businesses sustainably with peace of mind. “We want our customers to try stuff so they can see what works for them,” said Joseph.
Sometimes, in Web-based businesses, customer service is the last thing that comes to mind, but DollarDays has worked relentlessly to change that, and customer service has remained a primary component of [the] firm’s success. The tradition of door-to-door sales may be dying, but the company has found a way to bridge the benefits of the Web with the appeal of personalized service. “The thing that really separates us from other businesses on the Internet is our customer service in sales.”
The site has an extensive team of inside sales representatives, many of whom come from a background of small-business ownership themselves. “We are able to maintain the backbone of our business, because our inside salespeople are really working with our customers to help them grow their business.”
Buying products is a very personal business, and the company takes this commitment very seriously. Although thousands of customers access and place orders on the website with no assistance, a substantial number of clients choose to work closely with the in-house sales team. The sales team moves through the site with customers, providing insights and tips on everything from regional popularity to the price point of similar goods.
“The company’s Web-based platform became a hotspot for SMEs and nonprofits seeking an alternative route to sourcing stock.”
Similar to SMEs, the nonprofit sector has faced the very real threat of severe losses. In an industry predicated on helping others, the importance of a dollar extends beyond the cost of goods. Nonprofit organizations are an increasing portion of DollarDays’ business, and assisting them to grow is a primary mission for the firm.
As a substantial part of the company’s client base comes from the nonprofit sector, the in-house sales experts are experienced in providing the insights and sensitivity necessary to help novice buyers make economically strategic decisions. “It is as important with our nonprofits as it is with our businesses that they are working with people who understand their budgets and business. Nonprofits aren’t professional buyers—their mission is to help people—so, as experts in how nonprofits work, we can offer exactly what they need.”
The site’s Wishlist Program (similar to a bridal registry) is a free initiative that allows nonprofits to register a list of desperately needed items online. Through this registry, patrons can purchase and ship tangible donations with the click of a mouse.
What really sets it apart is a corporate culture that starts with dollars but is driven by something much bigger. The firm’s relentless commitment to U.S. development is practical, but, at the core, it is ethical, and, in the end, it is this mission that has made DollarDays a company to watch.
If an American family has an exceptionally bright child, we can usually figure out how to surround them with the right educational opportunities to help them excel. The National Association for Gifted Children estimates there are three million gifted children currently in U.S. classrooms. According to this group’s definition, these are children “who demonstrate or show the potential for high performance, and it is our responsibility to provide the optimal educational experience to fully develop the talents of as many children as possible for the benefit of the individual and the community.”
But what is happening to the psyches of our better students when everyone becomes the valedictorian, considered the best in their high school? The Tahoe Daily Tribune just did a feature story where, of the 70 graduates from North Tahoe High School, 18 were declared valedictorians and one was salutatorian. The Columbus Dispatch reports that 20% of all graduating seniors in Dublin’s three high schools became valedictorians—that’s 222 valedictorians! When I went to high school many, many years ago, we were all chasing the top student in my class, […] and no one could catch up to his intellect, so he deserved to be our only valedictorian. How did all our kids get so smart that so many now share in top honors? Are our children smarter than we were, or has our society changed how we measure success, and is that change really for the better?
U.S. News just reported that 24% of American 15-year-olds cannot successfully complete basic math and science tasks. They estimate that if the U.S. educational system could get these students to understand the basics of math and science, the economic gains over the working lives of these students would add up to more than $27 trillion. This report goes on to say that “improved skills do not automatically require more money, just more focus. As a result, the world is no longer divided into rich and well-educated countries and poor and badly educated ones. With the right policies, countries can break out of the cycle of rewarding the best and penalizing the rest.”
The Supreme Court unanimously underscored the idea of equal education opportunities for all in “Brown v. Board of Education” 61 years ago. The court said, “Education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments. It is the very foundation of good citizenship. It is the principal instrument in awakening the child to cultural values, preparing for later training and adjusting normally to the U.S. environment. Education is a right that must be made available to all on equal terms.”
So how do we help our schools lift up the 24% of Americans needing the basic skills and the other students not standing on the stage as valedictorians? One way is to volunteer your time or donate to tutor organizations that help those in need. If you can’t find a local organization to help with tutoring, A List Education has a strong list of organizations that help tutor those who require the most help. Junior Achievement, whose mission is to prepare young people to succeed in a global economy, can use our help. They impacted 4.5 million U.S. students in 197,000 classrooms last year and can use additional volunteers and donations. […]
During the tough economic times since 2008, national, state and local governments have failed to adequately and fairly resource our schools. Budgets, staff and updated equipment have been sacrificed because we have not been able to adequately fund these schools. If the economy had not tanked, it would be a different story, but we have to deal with reality where we just don’t have the money to lift the kids who need it most. We need a school system that prepares all of our students for the ever-changing opportunities our economy offers, and that is why we all need to work on the local level to make educational funding the priority of all upcoming budgets; [o]therwise, we are just cheating our future. While we will always have valedictorians, those students who need the most help will become greater than 24% of our population.
There are 28 million small businesses in the United States, according to the [U.S. Small Business Administration, or] SBA. [These businesses] created 63% of new private-sector jobs [last year] and [account for] 42% of private-sector payroll[s]. Headlines are grabbed by young entrepreneurs who are starting high-tech companies, but, in reality, people over 50 own 51% of small businesses, while those […] under 35 own [just] 16%. [Additionally], On Strategy reports that 66% of new businesses survive for at least two years, 50% make it at least four years, 40% make it to six years, and one-third make it to 10 years.
[W]hy do new businesses fail at such a high rate?
Running out of money too quickly. When starting a business, you need to plan as if you had no sales for six months and have that money sitting in the bank to cover all the startup issues. Before the recession, business owners could borrow against the equity in their homes, but we don’t have that same home equity in 2015. New business startups are rolling the dice and not having as much in the bank, hoping they won’t have to face this issue. Established small businesses also face cashflow issues, because […] their clients are paying slower, so payrolls get missed and lights go off.
Overconfidence in their product. […] If you don’t test [your] market first or you are not keeping up with the trends, there is a good chance customers won’t purchase your goods.
Poor pricing strategy where [the] competition may have a cheaper solution. If you must lower your price, there still needs to be enough margin to pay the bills.
Other reasons for business failures include an over-dependence on one customer. This country is littered with manufacturing startups that were thrilled to get Walmart as a customer. They put too many eggs in one basket, and when Walmart decided to go overseas to knock [out] their products [for less], [these startups] soon went out of business, [especially] if Walmart accounted for more than 50% of their sales. Small-business owners do not know how to say “No.” Some small-business owners promise the world, but going after all the business at one time drains your cash and profitability, and you may lose sight of quality, delivery time and followthrough. If you miss the mark with an inferior product or late delivery, your customers will put you out of business.
Many of my relatives […] are in a family business. According to the Curchin Group, 70% of family businesses never get past the first generation, 85% don’t make it past the second generation, and 97% never get past the third generation, leaving only 3% of family businesses making it to the fourth generation. There are all kinds of reasons for the death of family businesses, but, in reality, they are not much different than what happens in real life. According to The Globe and Mail, over half of family businesses do not have a succession plan. Entrepreneurs are hesitant to place their passion into the hands of others, and so they lack the plan to create a business roadmap. Internal family conflict—where not everyone has the loyalty to go in one direction—causes breakups. Generational conflict—where there is a disagreement in core values and business missions and where the next generation rejects established methods and the entrepreneurial vision—can bring down a business.
So the odds seem against you whether you want to open your own business or join your relatives in their business. It is much safer to join a big business, work hard and get your gold watch, [b]ut the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that the average person born between 1957 [and] 1964 has held 12 different jobs, [a]nd Forbes reports that 91% of those born between 1977 [and] 1997 expect to stay in a job for less than three years, which means they will have 15 [to] 20 different jobs over their lifetime. [I]s taking a chance and opening your own business any different than working for a big business?
If you want to take the plunge into opening a business, America is there to help. One way is through a new program, Big Ideas for Small Business, [which] was launched last year by the National League of Cities in partnership with the City of Chicago’s Innovation Delivery Team. They have produced a toolkit that helps local leaders create ecosystems [to] support small-business growth with city resources and provides business owners with access to new sources of capital. Another resource is SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), […] whose mission is to foster small-business communities through mentoring and education. […] The NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses) […] is [also] a great resource for information and interaction with other small businesses.
This alarming failure rate of small businesses is a concern to every community. For our cities to recently jump in and realize this is a local issue that must be solved reinforces that these entrepreneurs are not in this battle alone—they have their village looking out for them. This is a good start to reverse our small business death trend, [b]ut it also takes individuals in our communities spending in small businesses. […]
America has been great since our independence, because, on the back[s] of small businesses, we have built an exceptional agricultural, industrial and intellectual powerhouse economy. We can’t afford to let these small businesses die, because just about every impressive economic accomplishment in our country started in the mind of an entrepreneur.
This month is full of celebrations honoring our military. May 1 is Loyalty Day, which started in the 1920s to counter the rise of communism. […] May 8 is V-E Day (Victory-in-Europe Day), which commemorates the end of fighting in Europe during World War II. Military Spouse Day is also on May 8 this year, and it celebrates the silent heroes of our military. Armed Forces Day, created to honor all branches of the service, is on May 16. Lastly, Memorial Day is on May 25, and it’s dedicated to the military men and women who gave their lives for our country.
According to the National World War II Museum, […] World War II was the deadliest military conflict in history, [with 15 million battlefield deaths]. Add to this the 45 million civilian deaths and 60 million people who were lost in this war, and you have the current combined population of California and New York.
In World War I, according to PBS, there were 10 million battlefield deaths and 7 million civilian deaths. In this war, the U.S. mobilized 4.3 million people and lost 126,000. The last surviving American veteran of World War I, Frank Buckles, died at the age of 110 on Feb. 27, 2011.
According to the National Archives, 9 million military personnel served during the Vietnam War, and we lost 58,156 Americans. More recently, 650,000 served in the Gulf War from August 1990 to July 1991. Since 2001, between the [wars in] Afghanistan and Iraq, over 2.5 million Americans were deployed, and 6,800 […] died.
Currently, according to The Washington Post, there are 22 million veterans in the United States. Out of these, 92% have at least a high school diploma, and 26% have a bachelor’s degree. Veterans own 9% of all U.S. businesses and employ 5.8 million people.
In theory, Americans have not forgotten about these brave heroes. Since last year, the government has been working on cleaning up the Veterans Affairs’ (VA) hospitals that veterans depend on for help. The VA is working on helping homeless veterans, according to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, [with the number of veterans spending their nights on the street falling from] 57,849 [one year ago] to 49,933 [today]. [Still], the underlying causes of homelessness—shortage of affordable housing, lingering effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse—remain.
In addition to veteran homelessness, 22 veterans take their own lives every day. Reasons for this could be the difficulties of readjusting to civilian life, lack of civilian work experience and combat injuries. There’s also the added pressure that 90% of military spouses are underemployed and earn 38% less than their civilian counterparts while also being 30% more likely to be unemployed.
Poorly performing VA hospitals, homeless veterans on the streets and veterans who do not want to live—how did we let this happen to the heroes who keep us the freest country [in the world]? Most of our citizens join the military because of their pride for this country. No matter the generation or the war, America’s military has always been determined, tough and proud to do their duty. These fighters are sustained by not only the bonds shared within their units, but [by] the love and strength they draw from those at home—their families, spouses, children, parents and communities. It is time for our communities to step up and help veterans in need.
Besides celebrating our military with these special days in May, we must all do more than just wave the American flag or take the day off and watch the parade. We have to help and embrace our veterans so the transition from military life to civilian life is not as painful. If you own a business, you can make a real effort to hire veterans, [o]r, if you’re not an employer, you can still help by donating to Hire Heroes, a nonprofit dedicated to creating job opportunities for veterans and their spouses. Another great [way] to donate [is through the Welcome Back Veterans initiative], which was created to help returning veterans. One of my personal favorites is Soldiers’ Angels, and you can donate directly on their site.
In 1945, we had 12 million active military personnel, and today, we have 1.4 million (not including active reservists). They are our friends, family and the bravest in our communities. These are men and women who sacrificed everything for us, [so] shouldn’t we do the same for them? If we take care of our service members today, it can only strengthen our military for tomorrow.
While writing a good press release is more of an art than a science, there are some tried-and-true strategies that work. To help your next press release land media coverage, we’ve compiled 40 examples of actual press releases that were able to successfully garner publicity. We’ll take a look at each and provide you with actionable advice to create your own successful news release. […]
1. Fit Small Business Promotes Priyanka Prakash To Managing Editor
First, we are going to look at a press that we at Fit Small Business recently sent out so that we can point out the attributes of a good press release. You should look out for these points when viewing the other examples below.
Headline and secondary headline. The headline is crucial to your press release, as it is the first thing that will catch the reader’s attention. Keep it short, interesting and descriptive. Having a secondary headline is a great way to give more information without taking away from the main headline.
Get straight to the point. Press releases are sent to people that are busy, so make sure the essence of your release is in the first two paragraphs.
Easily quotable. Journalists will want to pull parts of your press release to use in their own stories. Make sure you have sentences that will make an impact when used separately.
Include a photo. Sending a picture along with the press release is crucial, as it personalizes the release and makes it stick out in people’s minds. The picture we included was able to immediately put a face to the name and hopefully made people want to learn more about the woman in the photo.
You also want to make sure the press release is newsworthy. This doesn’t mean that you can only send out a press release for information that would make the front page of The New York Times. It does mean that you have to find an angle that you think journalists will find interesting and want to write about.
For our press release, we decided to take a women-in-leadership angle. This is because we noticed a lot of buzz recently about women in leadership roles, which, in the past, was dominated by men. This approach worked well for us. We had our press release written about in over 30% of the outlets we sent the release to, including coverage in Talking New Media and Street Fight Mag.
2. TV Ears Unveils the First Senior-friendly HDTV at Consumer Electronics Show
I drafted this press release on the first-ever senior-friendly TV put out by TV EARS. The timing was ideal since it was leading up to the Consumer Electronic Show (CES). This release was published on numerous sites and also resulted in feature stories and live interviews at CES with national media outlets. There are a few tips from this particular release.
To increase your chances of getting coverage on your press release, it needs to have an attention-grabbing headline. It’s also imperative to send along images of the product to accompany the story. Don’t use the “spray-and-pray” method; instead, tailor your press release to each person separately. That includes writing their name at the beginning and why the news is relevant to their audience. If possible, distribute your press release around a relevant event. Luckily, the product launch on the TV was right around CES, so that helped with exposure.
Faded Banner Publications has made its mark in Civil War and regional history titles, so a book on the paranormal meant taking a whole new approach to our publicity.
We were looking to target the paranormal field but not limit ourselves to that field. We were looking to establish I Met a Ghost as a mainstream book, a serious look at the unexplained phenomenon so prevalent at many historic sites. As such, we emphasized the book as a journalistic endeavor. The press release worked and worked well—we attracted the attention of a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as numerous radio interviews across the nation and in Europe. The release landed me an hour-long PBS interview, and, of course, we achieved the main goal of the press release: selling books.
4. Shopify Plus/VL OMNI Official Partnership Announcement Press Release
What made this press release successful was the intersection of the exclusivity of the announcement (there were only a select few companies who were made official Shopify Plus partners in the first round, and we were one of them), the fact that it was newsworthy, and having a great partner tied into the announcement itself. The latter point was especially critical to the PR, and the notoriety of the Shopify brand really gave the release “legs” in terms of how far it was distributed and the impact it made.
5. The Powerline Group Announces New College Scholarship Program for Long Island, National Students
Our most recent press release, which actually went out today, has been picked up by Business Insider and Yahoo. Successful press releases include information that is well-written, worth sharing and provides value to those reading. Craft a catchy title to garner the attention of notable sources and publications. On the other hand, get to the point with your actual press announcement while remaining professional and communicating an effective message. Be sure there are no grammatical issues or spelling errors. Last but not least, always include relevant contact information so you can be reached by potential consumers, partners, representatives and anybody else interested in the contents of your press release.
6. Turkey Day Juice Kicks off Shoreline Lake’s New Wine-tasting Series
In addition to being picked up by journalists, this press effort has also resulted in additional write-ups and mentions since then and continues to bring Shoreline Lake to the attention of oenophiles and others wanting unique wine-based—and related—experiences in Silicon Valley. This was not a standalone effort, however, but, rather, a tactic used to achieve some very specific market communications goals (which were all met).
Press releases should always be written according to the comprehensive and cohesive market communication strategy already in place, which is based on an in-depth analysis (demographics, psychographics, and socio-graphics) of your target audience, and framed to help reporters convince their editors of your topic’s newsworthiness.
Be judicious, and only write press releases when you have real newsAl impression of desperation (and amateurishness).
7. The Biggest Loser Trainer, Pauline Nordin, Launches a New Brand, App to De-fatten America
Here’s a press release that was created for fitness expert Pauline Nordin. It starts with the most important information—a new app release—and follows with a reason why you should care (Nordin outsold famed fitness trainer Jillian Michaels). It was effective because it gave all of the facts and was easily quotable for journalists interested in the story.
8. TicketCity Celebrates 25th Birthday by Giving Everything Away
I originally wrote a more traditional (read: boring) release around our company’s 25th anniversary, but, after getting bored just proofreading it, I decided to scrap the whole thing and make it something people would actually enjoy reading. The press release not only conveyed our message, but by taking a tongue-in-cheek approach, it also conveyed our brand’s fun-loving personality.
—Ashley Kubiszyn, Marketing and Communications Director, TicketCity
9. Cupcakes & Rubber Ducks—What’s Not to Like!
When you have done something as unique and fun as we did, such as returning the whole rubber duck industry back to America where it began, it’s a cool emotional story that strikes an emotional chord in people regarding U.S. manufacturing and, thus, gets a lot of attention in the media. In fact, the HGTV/DYI/Discover network filmed our N.Y. factory for a show that went out to their 60 million viewer reach in the spring on making ducks in America!
10. Robert Graham of “Bachelor Nation” Enjoys Brighter, Straighter Teeth with Porcelain Veneers from Desert Smiles
Our team had the opportunity to be creative with this press release by tapping into the lingo common among the fandom of the “Bachelor” TV shows and connecting it to the world of dentistry.
The press release is also effective because of its multifaceted storytelling. It highlights a public figure’s connection to the local community (the same area served by our client). It balances writing about the dentist and his practice with the famous person who became his patient, and it uses multimedia—Graham spoke about his experience with our client on camera and appeared in a number of pictures in the client’s office, which enriched our press release with unique content that is worth more than a thousand words.
In my experience, if it reads like the lead to a story, then it makes it easier for a news outlet to publish as is or for a reporter to pick up the ball and run with it from there. I am not saying every news outlet will use your exact lead or even publish the release in full, but it does give them a good idea of how they might approach your story. I have had a lot of success having my press releases picked up and run as is.
One of the strongest things of this particular release is our headline. With so many sexist problems that are flying through the media, we decided to highlight while she is just one woman, she truly is changing the business game for everyone. We also tried to highlight her past and how that plays into her career now, as well as showcase how others perceive her. There is nothing better that speaks to someone’s leadership and integrity than actually hearing from followers.
When writing a press release, it’s important to remain consistent in your language but naturally make your writing engaging. There are thousands of releases every day, and, as PR professionals, we are to make our own news engaging and exciting. You want people to read your work and 1.) think it’s cool and 2.) be impacted in some way.
13. Rentec Direct Releases Ultimate Guide on How to Rent an Apartment
A good press release immediately grabs the reader’s attention by explaining why it’s relevant. For a product release, like the free e-book mentioned in this example, readers want to know who the intended audience is and how the product will benefit them.
Since press releases are also designed for the media to pick up and share with their audience, a reporter or editor wants to know how many people will be interested in this product or service. This particular release is targeted at renters, and since there are over 40 million renter-occupied households in the United States, we knew that the media would be excited to share a free educational guide with such a large audience.
14. Day Translations Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary
We recently launched a press release for our 10-year anniversary. It was picked up by nearly 300 news publications in a few days. It is a great press release, because it highlights our anniversary. Any big landmark in a competitive industry is worth celebrating. It also has quotable content about our company stats and gives the audience value since we are offering a 10% discount on all translation services.
This press release is also very concise; it states the facts right away, then follows up with value for the audience. We also add a quote from our CEO, which is valuable, and quotes Day Translations’ first employee, who is still with the company today.
15. Search Engine Marketing for Small Business Works
This press release about search engine marketing for small business was quite successful, because it was picked up by 182 online publications with a potential audience of 195 million readers, including International Business Times and The San Jose Mercury News.
16. ‘Tis the Season for Shopping Local: Prime Now and Amazon Handmade Team up to Add Handcrafted Items from Local Artisans for Ultra-fast Delivery
In time for the holidays, this press release from Amazon announced that they have made their fastest delivery service available to select small businesses using Amazon to sell their products. The article said that “a specially curated list of products from Amazon Handmade artisans are available through Prime Now this holiday season.” The press release is expected to increase Amazon seller and Amazon Prime subscriptions, as well as sales for small businesses that sell on Amazon.
17. The Special-needs Community Has Made News with Survey Highlighting Disabled Reporter
I specialize in writing press releases aimed at small businesses and have been doing this for many years. One of the ways that my press releases are successful is that almost all of my press releases make it to Google News and/or Bing News, thus giving them a much wider exposure. This particular press release is an example of how to tie in your piece with a headline-making story. It also received a very high pick-up from web services.
18. The Southern Bank Celebrates 80 Years—Then & Now
This press release celebrated a big milestone by acknowledging both past success and planned future expansion—then and now. A community bank exists because of personal relationships and hometown service, so it was important to recognize this strong legacy and presence in our community after 80 years. At the same time, finance and banking have changed drastically over the years, and we wanted to show our customers that we are poised for the future. This press release achieved our goal of celebrating past and future.
The following is a great press release example. It has a sales aspect to it (something you typically want), it’s on a topic that’s worthy of being written about, it reads like an actual article (another key attribute), and it’s got some good quotes in it, as well.
An effective press release takes time and effort in order to be put together correctly. If you are just sending them out with no strategy or purpose involved, most of the time they simply fall on deaf ears.
20. iPartnerMedia Donates Website to Vengeance Woodworks in Recognition of Military Appreciation Month
In [our press release], you will see that the first sentence or two tells the whole story (what we call “the five ‘W’s”). There are also multimedia components to the news release, such as logos for the companies, social media links and images of the products the company sells.
—Randy Mitchelson, Vice President Sales & Marketing, iPartnerMedia
21. The Frame by Samsung Featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things List 2017 as a Must-have Item This Holiday Season
This press release from Samsung features their new Smart TV designed to unite entertainment with elegant art display. When a product lands on Oprah’s wish list, the “Oprah effect” often occurs. By virtue of the TV mogul’s popularity, the product gets instant brand recognition and an increase in sales. [This makes it] definitely worth a press release, and it’s something that the company can continue to talk about for a long time.
22. MoonGlow PR Offers Signed Editions of Beatles Books
The press release was an announcement that my clients’ books were available at the Fest for Beatles Fans event in Chicago and they can be purchased already signed by the authors. Not only did this create a boom for my author’s books, it generated traffic to the Fest website which has won me brownie points with the owners. This release is also timeless and can be linked to on social media again and again.
23. Thrill of the Hunt to Host Dog Scavenger Hunts Nationally
The subject alone caught people’s attention and gave Thrill of the Hunt exposure to increase ticket sales, further promoting our events without additional effort. It was used as a vehicle for interested parties to reach out to Thrill of the Hunt asking for dog scavenger hunts in specific dog-friendly areas or for fundraising opportunities for communities and charities.
This press release gave us exposure in several dog magazines, including San Diego Dog and NOVADog (Virginia), online media such as Edge Media Network, a local radio station, and with local charities who promoted the event in their area.
The press release also promoted our event to potential sponsors, local businesses and national brands. After the launch of the press release, I had potential sponsors interested in one or several of our dog scavenger hunts and sponsorship opportunities.
Giving back is what separates one company from another, [according to] a recent poll. Our customer base of B2B companies and nonprofit organizations crosses all generations, so we thought it was important to remind our customers that DollarDays’ social mission to help communities is a core component of our identity—[a]nd what better way to do that but to double the donations during the month of March.
25. The Bethel Inn Resort Celebrates 100 Years of Hospitality
Here’s a link to my favorite press release that I wrote for the Bethel Inn Resort’s 100th anniversary a couple years ago. Celebrating an anniversary is always a newsworthy event, especially if it hits the century mark. I particularly like this release because it brings into context other major events of 1913. Carrying on the major events theme of 1913, the resort posted a “This Day in History” [for] 1913 at the front desk. I discovered that the first crossword puzzle was published and that Robert Mondavi was born (parking a wine special in the tavern), among other exciting happenings, including the institution of the dreaded federal income tax.
26. Survey: Majority of Employees Would Choose Certain Perks over Standard Salary Increase
We conduct research studies throughout the year on various topics that we feel are relevant and of interest to our target audience. We sent out a press release a couple of months ago featuring our data-monitoring survey that received a lot of positive feedback. It was picked up by various publications, including TLNT and Recruiter.com.
Our study found that 56% of office workers deemed perks were at least moderately important when evaluating a job, and we were surprised to discover that a majority of employees would prefer certain work perks over a raise, including flexible hours and remote work opportunities.
27. My Single City: All-new Mobile App for Singles
The idea behind this press release was to educate people about a new dating app (small business) as well as empathize with any single person who reads it. We placed a small insert about why we developed the app and let readers know that we, too, are single and feel what they’re going through.
I believe the press release was successful because we let readers know that we, too, are like them, and that was the reason behind developing the app.
—Shari Linton, My Single City
28. Sleep with a Ghost—Guaranteed
The results speak for themselves—near-100% occupancy in the hotel in October. It was picked up in Historic Hotels of America’s “Haunted Historic Hotels” release and also sent out nationwide to radio, TV and newspapers. We have had very good luck over the past 10 years of having our annual ghostly story picked up and run all over the world. I have done radio interviews with stations from England, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and from all across the 50 states.
Most people think that you can only submit a press release when your business releases a new product or wins an award. This creative press release plays on people’s fascination with the supernatural in order to gain traction in the media. It also has an attention-grabbing title and was sent out at the end of September in order to be perfectly timed with the upcoming Halloween holiday.
29. Terranova® Celebrates Mother Earth with the Arbor Day Foundation
The idea behind this press release and why it’s effective is it was written to promote our commitment to creating products that use natural ingredients while showing our support for reputable nonprofit organizations—like the Arbor Day Foundation—that give back to the community and help our planet. This press release reinforces our commitment to being green, shows philanthropic support, and creates goodwill with our new and existing customers.
30. “Early Bird Café” a Vividly Written Love Story
This was sent out by my publisher to market my novel to the public and to bookstores worldwide. [Was it] effective? Yes—this helped my book to be picked up by bookstores and websites from here to Russia, China, Australia, etc. By including a description of the book in the press release, we were able to get people interested in the novel. I’m even in my local Barnes & Noble. It was a great way for me to debut my writing and get out there in the publishing world!
—Carrie Aulenbacher, Author
31. Former Casino Employee Takes Gamble on Provocative Tell-all Insider Book on Industry
This press release was successful because, obviously, the content was of interest to the media, and it had a catchy, attention-grabbing headline. I feel that we used the narrative to not only gain interest in the story but to gain sympathy and understanding of the author’s plight, which contributed to the press release success (more than 5,000 hits). One must tell a compelling story in a limited amount of space in a press release. It’s more than the who, what, when and where model—you want the reader to be drawn in immediately.
At Media Minefield, we believe there are more effective ways to get the message to the media rather than press releases. That’s why we created a press release announcing the death of the press release (headline: “Death of the Press Release”). We posted it on our website and on social media on April Fool’s Day as a #KiddingNotKidding.
It’s gotten attention on social media from members of the media who support what we believe about press releases, and it’s gotten our point across in a fun way.
—Allison Ortiz, Media & Messaging Specialist, Media Minefield
33. Emirates, FlyDubai Partnership Announces First Shared Routes
Emirates Airlines have always been known for their service quality, while FlyDubai is popular for low-cost fares. By announcing their collaboration, both service providers benefit from gaining access to customers who would normally stay with one of the airlines. This opens up opportunities for more travel options and more flexible price points for airfares. The press release effectively relays these points to consumers and is expected to increase sales for both airlines as they gain access to a wider consumer base.
34. E-Complish Announces PCI 3.0 Compliance, Making It One of the First Level-one Payment-processing Companies in the World to Achieve This Level of Certification
We wanted to craft a release that went beyond simply patting our company on the back and, rather, explained the relevance that achieving this milestone meant for the industry. Within the release, we pulled together an explanation of why PCI 3.0 certification is important for credit-card processing companies with day-to-day consumers in mind.
Rather than focusing singularly on the client, we felt it was important to focus on implications this certification has on the end user and really, the industry as a whole.
35. FreightCenter Plans to Create 40 New Jobs in the Tampa Bay Area in 2016
There were two purposes to the release—to increase our number of applicants and to create a little buzz about our expected growth. My strategy was to present FreightCenter as an exciting place to work [with] many opportunities to grow. Right away, I supported this claim in my lead when I said FreightCenter will announce “a major overhaul of its company positioning and brand.” This statement was purposely used to create curiosity so the reader would continue reading. […] To further support my claim and satisfy the reader’s curiosity, I included a quote from our COO, Doug Walls, in the third paragraph. The quote should answer any questions the reader might have.
My best press release was the use of a survey we did for eDiets.com. We asked our website visitors and e-newsletter subscribers to complete a poll about the best celebrity bodies and “butts.” In the poll results, Jennifer Aniston was rated higher than Jennifer Lopez, who, at that time, had the most talked-about derriere.
We sent out the press release, and the media loved [it]. Well over a hundred media outlets ran the story, and it was even used as a question on the game show “Hollywood Squares.”
This was so successful because we added survey questions to intentionally generate PR-good headlines through the on-site polling.
37. FocalPointK12 Offers Free Practice Tests for Schools
“Free” is one of the most persuasive words in the English language and makes this press release title eye-catching. Also included in the press release is a link to the free practice test. This gives the reader immediate information without requiring back and forth emailing or other inconvenient actions.
38. Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Justice League” Teams up with AT&T to Take over Times Square
Prior to the movie release of “Justice League,” Warner Bros. Pictures announced in a press release an event, in collaboration with AT&T, to advertise the upcoming superhero movie. AT&T has three stores in Times Square that are perfect for a massive advertising campaign, and by letting Warner Bros. deck their stores with the movie’s iconic figures, AT&T benefits from the increased attention and foot traffic. This press release generated excitement for the movie premiere while [allowing] AT&T […] to increase its marketing opportunities.
39. Four Gooey-good Reasons to Love Yumbutter™
We wrote a press release called “Yumbutter by the Numbers.” There are multiple reasons as to why this press release was successful. We successfully demonstrated the brand’s fun and playful energy while engaging consumers with informative but easy-to-read content.
40. Adigica Health, Inc., Launches BioClarity™ for Acne Treatment in Teenagers, Young Adults
Our parent company, Adigica Health, is an e-commerce company focused on the development of healthcare products. We recently developed a new proprietary skin care regimen specifically formulated for the treatment of acne in teenagers and young adults, and we sent out a press release announcing the new product.
We included statistics in the press release of how many teenagers and young adults reported clearer acne after using our product, which, I believe, is what helped us gain over 8,000 followers on our Instagram and 3,000 on our Facebook account.
In today’s America, why would anyone ever want to become a teacher? The budgets for our classrooms dwindle each year, and teachers continue to take money out of their own pockets to provide their students with supplies. The schools are getting older, and fewer new schools are being built annually. Based on the school shootings over the last few years, teachers must now worry every day about the security of students and themselves. All of this seems to eclipse why teachers wanted to teach in the first place.
In spite of the pressure on teachers, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics, public schools employed 3.1 million teachers this year. There were 284,000 new teachers joining public schools compared with 222,000 a decade ago. Thankfully, the spirit to teach has not been lost on our newest college graduates. Why teachers choose to teach can be a very personal decision, but common themes include giving back, being a caring adult in a child’s life, proving one person can make the difference and inspiring students.
This year, 49.8 million students attended public elementary and secondary schools. There are 13,600 public school districts with 98,300 schools between them. We will spend $619 billion on our schools, which works out to $12,281 per student, [a]nd 3 million students will graduate from public schools [in 2015].
It does pay to stay in school. Today’s working adults ages 25 to 34 with a bachelor’s degree earn $46,900 [annually on average], while those with an associate’s degree earn $35,700 [per year]. High-school graduates earn $30,000 [annually], and [the average drops to] $22,900 [per year] for those without a high-school diploma.
The fact that the United States is ranked 14th [in the world when it comes to education], according to Pearson, is a real wake-up call. […] South Korea is ranked first, followed by Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Finland, the United Kingdom and Canada. Pearson found that the top-ranked countries offer teachers higher status in society and have a culture emphasizing education. Society’s attitude about education and its underlying moral purpose seem to be stronger in the top-rated countries—[a]nd to think that just three decades ago, the United States was ranked first in the world.
It continues to amaze me that people want to become teachers. New teachers make around $36,000 [annually] and can earn $58,000 [per year] after 20 years, so striking it rich does not seem to be a reason to pursue this career. There are so many stories about teachers helping others that remind us that there is spirit within these individuals that the rest of us don’t possess.
ABC News had a story about Lindsey Painter, a first-grade teacher in New Braunfels, Texas, who is donating her kidney to one of her students. The Arizona Republic reported about a Phoenix fifth-grade teacher, Reid DeSpiegelaere, who helped the school’s families when their rent was increased. Many of the families were immigrants from war-torn countries who could hardly pay their current rent and were very connected to the school, teachers and staff. DeSpiegelaere organized the effort to find the families other places to live in the district. “In modern education, especially in this area, we need consistency,” DeSpiegelaere said.
Schools are the heartbeat of our community, [a]nd it isn’t only teachers who mold our kids, as People reports. Charles Clark is a janitor in Euless, Texas, and for 26 years, has been mentoring poor and fatherless kids. Trinity High School’s 2,400 students name Clark as the most influential person at their school, and he has hundreds of thank-you letters from students.
With what is going on in Congress, it is very unlikely that our schools will be receiving additional funding in the near future. Add to this the fact that teachers this year took an average of $513 out of their own pockets for classroom supplies, food for hungry kids in their classrooms, instructional materials, and books for their students, and we have a no-win situation for students and teachers. It is up to concerned citizens and parents to make a difference and give teachers well-deserved help.
The National Teachers Assistance Organization gathers donations for professional assistance for teachers. At Donors Choose, public school teachers post classroom project requests, and you can donate to the project that most inspires you. At Start Donating, they match donors with teachers in need of supplies. […]
It takes an entire village to bring quality education to the next generation. We have the teachers and the staff already in place. Painter shows us that teachers truly do care about their students. DeSpiegelaere reminds us that for a school to be successful, it must care about the neighborhood. […] Clark teaches us that all of us, whether we are teachers or not, mold our community. As teachers finish this school year and start to prepare for the next, it is up to our [legislators], community leaders, parents and ordinary citizens to support our kids before it is too late.
Kim Flynn, business-training expert and motivational speaker for women entrepreneurs, and DollarDays’ CEO, Marc Joseph, team up in this webinar to deliver powerful business information for today’s women entrepreneurs!
Kim Flynn offers three key points to accelerate your business:
The top three mistakes women make in business
Building your business blueprint
Determining your current stress number
Marc Joseph delivers the answers to:
Does it make sense to open an online business in today’s world
What to sell online
Marketing your website
Mistakes to avoid
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/123988249]Sit back and enjoy the webinar, and learn from two of the most respected people in their businesses! This webinar was recorded live on April 1, 2015, at DollarDays’ headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz., where we were honored to have Kim Flynn fly in from Utah.
Nearly a decade ago, social media was a small fraction of retailers’ marketing mix. Most of the time, businesses were focused on building up their social profiles and pushing out messages and coupons to their followers.
But now, the rules of social engagement have changed: best-in-class retailers understand that ongoing communication, information sharing and engagement drive successful social initiatives.
For the first time, Retail TouchPoints is honoring brands and retailers that are using social media in innovative ways to improve their engagement, service and selling strategies.
Winners of the 2015 Social Media Maven Awards include both large national retailers and smaller brands and startups. Award recipients also vary in their product and service offerings, from accessories to apparel, cosmetics and office supplies.
