1. Journalism 370 September 12, 2011

2. Why are we talking about business wri=ng in media rela=ons class? Public Rela=ons is about telling stories that preserve or improve brands. The beFer a brand, the more likely is survives. A surviving brand means you s=ll have a job. Good business wri-ng helps you eliminate clu7er, workplace drama and other annoyances that prevent you from doing the PR work you want to do. 3. Wri=ng Basics Before You Ever Start Typing You will write internal copy for two groups. Client statement of work. Memo to bosses and coworkers. 4. Statement of Work Denes your work to the client. Overview Objec=ves Audience Tone Deliverable Product How many copies of said product? Timeline to create those deliverables. 5. Your Statement of Work Oers scope and scale In this case, your client can use the work as they see t. Some choose to use the releases. Others never touch them. None of the material you produce this quarter will be published without the clients wriFen permission. 6. Your Statement of Work Oers scope and scale What are the campaigns objec=ves? How will you translate to them the work youre doing? Chances are, many people you work with have never heard of a media kit. Chances are, many people you work with are terried of social media. Help clarify what youre doing and why it maFers and how it will help. 7. Memo Format Bosses gloss over stu. You need to keep them updated on client progress. Memos make that happen. They also cover you when something goes wrong. 8. Memo Format The Beginning Why are you wri=ng? Men=on this in the subject line Men=on this in the rst or second sentence Be nice Tell Them What Youre Going To Tell Them 9. Memo Format The Middle All the slides I will go over in the next 20 minutes.use them. Bullet Points Outline Vary Copy Visual Aids Tell Them 10. Memo Format The End What is the next step? When will that step be delivered? Be nice. Tell Them What You Told Them 11. Lets Talk Wri=ng 12. Wri=ng Basics: Before You Ever Start Typing Research the client Research the clients compe=tors Research your company Research your companys compe=tors Research the target audience Context MaFers!! 13. Wri=ng Basics Before You Ever Start Typing Outline the purpose What outcome to you want? Inform Entertain Persuade 14. Wri=ng Basics Before You Ever Start Typing Outline The Purpose Who is the specic target audience? What concerns or needs does the audience have? What communica=on channel will you use? Who is the best source of this informa=on? CEO PR Person Human Resources 15. The Main Theme of Good Wri=ng (Yes, remember this for the nal) The key to good wri=ng is brevity. Be concise and thorough. 16. Universal Truths to Achieve That Theme Commitment Statement How can you explain everything you are talking about in one sentence? That sentence should have emo=onal impact. Everything you write needs to revolve around that commitment statement. 17. Universal Truths to Achieve That Theme SVO Wri=ng Subject Verb Object 18. Universal Truths to Achieve That Theme Avoid passive voice at all costs Passive voice is confusing. Passive voice is cumbersome. Passive voice is not conversa=onal. Passive voice wri-ng will hurt your grade. Dont use it. 19. What is passive voice? The man was biFen by the dog. The dog bit the man SVO wri=ng shortens your sentences. SVO wri=ng is more clear. SVO wri=ng is beFer. 20. Universal Truths to Achieve That Theme Every word should have a purpose. Write your copy Diet Coke break Review your copy Read it aloud 21. Laundry List of Wri=ng Tips I Hope You Know By Now Do use ac=ve voice verbs create immediacy. Use them. Dont use jargon. Its confusing. Do vary sentence structure and length. Dont overly hype something. Do think about tone. 22. Ways To Clarify Wri=ng Example We all played show and tell in elementary school. Deni=on If you use a complex term, assume people dont know what it means Comparison We know about apples to apples 23. Ways To Clarify Wri=ng Restatement Tell them what youre going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them. 24. Lets Talk Wri=ng Assignments 25. Whats Next? September 19: Memo to me about your client: This will be graded as an in class assignment. First Reading Memo on Wilcox chapters: This is a graded assignment. September 21: Statement of Work: This is a graded assignment. 26. Whats Now? In class wri=ng assignment. Youre the PIO for the local police department that is handling this inves=ga=on. Write a release with the informa=on you have on the piece of paper Im handing out. Feel free to look back at my wri=ng notes from today.