When hundreds of thousands of youth descend upon Sydney, Australia five days from now, some of them will be singing a hymn advertised on the internet by a group of Franciscan Sisters in Milwaukee.
A specially-composed modern remake of “Come Holy Ghost,” available for download at the website of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity is sure to garner some interest among those seeking vocations. And this kind of publicity is free.
The Sisters submitted a press release to several online services. You can read their release on CathPR Wire, which offers a free press release service, subject to approval. I found the release listed in a very impressive third-place ranking on Google.com when I typed in the words “World Youth Day sisters.” These are terms that I think would be used by youth interested in the event and also in a vocation.
The press release states that the hymn “re-imagines the traditional hymn, correlating with the Pentecost theme of World Youth Day 2008.” It also says, “It’s both a benediction for youth traveling to Sydney, as well as a way for those who can’t attend to take a ‘multicultural musical journey’.”
Writing crisp, succinct and interesting copy is an important skill. The Sisters did well. First of all, they chose a timely theme, and one that concerns youth, a key audience target. They also offered something free, which is always a grabber. In this release, the Sisters describe the various elements that make up the song, with quotes of composers and a two-sentence kicker at the end explaining the community.
Another site that the Sisters sent their release to was that of a company called 24-7 Press Release. This company explains that publishers can choose the free service, or one of several paid plans that include features such as photo inclusion and RSS feeds (used in blogs), starting at $49. (The Sisters’ press release mentioned here appears to come from their free service.)
I mention 24-7 Press Release because they offer a 12-page section on press release writing tips that is also available on PDF. They also offer a section on resouces made of books and websites that can help in learning this kind of writing.
There are other free press release services as well. Check out PR Log, and I-newswire.com.
Besides single persons, your target audience will include journalists and bloggers, who are always looking for news and good copy. How do I know this? I used to be a newspaper reporter. Where do you think the media comes up with ideas? Someone has to toot his own horn. Just think, a reporter or blogger may give extra mileage to your press release, just as I did with the Sisters’ free audio.
What can you feature in your press release? Look for a good news angle. Is your community doing something new? Can you relate your community’s life to a timely event? Is there a unique angle to the services you provide in your apostolate? Can you relate your founder’s charism with your apostolate in a fresh way? What does the silence of your cloister offer to today’s busy world? These are all gist for the mill for press releases.
—————————————————————-
Quote of the day: “I volunteered a personal donation [of cash] since I am eager to see as many young people as possible attend this event which has the potential to change lives and open the way for young people to respond to a vocation from the Lord.”
– Fr Tim Finigan, parish priest of Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen, England, blogging about World Youth Day.
