5 Ways to Labor WAY Less with Online PR

In honor of the US holiday, Labor Day, I write you today about labor. YOUR labor. And how by working smarter, not harder, you can gain more completion, and yes, better results with your Online PR.

Before I share my list for less Online PR labor, did you know THE one element that could immediately short-circuit your success? The Answer? It’s your mindset.

Lets face if, if you perceive that something is going to take a lot of work, you’re less likely to do it. So part of my strategy is showing (and in some cases, tricking) your mind to see you’ve got plenty of shortcuts just waiting to be tapped with your Online PR.

The truth is Online PR isn’t easy unless you have the right formula. And that formula consists of the right process, tools and resources.

So now you’re ready for the 5 Ways to Labor WAY Less with Online PR:

1. Use the Right Press Release Template

Press release templates exist for a reason: they get you beyond the “blank screen effect.” That’s where you are staring at a blank computer screen waiting for inspiration to strike. And sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t.

Now some templates are way better than others. I’ve found some people call a glorified outline a template. Wrong-o! A template helps you do the job faster and easier. Another mistake I see people make is using a boring announcement-driven press release template.

Better to approach your press release with a bit more imagination. To see what I’m talking about, you can access my top optimized press release template for free. Other good template resources are from online press release service providers like PRWeb and eReleases.

2. Start (and Grow) a Swipe File

First, lets define what a swipe file is and does. It’s not something you blatantly rip off from someone else. A swipe file contains samples and examples you use to brainstorm your own ideas and solutions.

So, you could have swipe files of any or all of the following:

• Headlines
• Online Press Releases
• Articles in your industry or niche
• Quotes

Since these items may exist in different media formats, there’s no need to review all items of your swipe file.To try this technique out, start bookmarking releases that catch your eye. Then, when it comes time to begin your Online PR and write your release, start with your swipe file first and that will get the ideas flowin’.

3. Keep Your Finger on The Pulse of Today’s News

Some people prefer to avoid the news because it’s all bad and they don’t want a letdown. Now, granted you can get sucked into a few things, but lets exert just some mild mental discipline here, ok?

The goal here is to leverage one of the most power Online PR techniques in existence. In short, piggyback your story and release on what’s already making news.

This gold mine of story ideas could include:

• Current events
• Popular culture
• Entertainment

Here’s a quick example. Ever hear of the MTV show called “Pimp My Ride?” Well, I saw a press release that immediately caught my eye because the headline read, “Pimp my Bathroom.”And in so doing, gave a release about bathroom fixtures a real edge.

TIP: sign up for Google Alerts for keywords in your industry. You can also visit news aggregator sites like Alltop and Popurls and see what’s making news at a glance.

4. Create a Headline Archive

The #1 Online PR mistake I see even the pros make? The headline copout! That’s when you give up and use a boring, non-optimized headline. This continues to happen because people write releases like it’s the 1940’s when all you needed to do is make a simple announcement.

Maybe if you’re a Fortune 500 company you can get away with that. But for the rest of us, we need to attract attention and we do that first and foremost with a headline.

When I write as press release, I’ll often generate 50+ headlines. That really gets me in the flow of the idea behind the release.

By having a headline-centric brainstorm and then archiving your unused headlines, you’ve already got a BIG head start. And since you only need one headline per release, many of the other headlines you generated can be used in the release as lines of body copy or in future releases.

5. The Power of a Single Page Matrix

A key part of my Online PR process is creating a single page document that includes a matrix of 11 vital pieces of information. Everything from the topic, headline and key support points to keywords, quotes and calls to action.

I’ve had people tell me I should sell this one page matrix because of all the time it saves. I prefer to keep it in house and only available for my clients in good standing.

But you can easily create your own in Microsoft Word or another word processor that allows formatting of tables.

I find by centralizing key items in one single page, it gives me a laser focus on exactly what the release needs. The matrix approach also reveals if there are holes that need to be filled. If you work with clients, complete the matrix together. And get sign-off before starting to write. I find this cuts down on revisions and assures I hit the target first time out.

I hope you found these “labor less” tips helpful. For me, it was a labor of love to share them. (Did I really say that?) 🙂

After reading this, how can you “labor less” with your Online PR? Share you thoughts in the comments.