A brief and captivating press release will share your company’s latest developments with the world, bringing you to the forefront of every conversation. On the other hand, a mistimed or poorly handled press release will likely cause more damage than good.

If you do not manage your press releases properly, it is unlikely that they will ever reach your target audience, which is a waste of a golden opportunity to expand your reach. Not to mention, a big waste of money. Below, we will discuss when you should write a press release, how to best leverage it, and give general tips on best practices.

When to Write a Press Release

A growing, competitive business will have several opportunities throughout the year to write a press release. It’s important to keep in mind though that not every small thing is press release worthy. That said, you may be surprised by all the seemingly insignificant events you missed out on that would have been perfect opportunities to utilize a press release. Such occasions include:

• Important new updates to product or service – Keeping your customers or potential customers in the loop about updates is essential for any business’ success. For example, Apple releases a press release every time their OS is updated. Included in the press release is information about bugs fixed, new features of the operating system update, and the motivation behind the update.
• New differentiating factor that sets the company apart – If your company has created something groundbreaking that distinguishes itself in the market, whether it be a feature, a product or something proprietary, capitalize on this achievement by sharing it with the public!
• New developments – If there are new developments to the product or company itself, let the public know by building up the hype on how these developments will make the company even better.
• Significant new hires – A new hire, especially from another successful company, is a great way to signal that your company is composed of the best and brightest talent. In Hollywood, the trades will regularly discuss an agent moving from CAA to WME or a big-time producer joining a new studio. Naturally, this generates speculation about what they will add to the team or the new direction they may be taking that company.  
• Significant changes to product or service offering – If you are dramatically changing your good or service, especially for the better, it is essential you let your customers know. To competitors within the market, it will signal that you are forward-thinking, a trendsetter, or an early adaptor to new tech.
• Any social justice tie-in, charitable event, or significant donation – In recent years, the public has put a larger emphasis and importance on companies actions toward making the world a better place. Although it may seem boastful, just about every company will have charitable promotions that function as a form of advertisement. For example, in the most recent World Series, TMobile promised that they will donate $10,000 for hurricane relief for every home run hit.   
• A new partnership with another business or organization – If you are partnering with another business or organization for a new product, social justice cause, or bundled product deal, let the public know. If you don’t share this information, you’re doing both of your companies a disservice. After all, the whole point of working together is to try and convert the other business’ customers into your own as well.
• Setting the record – There are times when there is information you need to clarify or have as a matter of record but that isn’t necessarily something you would pitch to the press. Issuing a release is a great way to make this information easily available to people online.

The Substance of the Press Release

If you want to get the most out of your press release, you must have something that is both newsworthy and readable. Tips for increasing the impact of your press release include:

• Seize the reader’s attention with the headline – A majority of readers never get past the headline itself. Therefore, as with any article or pitch, a strong, encompassing headline is critical. Ideally, it should draw the audience in, while also summarizing the gist of the press release. Avoid clickbaity or Buzzfeedesque headlines, as most readers have become jaded by companies misleading their audience. Making a dramatic statement in the headline and then contradicting it within the release does not sit favorably with readers.
• Include quotes – If you want to increase your credibility, quotes from high-level sources or trusted industry leaders are essential. Your audience is far more likely to believe you if a known figure adds their insight to the matter.
• Keep it simple – Do your best to avoid industry jargon or technical language that your audience might not understand. If that is unavoidable, do your best to explain this lingo in layman’s terms. Press releases should be able to be read by an industry expert, as well as a person who has never heard of your service.
• Keep it concise – Press releases are not novels. They should grab the audience’s attention and briefly tell them why this release matters. If a reader sees a wall of text, they are far less likely to read it. As a general rule of thumb, a press release should never be more than a page long. If a reader wants more information, they can reach out via the contact info found in the release.
• Use visual content – Video, pictures, and infographics help you tell your story visually. The human brain processes visual information at a much more rapid rate than it does translating text. By sharing essential information, statistics, and data in a visual manner, you can emphasize points while enhancing readability.
• Create a pitch – When reaching out to editors, you should write a media pitch that briefly sells the story and its relevance to the editor. This pitch should include succinct details of the story and convey why it matters to that publication’s audience.
• Use Link Building – In recent years, more distribution platforms have employed no-follow links, but for those who have not, press releases are fantastic means for building brand awareness and increasing SEO presence. If allowed, add links to your press release that readers can click on to find out more about your company or product. By adding this landing page, you also increase the likelihood media outlets will link back to your target site, thus helping your position in the SERPs.

How to Leverage Your Press Release

Now that we’ve covered how to write a press release and what to include within them, let’s take a look at a few tips that will help you get the most out of each release.

• Plan ahead – Don’t wait until the last minute, especially since press releases can build up hype and generate conversation. By preparing well in advance, it will give you time to lock in all the proper approvals and quotes, as well as sufficient time to pre-pitch the release to editors.
• Make sure it is, in fact, newsworthy – If your release does not touch on any of the points above, then there should be a good reason behind the statement. Ask yourself, “Will this release excite people within the industry? Does it give value or speak to current industry trends? Would it serve my interest better if it was released on the blog/press section of the website?” Simply filling the air with noise is not the right way to go about press releases. If that becomes a habit, readers will eventually just ignore it, expecting fluff.
• Focus on point pitching – Point pitching is where you will get the most feedback from press. Before releasing over the wire, focus on your point pitching. If the release is already live, there is no “exclusivity” to it, and it will be unlikely to garner the same amount of interest and traction with editors.
• Find the right editors to point-pitch your release – Create a list of editors who are the ideal fit to tease and cover the press release. Certain editors have built-in audiences that are right for one type of press release, but not a great fit for another. If you do generate interest, you can send over the full release held under embargo prior to distribution.

Conclusion

When done right, press releases are valuable means for disseminating new and vital information within the industry and to potential customers. By keeping relevance and readability at the forefront of your mind, you’ll ensure that you’re getting the most out of each and every press release.

Source: https://powerdigitalmarketing.com/

The post How to Get the Most Out of Your Press Release first appeared on TRIM Solutions.

The UK government announced the latest lockdown on 4 January 2021, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinting at the time that the middle of February would be the earliest he would consider lifting some of the restrictions. On 22 February, the Prime Minister is slated to release the country’s roadmap out of lockdown, providing loose dates for when sectors of the economy can expect to be reopened.

This uncertainty is wreaking havoc with employers, with many already struggling to manage their team during the COVID-19 crisis. Some will have taken heed from the first lockdown, but many employers are finding it increasingly difficult to manage their teams effectively.

If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Studies have shown that around 40% of managers are finding it hard to manage their teams remotely, but there are ways you can make it work. Keep reading to find out more.

Trust

According to the Harvard Business Review, the majority of remote management issues stem from a level of distrust that managers have in their employees’ ability to get their work done. In fact, 38% of managers reported believing their employees performed worse at home, be it because of the temptation of TV or housework, or because of the lack of direct supervision. Furthermore, 29% of managers say they don’t believe their employees have the knowledge to work from home, and a further 27% said they doubted whether their team had any essential skills at all.

It’s clear that a large portion of managers don’t trust their teams to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic but going into it with such a negative mindset is detrimental. More than 30% of employees say they can sense when their managers don’t trust them, and this can lead to deep cracks in employer-employee relationships.

The first step to managing a team during COVID-19 is to trust that they know what they’re doing and know how to get the job done. Failure to do so will cause fractures within your team and only make your job harder, which is the last thing you need considering all the other things you need to juggle as a manager.

Flexibility

With schools closed, mass testing common place and the vaccine rollout underway, it’s likely that your team will have additional requirements they need to tend to during the pandemic that they wouldn’t normally. As a manager, one way you can effectively manage your team is by ensuring you offer them flexibility. If a member of your team needs time off to get a get a test or receive a vaccine, don’t make them feel bad about it. If another member is trying to juggle home-schooling and working full-time, have a chat with them and see if you can adjust their hours so they can do everything they need to do – even if they start work later or switch a day off at the weekend for a day off during the week if this is possible.

The needs of your team will be hugely different during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to at any other time, so offering a flexible approach to working is essential to keeping your team’s morale up and stopping their productivity from dipping.

Communication

As a manager, you’ve likely got several members who all have different needs and ways of doing things. The best thing you can do during the COVID-19 lockdown is to implement a communication strategy that works for everyone. Part of this will come down to trusting your employees and not calling them every hour for a progress update, and some of it will come from taking the lead and knowing what will work best for your team and the business as whole. Without sitting next to each other in the office, you might find your team are reluctant to speak to one another, but you need to encourage them to do just that.

Lead by example. If you have a quick question for one of them, give them a call to lament that it’s quicker than emailing and provides a much more effective way of minimising the risk of crossed wires. You team will be looking to you for things like this, so make sure you set a good example and they will naturally follow.

Compassion

The hallmark of any good manager is to be compassionate and to live up to the duty of care they have for their team, and at no time is this more apparent than during COVID-19. Making an extra effort to ask how each person on your team is, listening to their worries, reassuring them where you can and being someone they can turn to with their concerns will reaffirm to them that you’re there for them during this difficult time. If a member of your team feels like you care about them, they’re more likely to do a good job and your business will benefit as a result. It might not seem like it because the pandemic has forced us all to stay 2m apart, but now more than ever is a time for your team to grow closer. The closer your team is, the better it works, and the better it works, the easier it is to manage in the long-term, not to mention the more productive it is.

Summary

Managing a team of people is hard at the best of times, and the COVID-19 pandemic has more than amplified the struggles faced by those in leadership roles. If you’re struggling, try implementing more trust, offering better working flexibility, opening new lines of communication, and imparting more personal compassion to see if it helps. Odds are, it will, and your work life will be all the better for it.

If you’re finding that you’re still struggling, it could be that you have too much on your plate. Talk to us today to find out how we can help ease your workload during the most difficult of times so you can be more present with your team.

Source: https://www.i3media.net/

The post Tips for Remotely Managing a Team During COVID-19 first appeared on TRIM Solutions.

We all know this Christmas is going to be like no other, even though there are some stats and various insights on how it might be like. Amazon has said that they’ve already seen an increase in people shopping for presents, some resources support this and say this if going to be the best one ever, and some other resources say they don’t expect it to be as busy as there are a lot of people who are having a hard time with their finances. Either way, there is an intent and you as a business should make the most of it!

We’ve put together some tips for you to end 2020 and start 2021 on the right foot:

1. Start planning

We live in unprecedented times and people are being encouraged to plan ahead, start Christmas shopping early and be prepared, hence the panic buying! I’m not saying stock up on toilet roll, I’m just saying you should have started your Christmas campaign planning yesterday! Plan your Christmas products, update your website, start telling people about it.

And when you plan ahead, you can avoid the stress and panic the holiday season might bring to retail businesses. Create your strategy, make sure your content is aligned throughout all your channels and start updating your customers. Tell them what’s coming up, when the last order date is and even set up auto-responses because this year Christmas shopping will be a bit more challenging so help your customers as much as you can! Which brings me to the second tip:

2. Help

Christmas shopping can be stressful at the best of times: so many family members and loved ones to shop for and I don’t know about you but I always count on walking around the stores to see if something catches my eye. This year, we’re needing to do most of our Christmas shopping online so people need help and guidance on what presents to get their loved ones. One way to help people is creating gift guides based on age, gender and interests. Create different collection pages for each group. Another idea is to offer free shopping advice or livechat with a personal shopper so people can ask questions and get an answer from an expert quickly. If you can’t do any of these, you can still help by writing blogs and creating social media posts about advice on buying gifts.

3. Make Your Website Convenient

Normally people go online to shop as it’s not as time-consuming as actually going to a shop somewhere and also because it’s convenient – right now people go online because they don’t have a choice, especially if the second lockdown gets extended to December. Either way, you have to make sure your website is convenient and easy to use for people. Especially with really high amounts of traffic expected until the end of the year, check everything’s working as they should on your website and it doesn’t take a long time for your pages to load as that’s definitely a reason for people to leave your website and not come back! Smallest of annoying issues and glitches might cost you a lot of sales, so get your website in order before the holiday shopping mania begins.

4. Choose Products Wisely

Choose which products to promote wisely! Unfortunately, you can’t make decisions based on what worked during previous years, I’m afraid you’re going to have to make educated guesses. With the pandemic, a lot of our wants and needs have changed, people spend more times at home getting dressed in casual clothing. Based on this people will be more likely to spend money on their houses and clothes they’d wear at home. So make sure you consider these when you update your website and create Christmas themed social media posts and shout out about the right products.

Ps. Make sure you update your homepage to have specific Christmas products section, so people can reach these easier.

5. Create a sense of urgency

Urgency is what makes people buy! Have you ever put something in your basket and left the website thinking you can go back to it and buy it later? And how many times have you actually bought it? If there was a limited time offer on it, I can assure you that you would have bought it right then and there. So use it, create different offers and deals each day, like the 12 days of Christmas campaign Amazon does every year. It works because people don’t want to miss out.

Add countdown timers to your website so people can see the clock ticking, which is basically a way of saying ‘you better act quick’. Also make sure all your social media, website and email promotions are aligned so people can be aware of these deals.

6. Get Creative

Everyone’s working on Christmas campaigns, what makes you different? If you want people to choose you over your competitors, this is the time to get creative.

Start with your content, a very different Christmas is ahead of us, try to come up with some content ideas that can help people, not just gift guides but answer frequently asked questions, think about what will help people get through these rough times. If things were normal, you could create content around how to wrap weirdly shaped presents, why not try showing how you pack your orders so that people can see what they will look like when they send presents to their loved ones through you? It’s not just social media content that needs to be creative, make sure your emails have eye-catching subject lines so they don’t get lost in the millions of Christmas campaign emails we all get.

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes and think of what worries you have about Christmas shopping this year. Then see what you can do to help customers with these kinds of worries.

7. Tell Them Why

No one is there to be sold to, so don’t just say ‘look at what we have, buy it’ on social media, tell them why they need to buy that.

Why would you buy your products? Think of that reason and use it for your social content to show people why your products are attractive and make great presents.

8. Have Fun

Social media is fun, it doesn’t have to be so blunt all the time. Yes, you are trying to sell something but why not have fun with it in the meantime? Show your followers that there is an actual human being behind the screen and don’t be afraid to show them your personality!

People are desperately in need of some socialisation, and they go to social media for this. Share content from other accounts, engage with people on these platforms and they will definitely appreciate it and this will only make you look good. In the end, the trick is to be human!

9. It’s Next Year That You Should Be Focusing On

Do you know why it’s important to sell this year? It’s so that you can build loyalty and sell even more next year! The more people buy from you this year, the more people will remember your products next year. And I don’t mean next year during Christmas. Even if you turn 10% of your new customers, into loyal customers. That’s 10% growth year-on-year. So you should be focusing on selling now, to build loyalty for next year.

Here are 9 tips for a very weird Christmas ahead, use them wisely and turn this short period into a profitable one!

Source: https://socialb.co.uk/

The post 9 Tips To Start Preparing For Christmas This Year first appeared on TRIM Solutions.

A good UX writer knows that clear and concise language is the best way to guide a user through a product. By following basic UX writing principles, you help your audience navigate your product and appreciate everything else it has to offer. Your goal is to ensure your users have a delightful experience, and achieving this involves a collaborative effort from writers, web design experts and SEO specialists.

But what is UX writing, and why does it matter? When you know this, you can begin taking full advantage of UX writing services. In this blog, we break down:

• What is UX?
• What is UX writing in 2021?
• Expert UX writing tips

We also list the top UX writing guidelines followed by every leading UX writing agency today.

What Is UX Writing?

User experience writing is all about using words to guide users through products such as websites and computer applications or apps. However, UX writing principles can also apply to any product, system or service involving user or customer interaction.

So, that explains the writing side of it – but what is UX in itself? Let’s take a closer look to give you a more holistic view of user experience writing.

What Is UX?

User experience covers the overall experience of interacting with your product. The things that contribute to your customer feeling satisfied might be factors outside of the product itself. Generally, this applies to customer touchpoints like a website, where the user experience directly impacts your sales. UX writing guidelines align with what makes a great user experience and help your customers stay engaged.

UX writing is directly related to how easy or difficult it is for users to interact with the product itself. So, basic examples of UX copy include navigation bar labels, call-to-action (CTA) button text, onboarding messages and error messages.

Why UX Writing Matters

Excellent UX writing helps customers use and understand your product and the touchpoints they engage with when interacting with your brand. There’s no question that you need to grab and retain your customer’s attention, and you benefit when they engage. Without UX copywriting, your users could feel confused or frustrated, not knowing what to do on your site or how to interact with it. Worse still, poor navigation and a lack of direction often means they exit your site quickly due to feeling unsatisfied with the interaction.

UX designers build a product to be intuitive in terms of functionality, while a UX writer fills in every knowledge gap through written instructions and explanations. Your website can’t be 100 percent user-friendly without professional UX writing to drive action.

The Benefits of UX Writing for Websites

UX writers and web design experts are vital resources in creating the most optimized experience for your site visitors. It’s a good idea to invest in professional content writing services for your search engine optimized (SEO) editorial content to be found online. But you also need user experience writing to encourage your audience to take steps towards becoming your customer.

Here’s what UX and website copywriting can do for your business:

• Increase Online Visibility

Page Experience, a recent Google update and a hot topic in the SEO world, strengthens the relationship between UX and SEO. The update means that websites offering a great user experience, in line with Page Experience guidelines, are prioritized in Google Search rankings. Achieving an excellent UX design is a collaborative effort – and involving a UX writing agency, content writing agency and web design agency is the most strategic option.

• Drive Users To Take Action

You need to use a combination of words and visuals to tell your site visitors what to do. For instance, they need to know to click “Submit” when handing over their contact information, or all your optimization efforts go to waste. If you want them to read a related blog post, your UX copy and button text should reflect that.

• Improve Session Duration

The session duration refers to how long your site visitor stays on your website as a sum of the time spent on different pages. Keeping them engaged on the page positively impacts your search rankings and potential for sales. What you don’t want is for a user to bounce or immediately exit after seeing one page.

10 Basic UX Writing Principles You Need To Follow

Marketing-oriented copy is essential for your business’s online visibility, while UX writing services are important for your product’s usability. You need UX copy to lead your audience in the right direction and keep them engaged.

UX rules cover tried-and-tested ways to offer the best user experience possible, but your implementation should be unique to your business and goals. The best UX writer takes these UX writing guidelines and applies them to your business’s unique context.

Here’s a roundup of UX writing rules every UX writing agency swears by:

1. Be Concise

UX copy is always clear and concise. Remove unnecessary words and phrases without compromising the readability and essence of your message. People naturally drift away from anything time-consuming or complicated, so keeping things simple is a rule that will always dominate lists of UX writing tips.

2. Use Natural Language

Write the way your users talk. Something unique to UX copywriting is that your copy is considered effective if your users barely notice it. Don’t over-explain, and keep a conversational tone.

3. Stay Consistent

If you want your user to sign up for your webinar, don’t switch it out with the word register on the next page. This also applies to your business’s preferred tone of voice and personality.

4. Be Purposeful

Every aspect of your UX design needs to align with an end goal. The user should understand what they’re trying to accomplish and what is at the end of any given process through words and visual elements.

5. Help Your User

Always empathize with your user: What would you like to see to improve your experience? Having an uplifting error message is one of the best applications of this. If a certain button on your site is not working, you want to apologize while offering an alternative option or immediate solution.

6. Write for a General Audience

You have everything to gain from keeping your content universal. Steer clear of slang words, uncommon terminology and industry jargon. If you have to, define everything the first time you mention it.

7. Place Benefits Before Features

Say “Improve your sleep cycle with our sleep tracker” instead of “Use our sleep tracker to improve your sleep cycle.” Emphasize what’s in it for the user before going into more detail.

8. Write Great Headlines

Aside from capturing your audience’s attention, headlines and headings are vital for UX and SEO. They improve readability by organizing the content better and let search engines know what your content is about when web crawlers “read” it.

9. Know Your Platform

Master the difference between writing for websites, apps and other products. You wouldn’t ask a user to click when using a mobile app or tap when browsing a desktop site. Involve UX writing services in the early stages of your website copywriting process to ensure your UX copy suits your business needs perfectly.

10. Test Continuously

You can follow every rule in the book but still not get the results you want to see. Ensure your UX copy is effective by testing aggressively. Of course, this will be based on your unique goals, style and audience. Understand your audience’s pain points, apply them in your UX copywriting strategy and run A/B tests regularly.

Get the Help of Professional UX Writing Services

Remember that refining your user experience makes your target audience more likely to engage with you. But to really produce profitable results, you need a holistic strategy and customized solutions.

Professional content writing services offer conversion-centric UX writing, sales-focused website copywriting and content optimized for search. A content writing agency will always be guided by the most up-to-date UX writing tips. And you can trust a web design agency to have the UX design and web design experts you need for a high-performing website.

Thrive Internet Marketing Agency is a full-service content writing agency and web design agency serving businesses of all sizes since 2005. We offer UX writing services, SEO content writing services, WordPress website design and 100 percent custom web design to accommodate all of your UX needs.

Our UX and SEO content writers are highly experienced in writing for websites, desktop apps, mobile apps and other platforms in need of professionally written content. We help lead your potential customers in the right direction and take the actions that benefit your business.

Source: https://thriveagency.com/

The post 10 Rules You Should Know About UX Writing first appeared on TRIM Solutions.