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The sample press release below was created for a past Coach
Week event in New Jersey. It appeared in several weekly newspapers in Somerset County,
and sparked the interest of an editor at the Courier-News who writes the
weekly ‘At Work’ feature. He contacted the presenters and wrote a
large article (with color photos) for the front page of the ‘At
Work’ section during Coach Week. As a result, more than 150 people
attended the event!
On page 3, you will find a ‘template’ you can use
to create your own release. The key elements of a good release are:
- Your
contact information
- An
informative or clever headline
- An
engaging lead that speaks to your audience
- Logistics
about your event
- Information
and a quote (optional) about the benefits attendees will receive,
highlights of the program, etc.
- Brief
bios about the speakers
- Info.
about the ICF-CT and ICF
- Contact
for directions, additional information, or registration, as
appropriate
I. HYPOTHETICAL SAMPLE release for local media
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Melissa
Thornton
Personal and Professional Coach
5 Poplar Street
Trumbull, CT 06611
Phone: 203-268-5437
mlthornton@earthlink.net.
http://www.melissathornton.com/
http://www.icf-ct.com/
FREE
WORKSHOP AT FAIRFIELD COUNTY LIBRARY
WILL GIVE YOUR CAREER NEW DIRECTION
(Trumbull) CT –
Jan. 30, 2002 -- Are you between jobs? Considering a new career? Just
entering the workforce? The Connecticut Chapter of the International
Coach Federation (ICF-CT) will sponsor a free seminar entitled “Career
Crossroads: Design or Re-Energize Your Work from the Inside Out.” The
two-hour seminar will be held at the Fairfield County Library in Bridgeport
on Wed., Feb., at 7 p.m. – 9 p.m., and again on Saturday, February,
at 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
“This
workshop is ideal for anyone who’s at a turning point in their career,
whether it’s downsizing, graduating from college, or a lack of passion
for their work,” says Melissa Thornton, a professional coach who will
be among the presenters. “This workshop will help them understand
themselves and their choices better.”
Combining
interactive exercises and presentations, the event will guide
participants through a process for choosing, changing, or re-energizing
their careers to create more fulfillment and satisfaction. Areas such as
core values, natural talents, personality style, and life vision will be
explored as participants identify and begin to close the gap between
their current and ideal careers. The seminar will also include a live
coaching demo and opportunities to sign up for a complimentary 30-minute
session with a career coach. Refreshments will be served.
The
event is part of a statewide celebration of Coaching Week, Feb. 1-8,
highlighting business and personal coaching. The coaching field is
growing rapidly as more business owners, professionals, executives, and
individuals hire coaches to help them lead, make better decisions, and
have a better quality of life.
Four local professional
coaches who specialize in career and life planning will present the
workshop:
JANE X is an independent
consultant and coach who helps professionals at all levels develop the
skills to lead, manage and collaborate to create organizations that
excel. Prior to launching her business, she had a 20-year career at
Johnson & Johnson, most recently as Executive Director of Client
Services and Organizational Effectiveness.
PAUL Y is a Career Strategist and Executive Coach dedicated to helping business
professionals define their goals, develop career development strategies,
and take actions for continued success. She is a former marketing executive with 15 years of
experience in the high-tech and telecommunications industries. Prior to her career transition, she was Vice President of
Corporate Communications for Fujitsu Business Communication Systems.
MARIE Z is a career
and life coach, graduate of Coach U, and former corporate communications
executive at Lucent Technologies and Avaya Communications. Her business,
Work & Play , provides coaching, teleclasses, and resources for
individuals and organizations.
TOM B is an independent Organization Development
Consultant, Personal Mastery Coach, and a senior faculty member at the
Leadership Alignment Spa. Her coaching practice is focused on
Life-Career Resiliency, People in Transition, Work/Life Balance,
Women’s Leadership and Empowerment, and Living One’s Passion.
All four are members
of the Connecticut Chapter of the International Coach Federation
(ICF-CT). The ICF-CT is a chapter of the International Coach Federation,
a non-profit professional organization serving and establishing
professional standards for the coaching profession. Like its ICF parent,
the ICF-CT offers a referral service through its website (www.icf-ct.com)
Registration
and refreshments begin at 6:30 p.m. for the Feb. session and 9:30
a.m. for the February session. Seating is limited. To register, call
908-672-9967 or email mlthornton@earthlink.net.
The
Somerset County Library is located at 1 Vogt Drive in Bridgewater. For
directions, call the library at 203-526-4016.
###
II. CUSTOMIZABLE release for Coach Week 2004 event
Use this template to create an
effective press release to publicize your event in local/weekly
newspapers. Find out who to send it to by reading the ‘staff box’ in
the latest issue of the newspaper, or by going to their website. Some
newspapers now prefer online submissions; some will want fax or
snail-mail. Since most local papers only run once a week, send it four
weeks in advance, if possible, to allow enough time for the article to
run and give people enough time to fit it in. Good luck!!
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Insert
your contact information,
including name, address,
phone number(s), fax number,
email, and website address
(if you have one)
HEADLINE:
Write
an informative or clever headline. Think of what will attract your
audience (i.e., FREE). Keep it simple and not too long. Emphasize
benefits!
(Insert
the name of your town), NJ – (insert current date) – (Lead)
Write a strong first paragraph that includes a catchy lead, the title of
your program, and the date and location, if possible. Keep it to 3-4
sentences.
(Description/highlights
of program) Add a brief paragraph or two giving highlights of your
program. Insert a quote if you like that states who will get value from
your event. Mention things such as live coaching demos, refreshments,
and sign-ups for free coaching sessions, if applicable.
(Coach
Week info.) The event is part of a statewide celebration of
International Personal and Business Coaching Week, Feb. 1-8. The field
of professional coaching is growing rapidly as more business owners,
professionals, executives, and individuals hire coaches to help them
lead, make better decisions, and have a better quality of life.
(Speaker
info.) Insert brief paragraphs or a couple of sentences about the
speakers.
( ICF-CT/ICF
info.) The ICF-CT is a chapter of the International Coach
Federation (ICF), a non-profit professional organization serving and
establishing professional standards for the coaching profession. Like
its ICF parent, the ICF-CT offers a referral service through its website
(www.icf-ct.com)
(Miscellaneous)
Insert contact info. for questions, additional information, directions,
or registration, as appropriate for your event.
###
***Many thanks to the New Jersey Professional Coaches Association
for sharing these Public Relations materials. Adapted by Melissa
Thornton, President and WebMaster, ICF-CT |
