Brevity of message means getting to the ...

Keep the message sharp and to the point There’s a nice piece in the WSJ that discusses how hard it is for papers and magazines to get to the point. Here it is with nice links included: Michael Kinsley, writing in The Atlantic, takes some 1,800 words to argue that newspaper stories are too long, and that Internet stories “get to the point.” Robert MacMillan, writing for...

Google struggles with an elevator pitch ...

When Google boldly proclaims that its latest innovation “will kill e-mail and forever change online communication” yet they struggle to explain what it does, you have to wonder. Maybe it will be the next “killer app” but I find it amazing how even journalists cannot make sense of it. Check out the CNN video here: Google Wave and a sketchy elevator...

Media 101 – 5 quick tips to gettin...

Know the reporter and the story angle – It’s critical to know who the reporter is and the exact subject of the interview. Go online to read any recent stories the reporter has written, find a bio and don’t be afraid to ask the nature of the story. Prepare your messages – Write down your key messages and what you think the story should focus on; remember that...

Rance Crain editorial – May 12th i...

There’s an interesting piece published in the May 12th issue of Crain’s Chicago Business (“Now more than ever, know what audience wants”) written by the president of Crain Communications about two small controversies related to marketing and media. One is a speech given by the editor of Folio magazine and the other is an article by Northwestern’s dean of...