⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

3 Horrible Press Release Habits to Break Your professors bear some blame; they lauded florid writing and set minimum lengths for papers. Here are a few salient points for crafting tighter releases.

By Brian Pittman

entrepreneur daily

This story originally appeared on PR Daily

Press releases not getting the results you expect? Blame your professors.

University writing emphasized fancy words and flowery sentences and rewarded us for length. Press releases today must be concise and direct. What's more: Some press release distribution services charge by the word—all the more reason to keep copy brief.

Here are three tips for crafting tighter releases, courtesy of Michael Smart, founder ofMichaelSMARTPR:

1. Cut meaningless modifiers.

Some words don't mean much. "We use them often in spoken English when we don't have time to think of a better, more specific word," Smart says, "but in written English, they slow our readers down. You'll notice that when you start deleting them, your sentences will still mean the same thing."

Example: "The contract was essentially doomed when it was signed, as the parties actuallydisagreed on certain points; various problems ensued, with each individual challenge bringing strife."

Of course, there are exceptions: "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" likely wouldn't have enjoyed its $86 million haul had its title been cut to "Alexander and the Bad Day."

2. Consolidate lengthy phrases as sentence subjects.

If your subject is a phrase, shorten it to a single word, Smart suggests. He gives these examples:

"The first-place finisher will have dinner with the fundraiser's organizers."

"The leader of the committee will announce his decision next week."

Can you think of a single word to replace each of those phrases? Here are some options (note that you can do it with verb phrases, too):

"The winner will dine with the fundraiser's organizers."

"The chairman will announce his decision next week."

3. Eschew 'to be' verbs and excessive preposition use.

"To be" verbs and overuse of prepositions result in longer sentences. Replace both with stronger verbs, Smart advises. "Words like "is,' "are' and "am' are typically vague and can often be replaced with more specific verbs," he explains. "Doing this can eliminate a preposition and cut your word count."

Here's an example: "On July 1, the wait will be over."

Solution: "On July 1, the wait will end."

The sentence also opens with a prepositional phrase. Such "left-breaking" sentences can muddy the subject. Having the subject launch the sentence strengthens and clarifies the message, e.g.: "The wait will end July 1."

Brian Pittman is a consultant to Ragan Communications and webinar manager for PR Daily’s PR University.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Remote Side Hustle a 43-Year-Old Musician Works on for 1 Hour a Day Earns Nearly $3,000 a Month: 'All From the Comfort of Home'

Sam Ziegler wanted to supplement his income as a professional drummer — then his tech skills and desire to help people came together.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Business News

AI Is Impacting Jobs. Here Are the Gigs Affected the Most, According to an Analysis of 5 Million Upwork Postings

The researcher said in the report that freelance jobs were analyzed first because that market will likely see AI's immediate impact.

Business Ideas

55 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.