Publications want news from public relations people. The trick is to send the right story to the right person at the right time.
For each new product Avon wanted to aggressively promote, I prepared a complete press kit including full-size samples in an enticing package, press release, fact sheets, and a CD with print-ready color images. I sent press kits to the appropriate beauty editors and writers across Canada every week, resulting in Avon products being consistently shown and mentioned in major media including Elle Canada, Elle Quebec, Cosmetics, Le Journal de Montreal, Adorable, Canadian Living, Coup de Pouce, Chatelaine, Homemakers, Good Times, Bel Age, Toro, the Ottawa Citizen, TV Hebdo, Filles d'Aujourd'hui, and Cool!
PRESS RELEASE
Press releases must give editors an interesting angle and a strong story to incite them to print your product message in their publications.
After this press release was sent out, Avon Perfect Wear makeup was mentioned and shown in several publications including Chatelaine, The Look, Le Lundi, and 7 Jours.
Text excerpt: Who Has Time for Touch-ups?
Transfer-resistant eye makeup looks perfect and stays put all day
Montreal, December 1, 2004 - Women need high-performance makeup they can apply in the morning and forget about until it's time to take it off. New Perfect Wear Long Lasting Mascara and Perfect Wear Eyewriter Liqud Eyeliner from Avon combine waterproof, smudge-proof wear with essential comfort for the perfect blend of eye makeup benefits. New Perfect Wear Makeup Remover gently removes every last trace of makeup at the end of the day.
... For the alluring look of perfectly lined eyes without the worry of smudging or fading, use Perfect Wear Eyewriter Liquid Eyeliner. The flow-through pen applicator plus the waterproof formula give a precision line that won't smudge or smear for up to 12 hours of wear.
FUNDRAISING BROCHURE - DIRECT MAIL
People are inundated with direct mail. If they aren't interested by the message on the envelope, the brochure will never be seen.
The "Keep them smiling" message I wrote to go with the image on this direct mail envelope was adopted by WICS as the name for their 2004-2005 fundraising campaign. This campaign was their most successful ever, raising $25,000 more than the goal amount.
Envelope text: Keep them smiling Be someone who makes a difference
Inside brochure headline: Your community cares about people. Help keep it that way by giving generously this year!
CATALOG
Catalog copy must fit the usually limited space available and give accurate information in a format that helps the customer find what he wants quickly and easily.
Text excerpt: This high-density polyethylene container holds up to 20 gallons of waste. Accommodates bottles, cans and other containers - even 5-gallon pails! Meets or exceeds Labpack specification DOT 49 CFR 173.12 and DOT-E 10242 for use as a 21C container for solids and sludges. Twist-on lid eliminates need for metal hood ring or duct tape. Nestable and stackable for easy storage.
TRAINING MANUAL
Training Manuals can be user-friendly if they follow a task-based analysis. A programmer will tend to explain how each function of the software works from A to Z in the order it appears in the software, leaving many readers overwhelmed. A technical writer will consider what the user needs to do and then tell him exactly what he needs to know in the necessary order.
Text excerpt: Estimating Costs for a Style
After a style has been created you can create an estimated cost sheet for the style. If you estimate costs for the matrix style then the cost will apply to all colors. If you estimate costs at the color level you can create individual cost sheets for each color. To estimate costs for a style
1. Open the style.
2. From the GO menu, select Costing.
3. Make sure that the country of origin and the first cost are defined, and then click the open icon next to the estimated cost.
4. On the Style Estimated Costing window, click Create. The system calculates costs for the first country listed, then uses currency conversions to calculate estimated costs for the other countries listed.
5. To make changes to a cost code amount, enter the amount in the Value Entered column and then click Recalculate. The changed amount is displayed in red.
6. To copy a changed cost factor to another country, select the appropriate cell in the Value Entered column, click Export To, and then select the country.
