Press Release Tip 49

Tweak your releases for different audiences

If you’re writing a press release for two or more very different audiences, it’s time for a makeover. That’s what PR pro Kathi Petersen did when she was promoting “The Doors of Asheville” benefit auction for the Neighborhood Housing Services of Asheville, a nonprofit in North Carolina.

The nonprofit auctioned an eclectic collection of interior and exterior doors that had been “creatively altered” by nearly two dozen renowned local and regional artists. Proceeds from the event were used to help the nonprofit “open doors” to homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families.

Kathi wrote nine different versions of the same release for a variety of audiences. She used the “affordable housing” angle when writing releases for her local daily newspaper. She reworked the release with the “art” angle and got coverage in a local arts magazine. She tweaked the art angle to highlight individual artists and submitted press releases to their respective community newspapers. She sent news briefs and calendar items to the “home and garden” sections of local newspapers, and so on.    

As you might expect, her work paid off, and the nonprofit received a glut of media coverage. Here are two samples of her releases. The first is the general release. While researching angles for the story, she learned that a recipient of the nonprofit’s services worked at a hospital. So Kathi rewrote the release for the hospital’s newsletter. Smart!

Here’s the general release   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 28, 2004
Contact: Kathi Petersen – 828-712-1286 or Email
or: Beth Carter – 828-251-5054, ext 23; 828-775-8035 or Email

Fundraiser “Opens Doors” to Opportunities for Affordable Housing
Tickets now available for The Doors of Asheville benefit auction,
featuring doors “creatively altered” by notable artists

(ASHEVILLE, NC): A new Asheville fundraiser is designed to open doors to opportunities for affordable housing—literally.

The Doors of Asheville Auction is a project of Neighborhood Housing Services of Asheville (NHS) a chartered NeighborWorks® organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for affordable homeownership and to promote neighborhood revitalization. On Sept. 11, NHS will auction an eclectic collection of interior and exterior doors that have been “creatively altered” by nearly two dozen renowned local and regional artists. Proceeds from the event will assist NHS in “opening doors” to homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families.

NHS provided each of the volunteer artists with their choice of a new or salvage door to alter as they desired, using the medium of their choice. From the whimsical “Another Man’s Trash” by Tom Godleski to Julia Masoaka’s mystical “Heaven’s Door,” inspired by Mexican shrines and icons, to the Expressionism of internationally acclaimed painter Vadim Bora, the one-of-a-kind portals include acrylics, photography, stained glass, oils, metal, woodcarving and found objects.

The doors are currently on display in the exterior shop windows of the Grove Arcade, on the Page Avenue side next to Oliver and Annabelle’s restaurant in downtown Asheville. They will be in the storefront until the day of the event.

The evening event also includes a preview of an architectural design exhibit which showcases inspired and affordable home designs that feature contemporary styles and sustainable materials. The HOME House Project, presented by NHS with a grant from Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, founder of the NeighborWorks® network, will open on Sept. 17 in the atrium of the City of Asheville Public Works Building at 161 Charlotte Street in Asheville. The HOME House Project exhibit consists of 100 framed panels of affordable home designs by international architects and artists; ten of those will be on display the evening of The Doors of Asheville Auction.

The benefit auction and preview gala will be held at Homewood, located at 19 Zillicoa Street in the Montford area of Asheville. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for drinks and hors d’oeuvres; the auction begins at 7:30. Tickets are $55 per person or $100 a couple, available by contacting Neighborhood Housing Services of Asheville at 828-251-5054, ext. 24.

An array of other activities will take place in conjunction with The HOME House Project exhibit, including a series of Green Building Council lectures; a documentary film series; a tour of homes featuring sustainable materials; and a guided panel discussion called “The ‘Greening’ of Affordable Housing: Is It Possible?” For more information on The Doors of Asheville Auction or The HOME House Project and related activities and events, contact Beth Carter at 828-251-5054, ext. 23.

# # #

The makeover for the hospital newsletter…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO SCOPE NEWSLETTER – August 19, 2004

Contact: Kathi Petersen – 828-712-1286 or Email
or: Beth Carter – 828-251-5054, ext 23; 828-775-8035 or Email

Fundraiser “opens doors” to opportunities for affordable housing
Nonprofit organization made homeownership possible for this Mission Hospitals staff member

“I still get really excited whenever I drive up to my house,” said Lakesha Feimster recently, just days after her August 13th one-year anniversary of being a first-time homeowner. “It’s been just wonderful!”

Lakesha is the secretary in Materials Management and has been a Mission employee for 10 years. She is the single mother of Taylor, 11, and Raymond, 2, and realized her dream of being a homeowner with the help of Neighborhood Housing Services of Asheville (NHS).

NHS is a chartered NeighborWorks® organization whose mission is to provide opportunities for affordable homeownership and to promote neighborhood revitalization. The nonprofit agency will hold an event on Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m. at Homewood called The Doors of Asheville Auction, a fundraiser in which NHS will auction an eclectic collection of interior and exterior doors that have been “creatively altered” by nearly two dozen renowned local and regional artists. Proceeds from the event will assist NHS in “opening doors” to homeownership opportunities for individuals like Lakesha.

For The Doors of Asheville project, NHS provided each of the volunteer artists with their choice of a new or salvage door to alter as they desired, using the medium of their choice. From the whimsical “Another Man’s Trash” by Tom Godleski to Julia Masoaka’s mystical “Heaven’s Door,” inspired by Mexican shrines and icons, to the Expressionism of internationally acclaimed painter Vadim Bora, the one-of-a-kind portals include acrylics, photography, stained glass, oils, metal, woodcarving and found objects.

The doors are currently on display in the exterior windows of the Grove Arcade, on the Page Avenue side next to Oliver and Annabelle’s restaurant in downtown Asheville. They will be in the storefront until the day of the event.

The benefit will also serve as a preview of The HOME House Project, an architectural design exhibit which showcases inspired and affordable home designs that feature contemporary styles and sustainable materials. The HOME House Project, presented by NHS with a grant from Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, founder of the NeighborWorks® network, will open on Sept. 17 in the atrium of the City of Asheville Public Works Building at 161 Charlotte Street in Asheville. The free exhibit will be on display through Oct. 26.

An array of other activities will take place in conjunction with The HOME House Project exhibit, including a series of Green Building Council lectures; a documentary film series; a tour of homes featuring sustainable materials; and a guided panel discussion called “The ‘Greening’ of Affordable Housing: Is It Possible?” For more information on The Doors of Asheville Auction or The HOME House Project and related activities and events, contact Beth Carter at 828-251-5054, ext. 23.

Opportunity #49 to write a press release: New products and services

Don’t highlight the features. Highlight the benefits. Can you include a video that demonstrates how to use the product? Or perhaps you can discuss your new service or why you’re offering it. You can publish the video to your YouTube channel and link to the video from the release.

Important Note: Make sure you have a killer sales page for your product or service. Writing sales copy is a skill and an art. I learned how from my mentor, Tom Antion, during his free training on “Copywriting 901: The Fast Track to Writing Words That Sell” [affiliate link]. You might know how to write, but I’ll bet you don’t know how to write killer sales copy that forces a buyer to whip out a credit card.

Next: You’ll begin Module 8 and learn about press releases for authors and publishers.