Celebrating an anniversary

When a family-owned business is having an anniversary, it's a double-whammy. Since both the "family-owned" portion and the "anniversary" portion are newsworthy, be sure to emphasize both in the press release (notice the first sentence of this press release).

After talking with Sasha Ablitt for only a few minutes, it is clear she cares deeply about providing her clients with the best dry cleaning service possible.

Even though the news "hook" is the 30th anniversary, the story is Sasha's passion in carrying on the family business—that is why we spent time in paragraph three showing the depth of Sasha's family legacy.

Also, remember to include a quote (here are a couple tips) like we did in paragraph five.

Here's to another 30 years, Ablitt's!

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Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners turns 30

Sasha Ablitt

Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners and Launderers is celebrating 30 years as a Santa Barbara family-owned business.

Founded in 1984 by Neil and Sue Ablitt, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners started with a boiler, a flatwork ironer and a vintage dry-cleaning machine. From there, the business has grown to now more than 30 employees, with their signature pick-up and delivery service reaching from Carpinteria to the Santa Ynez Valley.

For the Ablitt family, high-quality dry cleaning is a family legacy. Neil Ablitt’s parents first met working at the dry cleaners owned by his maternal grandfather. After his parents were married, they started their own dry cleaning business in the same building where Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners now operates. After living in Mexico and Canada for a decade, Mr. Ablitt brought his family back to Santa Barbara and started Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners in 1984. His daughter, Sasha Ablitt now owns and operates the business.

In total, the Ablitt family has been in the dry cleaning industry for more than 100 years.

“It has been wonderfully rewarding managing the business I watched my parents build when I was growing up,” said Sasha Ablitt. “Dry cleaning is so much more than doing a load of laundry. Every day, I want to grow the legacy left by my parents and grandparents.”

In addition to traditional dry cleaning services, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners offers a Concierge Service that provides free pickup and delivery; specialized cleaning for household linens, expert wedding dress cleaning and preservation, bedspreads and sofa covers; leather and suede care; expert alterations.

For more information, visit www.ablitts.com. 

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Founded in 1984, Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners and Launderers specializes in all dry cleaning services, including shirts, linens, wedding dresses and more. Ablitt’s is located at 14 West Gutierrez Street in downtown Santa Barbara. For more information, visit www.ablitts.com.

New CT scanner cuts radiation by 2/3 ... Making Headlines Work

When a new product or service better serves the public, that is something to proudly announce.

Pueblo Radiology's new CT scanner does just that—it better serves patients by reducing radiation by 2/3. That's huge!

Notice the headline: Pueblo buying a new CT scanner is not really the news. The real news is what the new CT scanner does, so that's what we put in the headline.

Find the nugget that makes your announcement news, then put that in the headline.

If you don't know right off the top of your head, try asking these questions:

• What does my new product or service do for people?
• Why should people care?
• How would I sell them in one sentence?

More great tips and advice on writing headlines here.

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Pueblo Radiology’s new CT scanner cuts radiation by 2/3

Dr. Gary Blum, medical director at Pueblo Radiology

Pueblo Radiology Medical Group recently installed a new Siemens 64 slice CT scanner in its Santa Barbara office that utilizes the latest in dose reduction technology.

This state-of-the-art CT scanner cuts radiation by two-thirds, is more patient friendly and has excellent diagnostic quality, according to Medical Director Dr. Gary M. Blum.

“As an independent group of physicians, our priority is maintaining the highest level of patient care and staying on the leading edge of technology,” Dr. Blum said. “This CT scanner helps us accomplish both goals.”

Founded in 1957 in Santa Barbara, Pueblo Radiology provides diagnostic imaging and    interventional services in a patient friendly outpatient setting. Pueblo doctors have worked in partnership with many hospitals throughout the years, starting with St. Francis Hospital in 1960, then at the current Cottage Healthcare System hospitals in Goleta and Santa Ynez, and now also at the Ojai Valley Community Hospital, St. John’s Regional Medical Center, Community Memorial Hospital and St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital.

Pueblo Radiology of Santa Barbara is located at 2320 Bath Street, Suite 113. Santa Barbara Women’s Imaging—an affiliate practice of Pueblo Radiology—is located at 1525 State Street, Suite 102 in Santa Barbara.

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Pueblo Radiology Medical Group is dedicated to providing high quality diagnostic imaging services in a professional, compassionate and timely manner for its patients, referring physicians and hospital affiliates. Pueblo Radiology services are accredited by the American College of Radiology. For more information, visit www.puebloradiology.com.

When it's okay to take a back seat in PR

Even though this press release is about Abiel Acosta of Acosta Wealth Management, you'll notice in paragraph two and following that we took quite a bit of time and space telling about El Centrito Family Learning Centers.

Since we are announcing Abiel joining El Centrito's board, it is natural to include information about El Centrito; however, it is important not to curtail the explanation about El Centrito in favor of more space to list Acosta Wealth Management's services.

In a press release announcing you have joined the board of a nonprofit, too much focus or emphasis on your own business is bad form. Take the time and use the space to brag about the good work of the nonprofit you are supporting. Your business will actually benefit from taking a back seat on this one.

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Abiel Acosta joins El Centrito board

Abiel Acosta

Abiel Acosta, CFP®, Founder and President at Acosta Wealth Management, recently joined the El Centrito Family Learning Centers Board of Directors.

Founded in 1992, El Centrito offers high quality educational and leadership services to low-income and immigrant children and families in Ventura County. The nonprofit focuses on collaborating with parents, schools and neighborhoods. El Centrito offers three main programs:

1. a STEAM Academy focused on strengthening children’s skills in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics,
   
2. early childhood programs to prepare English-learning children for kindergarten, and
   
3. parent education programs designed to build parent leadership and encourage parent participation in their children’s education.

“I believe education is foundational to help children set ambitious goals and achieve those goals,” Mr. Acosta said. “I have seen how the staff at El Centrito effectively help build students’ confidence and instill a love of learning. I joined the board so I could encourage, support and help expand their great work.”

Mr. Acosta is a financial planner committed to helping his clients pursue long-term financial success through a diligent and proactive financial planning process. He helps professionals and small business owners have financial “sense of security” so they can focus on their businesses and families.

“I hope to use my professional experience as a financial advisor to help El Centrito continue to operate and thrive for future generations,” Mr. Acosta said.

For more information on El Centrito Family Learning Centers, visit www.elcentrito.org. For more information on Mr. Acosta, visit www.acostawealth.com. 

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Acosta Wealth Management is a full-service financial planning firm associated with Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation, a division of Lincoln National Corporation. Mr. Acosta is one of 67 financial planners from among 2,000 across the U.S. to belong to the Select Member group of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. / Sagemark Consulting — Private Wealth Services program, dealing with High Net Worth clients. This distinction shows Mr. Acosta’s commitment to client service and current success. For more information, call 805-973-5908 ext. 27 or visit www.acostawealth.com. CRN1027283-100214

Quotes are key

What makes this press release stand out? Excellent quotes.

Typically, you do not want to start press releases with a quote, but here, we weave them in to add extra sparkle.

Notice two specific things:

1. The quotes are from two different people. Having multiple speakers is more powerful than having several quotes from the same person.
2. The quotes are separated by a paragraph of text — a mini break to explain how expanding the board impacts the organization. You want to avoid, if possible, listing quotes one after another, with the exception of breaking up a long quote by one person (see below).

EXAMPLE:

"Quote," said person A.

Text.

"Quote," said person B.

EXCEPTION:

"Quote," said person A. "Quote."

"Quote," person A added.

Next time you draft a marketing piece for your company, consider adding sparkle through quotes.

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Ambrecht associate newest member of Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra expanded board

Catherine Karayan Wilbur

Catherine Karayan Wilbur, attorney at Ambrecht & Associates law firm in Montecito, recently joined the Board of Directors of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra.

As a planned giving specialist, Ms. Wilbur will act as board secretary and spearhead the new Legacy League Endowment Committee, according to Kevin Marvin, the Chamber Orchestra’s executive director.

“We are excited and honored to welcome Catherine to our board,” Mr. Marvin said. “Her energy and talent in estate planning will certainly benefit our organization.”

Expanding the Board of Directors is part of a larger effort to strengthen and revitalize the chamber orchestra, which has performed well-known classical repertoire and hosted world-class soloists since 1978.

“As a lover of classical music, I am delighted to be able to give back to the community through the arts by my involvement with the chamber orchestra,” Ms. Wilbur said. “I hope this will be a long and beneficial relationship.”

Ms. Wilbur specializes in complex tax and estate planning issues, international estate planning issues, estate and gift tax controversy matters and estate and trust administration matters. Before joining Ambrecht & Associates, she clerked for the Honorable Kathleen Kerrigan at the United States Tax Court in Washington, D.C.

A native of Southern California, Ms. Wilbur earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in classics at Washington University in St. Louis. She then went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California, Gould School of Law and her LL.M. (Masters in Law) in Taxation from New York University School of Law. Ms. Wilbur is admitted to the California State Bar.

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The Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra strives to maintain the highest artistic quality possible, produce the finest music heard in Santa Barbara and perform well-known repertoire as well as music written in this century. Conducted by Heiichiro Ohyama, the Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1978 by then-conducting student Jeffrey Evans. Current and past SBCO musicians perform with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Pacific Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony and Santa Barbara Symphony. For more information, visit www.sbco.org.

For a unique business, start a press release with a specific example

It is a good bet that a new company will make a splash in the news — editors and reporters like being the first to announce anything new and revolutionary. If that new, revolutionary thing is a new business, new jobs and a new product or service, they just got a 3-for-1 deal.

Although Critical Solutions is not a new company, it is new in Santa Barbara thanks to a recent expansion.

This expansion is the focus of the press release below.

Since the name "Critical Solutions" does not clearly explain this company's service, notice how the first sentence focuses on a specific, relatable example. A first sentence like this: "Critical Solutions Protective Services Group is now offering its protection services in Santa Barbara County," does not give the clear explanation and interest as the first sentence used below.

While, in most cases, you want the company name at the top, it is okay in this and similar instances to wait until the second paragraph.

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Private protection group expands into Santa Barbara

Adam Bercovici

The security company behind the first active anti-terrorism security program at a major American mall is now offering its private security services to Santa Barbara County residents.

Critical Solutions Protective Services Group specializes in executive and celebrity protection, event security, corporate security, estate and residential security details, healthcare and hospital security and private school safety security. The company also offers security trainings and assessments.

“It is an unfortunate truth of our day and age that robberies and the threat of terrorist attacks are on the rise while police departments’ budgets are being reduced,” said Adam Bercovici, a retired Los Angeles Police Department lieutenant and Critical Solution’s Chief Executive Officer, now based in Carpinteria.

Critical Solutions employs off duty and retired police officers who have extensive experience and proven loyalty. Employees have experience in tactical, surveillance operations, consulting, large venue security and retail security, according to Mr. Bercovici.

“We are excited about our recent expansion to Santa Barbara,” said Joseph Scully, an attorney and Critical Solutions partner. “We want to help our clients feel as safe and secure as possible, no matter what the occasion.”

“Customer care is one of our top priorities,” Mr. Bercovici said. “We remain available to our clients day and night, and we solve problems as discreetly and confidentially as possible.”

Based in California, Critical Solutions operates in the United States and has employees in the United Kingdom and Europe.

For more information, call 800-278-4575 or visit www.criticalsolutionspsg.com. 

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Critical Solutions Protective Services Group is a threat assessment, risk management and integrated security company based in Los Angeles. With 25 years of private security industry experience, the law enforcement professionals who own and operate Critical Solutions provide security services to progressive leaders in business, politics and entertainment. For more information, call 800-278-4575 or visit www.criticalsolutionspsg.com.

Being sensitive with labor agreements

Labor and union agreements are news. Even though the media usually prefers a nice, long, drawn-out, seemingly insurmountable negotiation process, labor agreements are newsworthy.

Be cautious here, though — unions are usually quite sensitive about which negotiation and/or agreement information can be shared, while the media wants as many details as possible. To get picked up, share as many details as you can without making the union uncomfortable.

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Published on Noozhawk.

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Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra finalizes labor agreement with musicians in record time

The Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra and the American Federation of Musicians Local 308 have finalized their union labor agreement for the next three concert seasons.

“The board and the musicians were able to negotiate the Collective Bargaining Agreement so quickly because we share the same vision for the future of the orchestra and its importance to the Santa Barbara community,” said Kevin Marvin, Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra Executive Director.

Local 308, the labor union for professional musicians located in Santa Barbara, represents the 30 to 40 musicians in the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra. The national union comprises 424 Locals representing 85,000 musicians throughout North America.

The Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, a critically-acclaimed chamber orchestra that has performed well-known classical repertoire and hosted world-class soloists since 1978, kicks off its 2014-2015 concert season with a tango-themed gala event titled “Tapas and Tango” and presented by Chaucer’s Books. The gala starts at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Lobero Theatre. Professional tango dancers Sandor and Parissa, from ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, will perform during the gala. The concert, sponsored by the Walter J. & Holly O. Thompson Foundation, starts at 7:30 p.m. and will feature Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.

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The Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra strives to maintain the highest artistic quality possible, produce the finest music heard in Santa Barbara and perform well-known repertoire as well as music written in this century. Conducted by Heiichiro Ohyama, the Chamber Orchestra was founded in 1978 by then-conducting student Jeffrey Evans. Current and past SBCO musicians perform with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Pacific Symphony, Saint Louis Symphony and Santa Barbara Symphony. For more information, visit www.sbco.org.

PR firm launches national 24/7 PR AdviceLine™

The Goddard Company Public Relations & Marketing has launched a national 24/7 Public Relations AdviceLine. The service gives businesses immediate access to PR professionals who have more than 20 years of experience.

PR AdviceLine™ subscribers can call to discuss brand management, reputation management, story development, crisis management, interview coaching and preparation and more.

The Goddard Company PR AdviceLine™ is available to any company, entrepreneur, start-up, small business, communications executive, CEO or anyone else in need of publicity help and advice in the United States. PR AdviceLine™ subscribers can access PR expert Jennifer Goddard Combs and her team, 24 hours a day, seven days a week via phone or email.

“Social Media has turned the 24-hour news cycle into the 1-hour (or less) news cycle,” said Ms. Goddard Combs, president and founder of The Goddard Company. “Now, rather than having time to pause and think following a blunder or faux pas — such as Delta’s giraffe tweet during the USA-Ghana World Cup game — companies and individuals have to respond immediately. That is why we set up this PR AdviceLine™ — to help give quick, timely PR advice when needed.”

Ms. Goddard Combs honed her skills in Los Angeles, managing publicity for people in the entertainment industry and business community. She has experience working at television network news and has secured publicity for clients everywhere from the front page of the Detroit Free Press to media coverage in China.

Her experience allows her to quickly identify what is newsworthy and formulate strategies.

In addition to the PR AdviceLine™, The Goddard Company offers project-to-project work and retainer accounts.

For more information or to become a subscriber, call The Goddard Company’s office line at 805-565-3990 or email info@thegoddardcompany.com.

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The Goddard Company Public Relations is a full-service public relations agency. The firm excels in creating and implementing successful public relations campaigns for its diverse clientele, enhancing the public image, and in turn, the sales potential of each client. President Jennifer Goddard Combs has more than 20 years of experience generating successful publicity campaigns for companies, products and nonprofits locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. For more information, call 805-565-3990.