Category: Other

1. BMF Scotland Rally, pimp your tank, win tickets to Dubs of Anarchy, Biker friendly pubs to stay at and more...‏

   Posted on 1:00pm Monday 29th Aug 2016

   THE BIKER GUIDE® - Packed with Biker Friendly Accommodation, Camping, Clothing, free to enter Competitions, Meeting places & Cafes, News, Parts & Accessories, Pubs, Rallies, Ride-outs, Shows, Touring, What's On and much, much more... 

   

   Do you have a great photo that you would like to see on the front cover of THE BIKER GUIDE booklet?

   We are preparing for the next issue of our VERY popular booklet, here @ THE BIKER GUIDE, which we distribute for free throughout the year at various events, cafes, meeting places and also via the website...
   
   So we are asking the visitors of the website and readers of the booklet - Do you have a great picture that you have taken on your motorcycle that you would like to see on the front cover and of course your name in 1,000's of booklets?
   If so, please send to [email protected] letting us know when and where it was taken, along with your full name.

   Of course for any images we include you will be sent a copy of the booklet.

   'Best information mag around for Bikers' - Oggy Dave.
   
   

   A great pub in Bedfordshire... ideal to head to for good food, drink, entertainment and even to stay over! Motorcyclists are very welcome at this beautiful free-house village pub and hotel, situated in Barton-le-Clay. A modern twist to a traditional Pub, (no tv’s, pool tables and fruit machines) The Bull offers a range of traditional English food to suit your taste and pocket.   Popular with locals and travellers alike and a good base for exploring the surrounding area, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere and great hospitality. Local attractions include Bletchley Park, the Shuttleworth Collection, Castle Ashby, Whipsnade Zoo and Silverstone. Enjoy all-day breakfast, various burgers and steaks, pie of the day, specials, a la carte and a Sunday Carvery with a choice of succulent hand carved roast meats. Stay over in comfortable and modern en-suite rooms and enjoy the food and beverages of The Bull without having to get geared up and head out in search of sustenance! A function room for meeting or groups of up to 100 people and various entertainment includes an Acoustic Lounge, Live Music, Comedy and Quiz Nights. Free Wi-Fi. Private parking, with CCTV and security systems. www.thebullbarton.com	A great destination for the motorcyclist - the Tayside Hotel in Perthshire ... Centrally located just of the A9, next to the River Tay in the village of Stanley.  Close to Perth and the towns of Kenmore, Aberfeldy, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl and Killin, the famous Speyside region with its many renowned distilleries and onwards to Stirling, Inverness, Glencoe. A family run hotel, offering quality home cooking and comfortable accommodation in 14 bedrooms, with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere and genuine warm hospitality. After a days exploring return to enjoy a varied menu using the highest quality local produce, sourced from some of Scotland's best known suppliers. Bar lunches, suppers, formal dinners and Sunday lunch are served. The Fishermans Bar is the hub of the Hotel and it is here that visitors, fishers, shooters and golfers alike discuss the successes of the day while enjoying a pint of ale or a choice of around 30 single malts from across Scotland! An ideal location for an overnight stop or as a base to explore the area. Free Wi-Fi. Drying room and Motorcycle washing facilities. Private parking.     www.taysidehotel.co.uk	BMF Scotland Rally 23rd - 25th September After the success of 2015 Rally, more and better things at the 2016 Rally... Live music on Friday and Saturday night with Alma Fiera and the Signs. Disco by Trog. Ride out on Saturday to East Fortune Airfield home of the National Museum of Flight. The 2nd Rally held to replace the Kelso Bikefest Rally. venue: Stair Arms Hotel, Pathead, Midlothian, Scotland, EH37 5TX. On the A68 south of Dalkeith and Edinburgh. price: £14. Price includes a nip of whisky on arrival and a BMF Scotland Rally badge. www.bmf.co.uk facebook event For further information, contact Tom at [email protected]

   WIN stuff - free to enter!

   Tickets to Dubs of Anarchy | A RIDE, EAT, SLEEP, REPEAT t-shirt | or a BIKERS WELCOME banner for your event

2. MotoScotland success with government recognition for off road training

   Posted on 9:30am Thursday 25th Aug 2016

   MotoScotland is delighted and very proud to have managed to have achieved government recognition (Department for Transport and Driver Vehicle Standards Agency) for off road motorcycle training. MotoScotland is the only off road motorbike training centre in the UK to have its training recognised as advanced rider training for road riders by council road safety departments and insurers.  

   In 2014 they approached the DfT & DVSA to invite them to participate in our unique training so they could fully understand the value to rider road safety. In 2015, government officials attended the training and immediately recognised how valuable this type of training was. During early 2016, they consulted with them to determine the key benefits to rider road safety and in June 2016, MotoScotland received written confirmation that new information/pages had been added to both government department websites.

   Why this is very important for the UK includes: 

   · Road safety for motorcyclists could be improved by riders taking this type of training – this could help reduce the growing number of rider accidents/deaths

   · Riders are now being recommended to do off road training by the government – a significant shift in the perception of off roading

   · Land (for which access is very difficult to acquire in the UK) is now identified as a necessary resource to help riders learn off road riding skills to improve road safety

   · More riders are likely to engage in this training with this type of official endorsement

   · More riders are likely to subsequently then try related competitive sports, e.g. trials, motocross, enduro, etc.

   · The more riders engage with this type of highly physical activity, the fitter they will become – therefore, UK problems with obesity will be aided by this shift in perception

   · It should have a positive impact on bike sales and ancillary items as more people engage with off road riding

3. Bikes on the Box!‏

   Posted on 2:00pm Wednesday 24th Aug 2016

   HARLEY AND THE DAVIDSONS will premiere exclusively in the UK on Discovery Channel, 9pm, Friday 9th, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September
   (Sky 520, Virgin 250, BT TV 322)

   Teaming up with Discovery Channel for this “Bikes on the Box” premier, and together with other goodies to include from Warr’s HD, Ace Cafe London has some exclusive “Discovery Harley & the Davidsons” items up for grabs as raffle prizes at the Ace, on both the cafes monthly Harley Night, next on evening of Thursday 25th August, and on the cafes forthcoming annual Harley Day, Sunday 28th August!

   For more information about Ace Cafe London or what's on, check out: www.ace-cafe-london.com

4. Common mistakes with press releases and how to avoid them

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 24th Aug 2016

   Press releases are a presentation of facts, written especially for journalists in the hope of publication or broadcast. They are an opportunity for brands, businesses and organisations to reach their target audience through the medium of the media.

   They aim to tell the world about any of your own interesting stories, which could be anything from product launches and new appointments to events, innovations or award wins.

   Although becoming less important with the explosion of social media and the digital revolution transforming media as we know it, they can still be very effective at securing positive media coverage and are therefore a great way to boost your profile and subsequently attract new customers.

   Press releases are either written by yourself, someone within your company or an external supplier such as a PR agency or freelancer.

   No matter who writes them there are many common mistakes people make when drafting press releases. Here are the top 10 and how you can avoid making them yourself...
   
   Title | Third person | Information | Punctuation | Lazy copy-writing | Including quotes | Using CAPS | Short is not always sweet | Press releases are promotional - not advertisements | !!!!!!!!!!!! and !

   Mistake 1. Your title isn't working

   The title of your press release is the first thing a journalist will see, so make it concise, enticing and gives a good overview of your story. Make your title something that will encourage the journalist to keep reading. Avoid lengthy, detailed titles that go on and on and on... Keep it punchy. If you really must use puns, make sure they are witty and avoid any cliches at all times.

   Mistake 2. Writing in the first person

   If you read any news story, you'll notice everything is written in the third person – unless we're talking about quotes from actual people, of course. There will never be any 'we did this' or 'I think that' within the body of a well-written press release. You have to imagine that someone else is telling your story at all times. A good tip is to pick up any newspaper and see how stories are written. You'll notice everything is in the third person – as though the journalist is telling the reader about someone or something else.

   Mistake 3. Not providing enough information

   You can't make assumptions that journalists will know everything about you, so make sure you include all the facts. Try to add a summary in your first paragraph, including things like where you're based, your company name and the whole angle of the story. You wouldn't believe the amount of times I've had to use Google to look up where a company is based, so I can add it to their story on Creative Boom. Some journalists won't be as patient, so make sure you add all the information.

   Mistake 4. Forgetting to add proper punctuation

   If you're going to write a press release it's essential you use proper punctuation throughout. Journalists are so time and resource poor these days, so make their job as easy as possible by providing 'ready to publish' copy, i.e. so they don't have to muck about and double check everything you've written.

   By supplying first-class copy first time, it will also gain you a solid reputation as someone who is reliable and provides quality press releases every time... someone they'll want to publish stories for again and again.

   Mistake 5. Lifting copy from an internal newsletter or website

   Copy written specifically for your own website or internal company newsletter will not work for a press release. It will undoubtedly be written in the first person, be too self-promotional and won't have a journalist in mind. Don't be lazy by providing something that you've already used internally. Start from scratch and write your news story specifically for the newspaper or magazine you'll be targeting, i.e. copy their own style of writing.

   Mistake 6. Not making the most of quotes

   Once you've established the angle of your story, you should always provide one or two quotes from yourself or a spokesperson within your company. But whatever you do, don't let these quotes go to waste. They are the only thing journalists can't change, so make the most of them by throwing in some strong key messages. Don't repeat what has already been said elsewhere in the press release – use quotes as an opportunity to really sell yourself and your business. Keep it positive, upbeat and to the point. Just remember to make the most of it.

   Mistake 7. Using CAPS

   Something that really bugs journalists is the use of CAPS to emphasise certain names or words throughout a press release. For example, CREATIVE BOOM is an online magazine for the creative industries. It just looks odd and adds unnecessary workload for the journalist, i.e. they'll only have to go back through the entire release and change everything to lowercase. Avoid CAPS because you don't need to highlight your company's name – it will be quite obvious without.

   Mistake 8. Short isn't always sweet

   Although you never want to waffle when drafting press releases, don't make the mistake of not providing enough content. More than anything, a journalist will want to get all the facts so make sure you include as much information as possible. You can still be concise and stick to the point but just don't forget to include every little detail. If in doubt, consider the 'Who, What, Where, When Why and How?' golden rule and whether you have answered all of those essential questions.

   Mistake 9. Making your copy too promotional

   When you've completed your press release, sit back and read it through. Does it scream 'Buy Me!' or have you simply informed the reader about your company news? You see, although press releases are promotional, they are not advertisements. They are a presentation of facts, so keep it factual and use objective copy at all times.

   Mistake 10. Over-hyped copy (exclamation mark, exclamation mark)

   Copy that is littered with exclamation marks and wild claims about your products and services screams spam and will only end up in a journalists junk folder. Avoid unnecessary adjectives like 'amazing' or 'beautiful' because it will only read like an advertisement and that's something you must avoid.

   
   Read the full article here
   
   Article from Katy Cowan

   A writer, journalist and all-round creative, Katy is Founding Editor of Creative Boom. She launched the site in 2009 to support others, as well as indulge her passion for creativity. She loves to discover and champion emerging art, photography and design. Follow her @CBKatyLou

5. The reasons why your press release isn't getting published

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 23rd Aug 2016

   Press releases are a presentation of facts that are sent to journalists in the hope that they will get published and turned into stories. Whether you are approaching a website, magazine, newspaper or broadcast media, a press release aims to shout about something you have done or achieved, helping to raise the profile of a business, company, organisation or even a person, to consequently boost business and profile.
   

   How you write a press release is determined by the 'who, what, when, where, why and how?', i.e. what's the story about? When's it happening? Who's involved? Where's it taking place? How is it happening? Why is it happening? Read these tips on how to write a press release, if you're stuck.

   So when you've painstakingly put together your own press release only to find that nothing gets published, how do you find out where you're going wrong?

   The following reasons will show you why you might be struggling and how you can tackle them:

   Subject | Press release as an attachment | PDF's - straight to delete | Have you sent everything they need | Image in the correct format | Well-written | Promotional for salesy | Relevant | Nagging to get your article published | Attachments can be security risks | Be patient | Sending press releases rather than advertising | Advertorial |

   Your subject line looks like spam

   When sending your press releases to journalists, make sure you copy and paste the headline into the email subject line. Ensure the headline is punchy, interesting and eye-catching. Don't put things like 'Read this!!!' or 'LATEST NEWS FROM US' – it will just look like spam and is likely to get deleted.

   You included the press release as an attachment

   Journalists don't have time to open documents, that's whether they're PDFs or Word Docs. Simply copy and paste the headline of your press release into the subject line and then paste the rest of the press release into the body of your email. Make it as easy as possible for the journalist to extract the information and they're more likely to use your story. By all means, attach the document as well – to cover all bases.
   
   It is also worth noting that some media companies are now refusing to accept press releases as attachments due to security risks that files may have on opening. Some even have automatic blocks on e-mails sent with attachments.

   You used a PDF

   PDFs are an absolute pain for any journalist. They're difficult to extract information from and are so annoying that I simply delete any press releases I receive in this format. Seems harsh but they take up so much of my time that I've grown to despise them. I can not emphasise this enough – do not use PDFs. Copy and paste your press release into the body of the email and make it really easy for the journalist to use your story.

   You haven't sent everything they need

   Journalists don't have time to chase after you, so make sure you send everything they need first time. That includes the press release and any accompanying images. Don't assume they'll contact you for additional things they might need – just send everything they do need first time. Don't make them chase!

   You sent the wrong type of image

   Journalists spend most of their time replying to emails requesting an image. By the time they get what they need, the journalist might have lost interest in your story. Send the right image along with the press release and you'll have a much better chance of seeing your story published. Just make sure you send the right image, which means Jpegs with at least 300dpi and a minimum of 500KB for print and 'web-ready' images for online publications.

   Journalists won't have time to open up Photoshop and edit images themselves, so make sure they're right. Finally, always send Jpegs as attachments to emails. If sending large files, use WeTransfer or share a Dropbox link so the recipient can easily download them.

   Your press release requires an entire re-write

   Some press releases are so poorly written that it's difficult to understand what they're actually about. Nine times out of 10, a journalist won't have time to re-write the story. Make sure your press release is well-written, concise and factual.

   Your press release isn't newsworthy

   It's an obvious reason, but journalists will only be interested in press releases that carry a genuine story. So make sure your press release has a strong news angle and isn't just something that's trying to sell your products or services.

   Journalists will only ditch press releases containing lots of sales messages, so keep it factual and newsworthy. What makes something newsworthy? Well, have you just launched a new product that's different from anything else? Or won a client in an unusual way? Put a 'journalist hat' on and consider the sorts of stories that are more likely to get published.

   You clearly don't know the media

   Before you issue any press release, investigate the media you're targeting. Do they have any specific sections where your story would fit in? Do they have a certain style of writing? Do they prefer to have a chat over the phone or do they like to be emailed instead? Get to know the media you're targeting and you'll stand a much better chance of achieving coverage.

   You're becoming a pain

   If someone is constantly nagging a journalist with questions like 'when is my story going to get published?', then they'll be more inclined to move your press release straight to the trash can. Let's face it! None of us like to be hassled. It only leaves a bad taste in our mouths. To keep the journalist sweet, don't chase too much and don't become a pain. Respect them and understand that you can't secure coverage for everything, as it's really up to them.

   Be patient
   
   You may send an article and have checked and it has not been published. This does not always mean it will not be, as the journalist/editor/web-master may have put your article in the 'to-do' file!

   If you have followed all above and really feel your article is newsworthy, then send a polite message. Never get angry or send a 'thanks for not publishing my article' e-mail as it will surely ruin and chances you have for future articles been published.

   Sending press releases rather than advertising

   Some people will spend hours upon hours writing their own press releases and sending them out over and over again in the hope they will get published AND in the hope it will bring them lots of business from it, rather than simply place an advert with the publication. They do this as they do not want to spend any money on advertising - with anyone.

   Do not think that the journalist/editior has 'missed' the obvious mention of a company/business or (if web-based publication) hyperlink to a website.

   A press release should have a story and be interesting, rather than a subtle (or not) so way to promote - these are known as advertorials. If the place you are asking to place your release has advertising options you may want to considere these before sending such a piece.

    

   The main of this article from Katy Cowan - A writer, journalist and all-round creative, Katy is Founding Editor of Creative Boom. She launched the site in 2009 to support others, as well as indulge her passion for creativity. She loves to discover and champion emerging art, photography and design. Follow her @CBKatyLou