When working as a journalist, I keep my eyes peeled for certain topics. When I read a press release, I expect it to be about the topic in the headline and introductory paragraph, but last week I found a second story embedded further on in a press release. I left this out of the article I was writing, but it happened that this second story was of more interest to me than the main one.

This could have been dangerous for the company sending the press release as the second story could easily have been missed or ignored. They’re lucky as I’ve taken the effort to interview them for a second article, so they’ve managed two out of one, but they very nearly threw away that second story.

I suggest sticking to one story per press release. Many businesses struggle to find any interesting stories, so it’s best to use them sparingly. It also helps to create a flow of interesting stories to maintain awareness.

Busy journalists and editors can skim the beginning of a press release and never reach the bottom paragraphs. Whether that’s right or wrong, it’s not worth the risk of wasting time and money invested in your public relations programme.

People used to be known by their job titles. I started as a Reservations Agent, becoming a Senior Reservations Agent after six months.

Then I became a Sales Information Officer. Was I in the army? No, along with a colleague, I constructed and wrote 7,000 screens of marketing and sales copy for a British Airways brochure site on Prestel (remember it?); today we’d call it a web site.

Next I was a Quality Monitoring Analyst, which I quickly changed to Communications Executive. In this role I presented data in swanky new graphics packages and wrote business reports presented to the BA board.

Responding to an advert in the Guardian media section, I joined an international law firm as an Editorial Assistant. Who did I assist? Me. I arrived to an empty desk, went out and bought some Apple Macs and established a publishing operation producing law magazines, booklets and books for the firm’s global clientele.

What am I now? Well, I combine all that experience and more, but I can’t call myself a Sales Information Communications Copywriter Editor Proofreader Project Managing Officer Executive Partner.

Few job titles describe what a person does accurately. This isn’t helpful when people ask what you do and want a one word answer.

I often describe myself as a copywriter, although this is only one element of what I get up to, as words involve me with editing, proofreading, public relations, marketing, print, the internet and more. Saying you do a bit of this, some of that and more besides just confuses people.

Of course, each one of us is more than a job title and what’s best is not to be known as that copywriter chap but as the one and only robertz, just as you are the one and only you.

After yesterday’s blog, have you planned your PR programme for the months or year ahead?

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This morning I was surprised to see that I was the writer of the star letter in MacUser magazine. Not bad, considering I had drafted the letter in a hurry on a Sunday morning, emailed it and forgotten about it.

It’s a reminder that a well-written letter on a topic of interest can catch an editor’s attention and achieve exposure for you, your views or expertise.

This demonstrates the power of words and the value of using them effectively.