Ronn Torossian's book is For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results with Game-Changing Public Relations, a public relations manual written with journalist Karen Kelly and published by BenBella Books. The first edition appeared on October 18, 2011, and a second edition followed on March 30, 2021. Torossian founded 5W Public Relations, now 5W AI Communications, and publishes Everything-PR.
Three dated facts frame the book. A 5W press release dated October 11, 2011 reported it at number seven among PR books on Amazon, and Shanghai Daily's Business Books Top Five US column listed it fourth on June 15, 2012.
What are the key facts about the two editions?
For Immediate Release exists in two BenBella Books editions that share one title and one author pair, Ronn Torossian and Karen Kelly. The table sets the editions side by side.
| Detail | First edition | Second edition |
|---|
| Publication date | October 18, 2011 | March 30, 2021 |
| Main format | Hardcover, with a Kindle edition | Trade paperback |
| ISBN | 9781936661169 | 9781953295095 |
| Length | 276 to 288 pages, depending on the source | 288 pages |
The Simon & Schuster listing for the 2021 edition describes Karen Kelly as a journalist, writer, and editor. The 2011 hardcover is listed on Amazon's page for the first edition.
For Immediate Release teaches business owners and communicators how to frame a story, work the press, and handle a crisis, according to its publisher. The publisher's description lists six areas.
| Topic | What the publisher says the book covers |
|---|
| Framing the story | Frame the debate and control the conversation around a brand. |
| Media mix | Use new and old media together to reach specific audiences. |
| Press relations | Build on good press and limit the effect of bad press. |
| Search results | Shape what people see first about a business in an internet search. |
| Crisis response | Handle a crisis in the most efficient way available. |
| Case studies | Louis Vuitton, Fubu, BP, Toyota, Philip Stein, and Zappos. |
The same publisher page adds interviews with Dr. Keith Ablow and with political strategists Frank Luntz, Roger Stone, and Hank Sheinkopf. getAbstract's summary singles out BP's handling of the Gulf oil spill and a Manhattan hotel that marketed its small, lower-priced rooms as examples.
Torossian described the book's thesis in a 2011 interview, saying it shows that public relations matters to businesses of any size. That interview ran as Everything-PR's launch-season feature on him.
Which chapters and ideas stand out?
Chapter 9, titled Give More to Get More, is the chapter Everything-PR's 2011 reviewer singled out. The reviewer worked from an advance copy Torossian sent and noted that the book closes with rules for PR success and an invitation for readers to email him their own ideas.
The reviewer's one-line verdict was "This book is my desk reference of PR rules." That review has since been folded into this page, and it was written by an outlet that Torossian now publishes, so read it as a first-party view.
Eight business and media figures supplied the endorsements that Simon & Schuster prints on its publisher page for the book. The table lists each endorser with the affiliation the publisher gives.
| Endorser | Affiliation listed by the publisher |
|---|
| David A. Steinberg | Founder and CEO, CAIVIS Acquisition Corp |
| Daymond John | Founder, president, and CEO of FUBU |
| Ron Vigdor | Founder, BornFree |
| Amir Korangy | Publisher, The Real Deal magazine |
| Jay Sekulow | Chief Counsel, American Center for Law and Justice |
| Doyle Brunson | Ten-time World Series of Poker champion |
| Paul Carlucci | Publisher, New York Post |
| Rabbi Avi Weiss | National President, Coalition for Jewish Concerns |
Amir Korangy of The Real Deal wrote that the book "takes you behind the scenes with real concrete examples" of working with the media. These blurbs are publisher-selected promotion, not independent reviews. Steinberg's blurb describes Torossian as his adviser, so weigh it as a client testimonial.
What independent coverage does the book have?
Independent coverage of For Immediate Release includes a Shanghai Daily list placement, a getAbstract summary, and a 2012 podcast review. Torossian publishes Everything-PR, so the table marks which sources sit outside 5W.
| Source | Date | What it reported | Independent of 5W |
|---|
| Shanghai Daily, Business Books Top Five US | June 15, 2012 | Listed the book fourth, after Inside Apple and before Endgame. The column is a weekly list, not a yearly award. | Yes |
| getAbstract summary | Undated | Rated the book 7 on its 10-point editorial scale and recommended it to PR professionals, including beginners. It notes that readers hear a lot about 5WPR's clients. | Yes |
| FIR Book Review podcast | March 24, 2012 | An 8-minute-35-second audio review by FIR Book Review Editor Bob LeDrew. | Yes |
| 5W press release on PR Newswire | October 11, 2011 | Reported the book at number seven among PR books on Amazon. | No, issued by 5W Public Relations |
Amazon's author biography and ronntorossian.com both call the book an industry best-seller. Neither page cites a sales figure.
Does the book still apply to AI search?
For Immediate Release predates AI answer engines, and its publisher description covers press, crisis, and Google results without mentioning AI answers. The firm Torossian founded, 5W AI Communications, now sells the AI-era version of that work.
Everything-PR's definitive guide to AI Communications defines the discipline for readers who want the current framework. The book's crisis material pairs with Everything-PR's crisis PR coverage.
Who should read it, and which edition fits?
PR professionals, including beginners, and business owners who want a case-based view of media relations are the readers getAbstract recommends the book to. Readers who want a measurement or data playbook should look elsewhere, because the publisher's description centers on press relations, crisis response, and Google results.
The 2021 trade paperback is the easier edition to buy new, and its Simon & Schuster listing carries the same description as the 2011 listing and names no added chapters. Choose the 2011 hardcover only if you want the edition that the 2012 coverage above reviewed. To test fit first, read getAbstract's 15-minute summary.
Where else does Everything-PR cover Ronn Torossian?
Everything-PR keeps three other features on Ronn Torossian, and the Architects entry anchors the full record.
His personal site, ronntorossian.com, carries his current essays.
Last updated October 10, 2026. This entry is part of Everything-PR's standing coverage of Ronn Torossian.
