Once You Know How It Works, Press Releases Aren't So Scary!
Press releases, when used correctly, can be an effective method of generating traffic to your website. Not only does a press release give you the opportunity to have your business (and URL) mentioned in front of a large crowd, but, when it does work, it adds credibility to your business as well.
No longer viewed as an advertiser, you are now considered valuable enough to be interviewed as a resource for their readers. And that adds a lot of legitimacy to your business and product.
It's funny, but marketing experts say that nothing seems to inspire dread in the business owner like having to send out a press release. Once you know how it works, press releases aren't so scary! I'm saying that as someone who wrote their first release at the ripe old age of fifteen, as the publicity secretary for a local non-profit. The release itself is simple and formula driven. The real work is knowing who to contact.
In this lens I'll give you the quick and easy overview and show you where to get expert help.
No longer viewed as an advertiser, you are now considered valuable enough to be interviewed as a resource for their readers. And that adds a lot of legitimacy to your business and product.
It's funny, but marketing experts say that nothing seems to inspire dread in the business owner like having to send out a press release. Once you know how it works, press releases aren't so scary! I'm saying that as someone who wrote their first release at the ripe old age of fifteen, as the publicity secretary for a local non-profit. The release itself is simple and formula driven. The real work is knowing who to contact.
In this lens I'll give you the quick and easy overview and show you where to get expert help.
Guidelines Before You Write Your Press Release
Failure to Follow Will Guarantee Your Place In PR Oblivion!
1.You must have something newsworthy to write about. If you don't, then create something newsworthy and then write your press release.
What is newsworthy?
-A charity event - raise funds for charity
-A contest to highlight an aspect of your field
-A new product or service that can benefit others
-A problem - and you came up with a solution.
2.Your press release must be written in a manner that is informative, instead of reading like an advertisement.
Try to write your press release without any hype.
Bad: "The solution to solve all of your problems!"
Better: "After dealing with her son's chronic bedwetting for years, Jonas wrote a book to help other moms who feel discouraged and frustrated."
3.Your press release must be formatted correctly if you hope to have it read by an editor.
The media receives thousands of press releases each day. If yours is formatted poorly or filled with typos, it will likely be tossed aside.
What is newsworthy?
-A charity event - raise funds for charity
-A contest to highlight an aspect of your field
-A new product or service that can benefit others
-A problem - and you came up with a solution.
2.Your press release must be written in a manner that is informative, instead of reading like an advertisement.
Try to write your press release without any hype.
Bad: "The solution to solve all of your problems!"
Better: "After dealing with her son's chronic bedwetting for years, Jonas wrote a book to help other moms who feel discouraged and frustrated."
3.Your press release must be formatted correctly if you hope to have it read by an editor.
The media receives thousands of press releases each day. If yours is formatted poorly or filled with typos, it will likely be tossed aside.
"How To" Press Release Videos
Publicity for Home Based Businesses
- PennyPinchingPublicity
- Media Maven Shannon Cherry show you how to get PR firm results for pennies a day.
- Press Equalizer Software
- Press Equalizer is an easy-to-download PC software you can run right on your computer. It allows you to take full advantage of online press releases by helping you to create them at lightning fast speed and then distributing them for you
Hot Tip!
Once you have been interviewed or highlighted in any media (online or offline), start a "Media Page" on your website to showcase your exposure. Include links to any online interviews, pdf copies of print interviews, and audio clips of recorded interviews.
Great Guides on Writing Press Releases and Getting Publicity
Do You Write press Releases For Your Business?
Let us know you were here...
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LEDadvertising
Sep 29, 2011 @ 11:57 pm | delete
- Good info to get started, thanks!
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Mickie_G
Feb 10, 2011 @ 9:28 am | delete
- My daughter is a PR person for an "event team". I have been known to write a lens or two about some of their "events" (golf tournaments, contests).
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Maureen lives with her husband and four sons in Upstate NY. She is a total foodie, home renovator, and loves to travel with her family. more »
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