Blow Your Own Horn- The new rules of PR: How to create a press release strategy
Before the Web, everybody knew that the only reason you issued a press release was to get the media to write about you.
Ye Olde Press Release Rules
• Nobody saw the actual press release except a handful of reporters
and editors.
• You had to have significant news before you were allowed to write
a press release.
• A release had to include quotes from third parties, such as customers,
analysts and experts.
• The only way your buyers would learn about the press release’s
content was if the media wrote a story about it.
• The only way to measure the effectiveness of press releases was
through “clip books,” which collected every time the media deigned
to pick up your release.
No More.
The Web has transformed the rules and you must transform your releases to make
the most of the Web-enabled marketplace of ideas.
The new rules of press releases
• Don’t just send press releases when “big news” is happening;
find good reasons to send them all the time.
• Instead of just targeting a handful of journalists, create press releases
that appeal directly to your buyers ( clients, employers, other websites)
• Write releases replete with keyword-rich copy.
• Create links in releases to deliver potential customers to landing
pages on your Web site.
• Optimize press release delivery for searching and browsing.
• Drive people into the sales process with press releases.
As you are making this fundamental shift, ( to marketing yourself through press releases) what should you write press releases about? Big news
is great, but don’t wait. Write about just about anything that your organization is doing:
- CEO speaking at a conference? Write a release.
- Win an award? Write a release.
- Have a new take on an old problem? Write a release.
- Add a product feature? Write a release.
- Win a new customer? Write a release.
- Publish a white paper? Write a release.
- Get out of bed this morning? Okay, maybe not…but you are thinking the right way now!
Publish your press releases through a distribution service.
Publishers also recognize that simply creating compelling content is not enough; it has to reach interested readers.
The best way to publish press releases is to simultaneously post a release to your own Web site and send it to one of the press release wires.
There are a number of options for wire distribution of press releases. The benefit of using a press release distribution service is that your release will be sent to the online news services such as Yahoo!, Google, Lycos, and many others.
Many press release distribution services reach trade and industry Web sites as well. In fact, you can reach hundreds of Web sites with a single press release. Take a look at the various services and compare them yourself.
A Selection of the Larger Press Release Distribution Services
Be sure to use meaningful links and key words that target your potential customers.
Speak to your potential buyers directly. Get them invoived in a dialogue so they will begin feeling more comfortable with you and/or your product.
It’s all about persistence.
Over time, there’s no doubt that in the Web economy, press releases
drive action and make those who create them successful.
