Here’s a marketing strategy that’s literally too good to be true, because . . .
- You can master it in an afternoon.
- It costs you nothing - literally zilch.
- It performs as well as expensive advertising.
- It is renewable, meaning that with just a little ongoing effort from you, it will keep producing good results.
I am talking about writing press releases. If you spend just a little time reviewing the information in this post today, you can achieve the results I describe above, or even better. Plus, you can get started today.
What You Need to Know
What are press releases? They are one or two-page written documents that you send to reporters to tell them news about your company. They could be newspaper reporters, or reporters on television or radio. They will tell your story in print or on the news - and you will get valuable coverage at no cost.
How can you learn to write press releases? You can learn the standard content and page setup by visiting corporate Websites and studying the press releases that are posted on them. Some good companies to visit are
Apple Computer,
General Motors and
Honda. But explore the “News” or “Media” sections on other corporations’ Websites too. You will quickly see that writing a high-quality press release is doggone easy.
What kind of news should you announce in your press releases? Just about anything that will interest the media. Perhaps you are opening a new store, launching a new product, hiring a new top executive or opening a new manufacturing plant in a neighboring state. If it is news, someone will report it.
Where should you send your releases? To local newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations - and any other news-reporting organizations that make sense. Just be sure to target specific reporters, by name, who cover your industry or technology. Start making a list of those people and send your releases to them.
How should you send your releases? Print them out and send them in envelopes. Or email your releases directly to the reporters you are targeting. (Many newspaper and magazine writers give their email addresses at the bottom of the articles they write.) Include some photos (or downloadable JPEGs if you are posting your releases on your company’s site) too.
How can you make sure that your releases get picked up in the media? Be proactive. Don’t send them out and wait passively for your phone to ring. Call to follow up. Also cultivate ties with reporters who cover your industry. Invite them to your company for a tour. Or introduce yourself to them at trade shows or conferences. Face-to-face contact generates press coverage.
The stories and articles that result from your releases benefit you even more than straight advertising can, by attracting the attention of venture capitalists, potential employees, vendors - and many other people with benefits to offer.
So if you want to get a huge return from a tiny investment of time, “release yourself” - by writing press releases that trumpet the news about what you and your company are up to.
Barry Lenson is Executive Editor at Trump University.
6 Comments Post a comment
Sincerely
Richard F. Guyon
CEO NEXRUN Technologies Inc.
http://www.nexruntechnologies.com
CTO / SEO SIA Newsletters
http://www.sianewsletters.com
CTO / SEO Mutual Funds Advisor
http://www.mutualfund-advisor.com
Press releases are a main leveraging tool for Publicly Trading Companies to connect with new potential shareholders, while showing follow-through from management for existing shareholders. Private companies also benefit because it portrays outlining plans, then bringing those plans to fruition, thus showing strength in management.
Also, when private companies want to go public, these press releases add to their business plan.
These press releases are compiled in hard copies making up a Press Kit for companies or Investor Kits, usually disseminated during promotions, or when an inquiry is made, it is offered as a "tracking of the corporate vision "in the time-line of frequently written press releases.
For Public companies, press releases can make, break or be indifferent to the share price, mainly due to bad news or good news.
However, even if a Public company puts out an amazing press release with the world's biggest deposit of ore, without a shareholder base with eyes and ears already waiting, news barely affects the volume!
The key point being is that Press Releases need to be put out in a timely fashion, including when potential investors, or customers, have already been pre-pitched on your company!
So before you put out a press release, get on the phone and cold call 100 new prospective investors, or customers and tell them about your company and to stay tuned for the press release "in the near future"
There is confidential insider information for Public Companies that cannot be disclosed until it has been released to the general public ( a legal act of fairness to all investors, in essence). Martha Stewart was penalized based on selling her shares before this information was press released with negative numbers, thus the hub of the problem.
In the arena of emerging growth companies, there is a rule...buy on rumour, sell on fact, which happens to be every promoter's leveraging tool!
As for the catalysts, US Newswire services and Canadian Newswire services are the mainstay!
What with the annoucement of income splitting and trust funds won't the public want to be paid for their services rendered ?
Isabelle Morgan
As I spoke with my corner gas station it was suggested I take a peek at Valero's forumla. I don't like it not one bit !
When hard earned minimum wage gas pumping politics raises that much money for a corporation to suggest free success is easily obtained who is footing the bill ?
Is Howard Nolan really a success. I don't think so....
Not when what these minimum wagers are raising is funds to research cancer they are most likely to obtain in their future as a direct consequence to the nature of their employment.
Where does it state a business man needs to be a crook to get ahead ?
Where does it state poor people must fund crooks because they are less than Mr Nolan ?
The closing brief conversation I had with my corner gas friend stated women need more education ? Not more cloths.
A secondary motion to said Valero success would have to question how children can possibly benefit long term on PGA golf tournaments ?
Is this in keeping with Kyoto initiatives and reforestation efforts ?
...or the fun and merriment of a wallet and extra curricular activities for the retired and aging who needs the exercise ?
Should we ask the weather man to obtain a pure answer on a Kyoto note ? What are the kids learning or are they simply kept in the dark.
I have not heard of this type of fund raiser in my community have you ?
(c) Isabelle Morgan