Rembrandt’s Blog

You have your business up and running and are ready to announce it to the world. Hold on! Before you send out that press release letting everyone know about your services, there are three things to keep in mind:

1.      Is your site ready?

If people see your press release and visit your site, what will they see? Does your content focus on customer-oriented benefits, or are you just saying, “We are the best, We offer…, We’ve been around since…”? Boring!

Your site needs to let potential customers know that you can solve their problem, and you only have a few seconds to impress them! If your site does not focus on the benefits you offer and provide valuable information to your target market, update your copy before sending out that press release.

2. What do you expect from the press release?

After your press release goes out, do you expect to be inundated with media requests and new-customer orders? Think again. Very few press releases create these kinds of results. Instead, a press release should help to boost online awareness via search engine optimization and build relationships with media members and new customers. Plus, it can help your business appear current, credible and newsworthy.

With this in mind, please have realistic expectations about your press release. It’s important to have regular, monthly news announcements, but press-release-distribution should be part of an overall, marketing strategy and plan involving other activities like e-mail auto-responders, newsletters, free reports, and more.

3.      Are you ready for orders?

Ok. Let’s say you’ve updated your site with the appropriate content and have started your well-thought-out marketing plan. What if your site is bombarded with orders after your release goes out? Are you ready? Can you system handle the orders? Are you customer-service-representatives trained on what to say and what to do?

Your press release can give you a lot of attention. But if potential, new customers show up at your door or Web site to make a purchase, and you’re not prepared, you could miss out on valuable sales and make a bad first-impression.

Press releases are an important tool for growing your business. Just be sure you have an action plan in place, have realistic expectations and think about what you need to do if your phone starts ringing with lots of media calls and online orders. This way, your press-release distribution will be as successful as possible, and you’ll save time, money and stress.

Do you need help boosting sales, awareness and credibility for your business? SEO copywriting and publicity can do wonders! For more information, please write to me here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com.

(Copyright© 2010, Rembrandt Communications^™, LLC – Not to be reprinted without permission)

After optimizing your site for the search engines and pursuing other marketing-efforts, it’s time to use the “power of the press” to boost sales, awareness and credibility cost-effectively.

But how do you pitch your story to a reporter?

Here are eight quick-tips to help you through the media process:

1. Know Your Targeted Media-Members.

Before you even reach out to a reporter, you should know what that person writes about and what he or she will be interested in discussing. Do your homework before contacting a specific reporter, and you’ll have a much better understanding of what you should say (and the topics to avoid).

2. Have Talking-Points Ready.

Keeping point number one above in mind, write down all of the benefits your business has to offer. Know why a reporter will be interested in what you have to say, and practice giving your unique story-angle. Then, when the time is right, you’ll be ready. (You may even want to place your talking-points on an index card by your phone.)

3. Be Newsworthy.

Try to think of a way that your business fits in with current news and industry events. Develop a story-angle related to something newsworthy and current. Then, approach a reporter with your idea.

4. Be Unique.

Media-members want fresh, interesting stories. Try to stand out from the crowd, and provide your opinion about a current topic, unique statistic or story angle that no one else can offer. By conducting research and offering something different, you’ll get much better results from your pitching efforts.

5. Be Succinct.

Reporters are on deadline. Get to the point fast. Practice what you are going to say in advance. Then, speak clearly and succinctly. Mention the most important benefits of your story-angle first. Reporters will appreciate your sense of urgency and respect for their time.

6. Know Your Industry.

Become an expert in your field and know the most current news, events and activities within your industry. Share your news with reporters. And soon, they will come to you for the latest industry updates.

7. Offer Expert-Advice.

Without pitching your own products and services, introduce yourself as an expert to targeted media-members. Comment on a current news-item, provide a special report and offer your help with a future article. Reporters will appreciate the fact that you are willing to provide assistance and may add you to their list of regular resources.

8. Follow Up Accordingly.

Media-members are busy people, and you will probably need to make an effort to stay in touch with them. If you are waiting for a pending story or a call back and haven’t heard anything for a few days, feel free to contact the media-member directly.

Try not to be a pest, but conduct the appropriate follow-up when necessary. This is essential to obtaining clips and maintaining professional, media relationships.

Go for it!

Hopefully, these tips will help you pitch your story to media-members and get results. By “thinking like a reporter” and offering beneficial information in a timely fashion, you’ll definitely increase your chances of obtaining some good media-coverage that can boost buzz and credibility fast!

Do you need help boosting sales, awareness and credibilty fast with SEO copywriting and publicity? Please write to me here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com.

Recently, someone contacted me about sending out press releases. If you are a new entrepreneur, the first thing you probably think of when you hear “PR” is to send out a press release.

And although press releases have their place as media-relationship building tools and announcements, there is a much better way to get some great, press mentions. 

In fact, if you send out a poorly written press release to the wrong people, you can do more harm than good. Reporters receive hundreds of press releases each day, and have no problem instantly deleting or pitching the bad ones.

 What Should You Do?

 Instead, do your research first. Start with a few simple questions:

- Who do you want to talk about your business?

- Who is the appropriate media member to contact?

- What is that person going to care about?

Once you have your talking points together, pick up the phone and introduce yourself to the reporter. Give your story succinctly and with passion.

You have a 50/50 chance – The reporter will want more information or thank you for calling. Either way, you’ve started to build a valuable, media relationship.

Use PR to Your Advantage

In today’s tough economic times, public-relations activities can help your business grow quickly through credible, third-party media mentions and word-of-mouth buzz.

But if you don’t take the time to develop and practice pitching your unique story idea, or hire an experienced expert to do it for you, all of your efforts can be a complete waste of time and money.

Need help with your PR skills, SEO copywriting and marketing to boost sales and credibility? Please contact me here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com.