Above And Beyond Promotion

Posts Tagged ‘Release’

Promoting Relationships With the Public

Word Count:
426

Summary:
Public Relations or “PR” is one of the most important factors in how you are perceived by the public at large. It is the relationship between your business and your customers, past customers, community and potential customers.

Keywords:
promoting, relationships, customer, customer service, public

Article Body:
Public Relations or “PR” is one of the most important factors in how you are perceived by the public at large. It is the relationship between your business and your customers, past customers, community and potential customers.

There are two ways of obtaining PR. One way is through press releases, in which you share news about events or accomplishments within your company or organization. This form of PR gives you full control over how your company looks to the public. Your public, is anyone who has an interest of one type or another in your business such as your employees, customers, suppliers, competition and the press. How you are percieved by the public has a huge impact on the future of your business.

When issuing a press release make sure that the information provided is of interest to the readers or viewers of that particular publication. The heading of the press release should grab the readers attention and prompt them to continue reading. Make sure you are targeting publications which would be interested in your information. You wont have much success submitting a press release about christmas ornaments to a publication which targets outdoor life.

Testimonials and case histories are useful when overcoming objections, building credibility, and demonstrating customer satisfaction with your company and products. Generally, testimonials do not make up the bulk of a press release. Although it helps to add in a positive quote from a satisfied customer, make sure the comment is in direct relation to the focus of your press release.

Good PR from satisfied customers can bring you a whopping customer base, yet at the same time one shred of negative PR from an unhappy customer can cause your business considerable damage. When in a one-on-one meeting your customer should do most of the talking. Your customers are worth listening to and their feedback is valuable information! Take the time to listen to their questions and comments as it will help you to understand their needs and make sure they are satisfied with your service. If you are doing most of the talking, chances are, your customers are going to feel pressured or turned off and you run the risk of losing a sale as well as a customer.

Building a relationship with the public is an important aspect of promoting your business and building a solid customer base. Staying in touch with your customers will not only improve your customer relations, but will keep your name foremost in the minds of your customers and prospects and keep them coming back.

Web Site Promotion – 6 Key Press Release Facts – Short Version

Word Count:
222

Summary:
How to Create A Hard Hitting Press Release – Keep it informational and concise. Avoid the use of superfluous language and adjectives. Editors want to know the facts.

Keywords:
web site promotion, search engine promotion, write promotion, web promotion, how to write promotion, promotion how to, promotion articles, promotion guide, internet promotion, marketing promotion

Article Body:
By Anne Marie Baugh

6 Important Facts To Remember:

(1) Target The Correct Publications – Resist the urge to blast your press release out to thousands of publications, most of who will not be interested. Most likely this technique will annoy them. Instead, target the publications that will be most interested in your press release.

(2) Send A Personalized Letter – Send a letter directly to the correct editor of the publications you have selected. Don’t be afraid to call and confirm the editor’s name. Then send the press release with the cover letter and follow up with a friendly, non-pushy phone call.

(3) Create A Press Kit – Create press kit that defines all of your successes and achievements. Include a bio, press releases, and clips.

(4) Don’t Limit Yourself To Online Ezines and Newsletters – Plenty of valuable newsletters still exist in print, hard copy form. Target these editors as well. Many are hungry for content.

(5) Get Yourself In Front Of An Audience – Don’t forget the real world! Find opportunities to speak to your target audience. Many professional organizations are looking for free speakers. Take these opportunities and run with them.

(6) Pitch Like A Pro! – Sometimes the best approach to the media is a simple pitch. Forget the press release and all the elegant literature. Make a phone call and pitch your story. It’s often the most effective approach.

The Most Overlooked Free Advertising In The World-Wide Universe

Word Count:
947

Summary:
The press release is the most underutilized yet most powerful method of promoting one’s business. It is amazing that so few businesses write and distribute press releases. Learn how you can incorporate this free promotional tool into your marketing plan.

Keywords:
press release, free advertising, publicity

Article Body:
Why would anyone in their right mind pass up an opportunity for free advertising? The answer is, you shouldn’t. Never.

That’s why you need to learn the careful art of press release writing and submission.

The press release is the perfect tool for free publicity. Most people know that non-profit and community service organizations are capable of getting free publicity by using this tool. But can it be used for businesses that operate for profit? Sure can.

If written the right way and promoting the proper angle, a press release can get your business in the spotlight for some free publicity. But you’ve got to keep a few things in mind.

First, no media outlet is going to advertise your weekend sale or special one-time low prices on out-of-date widgets. If you are seeking publicity for your business because you want to rake in some quick cash next weekend, don’t waste your time. You won’t get the publicity you’re looking for.

However, if you are the proud sponsor of a community event where members of the public are invited then you could get some free publicity. There are all kinds of creative ways to make this work.

For instance, suppose the new and outrageous Springling Sisters Carnival is coming to town. They are going to use your storefront parking lot to set up for entertainment. Normally, your business is closed on weekends and the carnival is only going to operate on Saturday and Sunday. What a great opportunity to capitalize!

That is one golden opportunity for a press release. But don’t mention your business. Just promote the carnival and be sure to give the address where the carnival will be located – the address of your business, which you won’t mention by name. People who read about the carnival in the newspaper or hear it on the radio will be looking for your address. When they find it, they will find your business open on days it is normally not open.

Here’s what you do on Saturday and Sunday when the carnival is in town. Hire a clown or someone who represents a mascot for your business. Have them stand at the entrance of the carnival or beside the street where traffic is passing by. They should be holding a sign advertising your business is open or passing out flyers and brochures to carnival-goers inviting them to your store after they have enjoyed the entertainment. Promote it as a special Carnival Day Super Saver Day, or a similar special sale day. People will love it.

Your store can be promoted this way through any number of events. Suppose you hire a local celebrity to visit your store on a certain day. Send a press release stating the celebrity will be at your store (this time you can mention it by name) on that day at a specific time. Because your event is promoting the celebrity, not your business, and it’s a free event that anyone can attend, it is likely that local news media will pick it up.

One other way you can get free publicity for your business is to host a free seminar where nothing will be sold. The idea is to give people free information they can use in their businesses or private lives. Suppose you run a local automotive shop. You can give a free seminar teaching women and new drivers how to do a tune up. Since you are not selling your services at the seminar this is a great opportunity to promote your business in the community without advertising.

Also, you can use legislative issues as a tool for free publicity. What if your state passes a new law regarding emissions testing. Write a press release where the legislation is the focus of the article. Don’t talk about your business. Instead, discuss how the legislation will effect people in your community. Then, throw in a quote from the owner or manager of your business. You can include the person’s title and the business name since you are writing a news story and position the person quoted as an expert on the subject. Voila! Free publicity.

It is important that you focus on an event or special moment that will appeal to a wide variety of people and involves some sort of community service or popular interest. It shouldn’t be self-serving. You are giving to the community and you want the world to know. This is your one chance to shine.

Be sure to send the press release to as many media outlets (radio, television, print and Internet) as you can find contact information for. It is best if you send it to a specific editor by name rather than just “editor” or “producer.” Also, learn to write in journalistic style with all the pertinent information (who, what, when, where, why and how) in the first two or three paragraphs. Write in an inverted pyramid style with the most important information up front. That way, if the media company only has space for so much content they will use the most important information because they always cut from the bottom.

Press releases can be used to promote your business in a variety of ways, to include special community events, charitable sponsorships, joint ventures with government and community service organizations, celebrity appearances and holiday events that involve a wide berth of community personalities and agencies. Be creative and remember that your goal is to promote someone or something else. You should be in the background as much as possible, but visible. And that is how you can promote your business through free publicity using the most overlooked free advertising tool in the world-wide universe.

If you have a low budget or no budget your advertising campaign can still be done for free, and a small business owner can get free ads with large publishers. Read the rest of this entry »