CoryFossum.com

Do You Make These Press Release Blunders?

A successfully placed press release can lead to an overwhelming amount of free publicity. In fact, being mentioned in an article -- or better yet, being the focus of one -- can sometimes deliver better advertising results than buying an expensive ad in the same publication.

That’s because people put their advertising filters away when they read articles. They don’t expect to be sold to, which in turn makes them more open and receptive to your message.

Whether your business is big or small, you clearly have a lot riding on every press release you write. Which is why clients often ask me to review their drafts (or write them from scratch) before they send them out.

Over the years, I’ve encountered several common blunders which can prevent press releases from performing effectively. With so much at stake, you cannot afford to overlook them.

These are my top five:

Blunder #1: Not Minding the Medium

Before you send a press release to a publication, learn everything you can about it. Review previous editions, find out what kind of stories they run, and evaluate their space requirements. Jot down the names and contact information of the editors.

Also check to see if there is a special section devoted to content like yours. If you are launching a new product, perhaps they have an area devoted specifically to product announcements. Your news story might make a great addition to a News in Brief section.

The goal here is two-fold. You want to make sure that the publication will even be interested in the first place. And then you want to take the information you find and customize your release to make them so interested that they stop in their tracks and call to arrange an interview.

Blunder #2: Not Using the Proper Format

A good press release follows a very specific format. It is not the place to show off your design creativity or a good time to reinvent the wheel. If it can’t be easily identified by an editor, it will probably end up in the trash.

Blunder #3: Not Having an Angle

An editor’s job is to find stories that will interest readers and enhance their lives, not to give away free publicity. So do their job for them by making sure that your story has a compelling angle, or a unique way of looking at your topic.

For example, I just wrote a press release for a client launching a new line of colorful metal earbud headphones. But instead of just announcing the product with techs and specs, we focused on how they offer a stylish alternative to the ubiquitous white earphones that are so popular today. This gives the editors much more to run with.

Blunder #4: Not Using Quotes

Attributing a quote to an executive or key player in your company will humanize your press release, making it more appealing to an editor. It also lets you indirectly praise your product without editorializing.
In other situations, a quote from an expert in a related field can support your story and supply it with more credibility. It also suggests to the editor that someone is available for further discussion should the need arise.

Blunder #5: Not Expressing Urgency

Don’t give editors the chance to set your story aside, because they probably will. They’re on constant deadline to find newsworthy stories with immediate relevance. Everything else can wait for a while in that giant stack on their desk.

So in addition to writing “For Immediate Release” at the top (as opposed to a specific future date), try to give them an angle that is timely and pertinent. For instance, tie your story to a current trend in the marketplace, or a major news event.

How to Build a List from Scratch (Part 2)

In the previous post, I talked about why it's so important to create your own opt-in list of subscribers and prospects. Well, today I'm going to reveal 7 simple ways you can make it happen.

1. Offer information.

Everybody likes to learn something new, especially if it can give them a leg up in their business. So take something of value that you know and package it into a fr*e*e report.

It doesn’t have to be long and involved. The topic just needs to be enticing enough for your visitors to want to read. In exchange for their information, let your visitors download the report as a PDF. Even better, offer to mail it to them if they will supply their physical address.

2. Offer a newsletter.

Obviously, this one is close to my heart. Not just because I publish two newsletters myself, but because I subscribe to so many others, as well. I know first hand that people are more than willing to share their information to subscribe to a newsletter that interests them. And if you keep providing useful information, they’ll stick with you for years to come.

3. Offer a consultation.

If you’re in a service- based business, exchange a chunk of your time and expertise. I offer a complementary 20-minute consultation for new prospects. One of my clients is a personal trainer who offers a fitness evaluation to serious inquiries. You get the idea. The time spent on the consultations is often nothing compared to the dividends the contact information can pay in the long run.

4. Offer a demo.

If you have a product-based business, find a way for your prospects to get a demo in exchange for their information. Software trials can be easily downloaded off of a website. Or in exchange for a physical address, you can send an informational DVD or videotape.

5. Offer faster shipping.

Tell your visitors to opt-in and their first order will get overnight shipping on the house. This might require some backend work, but it’s nothing a good shopping cart system can’t handle.

6. Offer a catalog.

No matter how much the Internet invades our lives, people still enjoy the experience of a physical product catalog. It’s just too hard to “curl up” with a web site, no matter how interesting it is. But visitors will spend the time to get cozy with a catalog if they like what's inside.

7. Offer a brochure.

This falls along the same lines as the catalog, and it gives you a chance to really go into detail selling your product or service. Best of all, a brochure might end up sitting on a prospect’s desk for days at a time— a constant reminder to get back in touch with you and place an order. Or it could just as easily get passed along to a friend or colleague.

The importance of your mailing list cannot be overstated. These are people who have expressed interest in your products or services, and invited you to stay in touch with them. While you should never take advantage of this permission, you should do everything in your power to make the most of it.

So the next time you have a big traffic surge, don’t just measure your success in revenue alone. Instead, use the approaches above to gather as many interested names as possible. You will see the results of your efforts pay off handsomely and consistently in the long term.

How to Build a List from Scratch (Part 1)

The story is all too familiar...

Your brilliant marketing efforts have caused a huge onslaught of visitor traffic to your website. But when the surge ends, your heart sinks and your hopes are dashed. Sure, you had a ton of visitors, but the sales are next to nothing.

Aside from the screenshot you took of your traffic spike, you have no proof anyone was ever there.
What went wrong?

Well, nothing went wrong. In fact, that's usually how it goes.

The harsh reality is that most people who visit your web site for the first time won’t buy anything at all. And if they’re not instantly intrigued, most people will just split after a few seconds.

Even if they do stick around, it usually takes a few visits or contacts for anything to happen. They need to get to know you. They need to get to know your product or service. And this can take time, especially if a large exchange of money is involved.

So you need them to return to your site to find out more. But this is the sad part. Unless you do something about it, most of them will never be back. Ever. And that giant spike on your online traffic report will quickly represent missed opportunities and lost revenue.

How do you get them back?

You can cross your fingers and hope they come back on their own. But your fingers will probably just cramp up while you wait.

Instead, you need to get those visitors to volunteer their contact information to you. Once they opt-in to your mailing list, there are dozens—even hundreds—of ways you can politely keep in touch and encourage them to return over and over again.

But that’s easier said than done.

For reasons I don’t need to get into, people aren’t that freewheeling with their personal information these days. If they’re going to give you their name, email address, or even their mailing address, they’re also going to expect something in return.

What can you do?

Simple. Give them something they can use in exchange for a little of their information. Make them an offer they can’t refuse. And make it so prominent on your home page, that they can’t miss it and would be crazy not to take you up on it.

The good news is that this isn’t as hard as it sounds.

There are a variety of approaches you can take to make this happen. And tomorrow we'll take a look at some of the best out there. So be sure to return then!