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Tips for Writing a Press Release That Gets Attention | The Work at Home Woman

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:19:00 +0000

By Holly Reisem Hanna, http://www.theworkathomewoman.com/

The purpose of a press release is to inform the world of your news and if you’re lucky a journalist or news publication will pick up your story and turn it into a news item for a magazine, newspaper or online publication, giving you and your business greater exposure and credibility.

Publicity is different from traditional advertising in that it builds credibility because it is a third party that is distributing the information. With advertising the message is totally controlled by the company (how long it runs, what is said, what it looks like), but because people know that it is a paid advertisement they may be skeptical of the claims being made. The general population is more likely to trust a third party source such as reviewer, columnist or reporter – just look at how popular Consumer Reports is!
To create a press release that catches the attention of a journalist here are some basic tips you should follow when writing your press release.

Make sure the item that you’re sending out is newsworthy. So what is considered newsworthy? It could be a grand opening (make sure to come up with a unique angle, online stores open up every day), survey results, winning an award, a strategic partnership that has been formed, an event, anniversary or milestone. You should not use your press release for the purpose of making a sale.
Use the correct format. As a document, press releases have a very specific format and content guidelines – make sure to adhere to them. You can find many places online for templates and guidance.

Put yourself in the reader’s seat: You will need to make your press release appealing to the reader and one of the best ways to do this is by telling a short story or by giving an example. Make sure that all the details in the release are factual and not embellished – falsifications can undoubtedly ruin your creditability and reputation.

Start strong: Make sure the first sentence of your press release is effective, as it is the most important. Your press release should include all of the “W” questions, “who, what, where, when and why”.

Avoid flair: Tone down your use of adjectives and fancy lingo. Try to avoid the use of exclamation points and if you feel it is absolutely necessary to use them, make sure it is only one, not several of them. Also avoid using all capitals or bold face type – be moderate.
Permission: Before using a quote or any company information make sure that you have permission from the company. A dispute from the quoted company could end up with your press release being pulled.

Make it easy: Make sure to provide as much detail and contact information to make the journalist’s job easy. Include contact name, business, address, phone, fax, email address and web site address.

Once you have your press release written it’s time to submit it to the various press release distribution sites. PR Web is probably the most popular site however it is slightly expensive, around $80 for a standard press release. And one thing you need to remember with PR is that when you send out a press release it may or may not be picked up by a journalist. I would suggest sending your release out to all of your local news avenues (newspapers & news stations) and many of the free sites, then if you have the money send it out of PR Web too.

When the Domain Name You Want Is Already Taken

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:14:00 +0000

Q: I want to use my company’s name, plus dot-com, for my Web site. But that name is already taken. It will expire later this year. Is it possible for me to reserve it so nobody else can get it or renew it?

A: If you haven’t done so already, find the individual who currently owns the domain name you’d like for your company. If there is no Web site at that URL, or no contact information on the site, you can look up the current ownership at WHOIS, BusinessWeek reports.

You can try negotiating with the owner directly for the domain name, or you can request to back-order a domain name that is coming close to its expiration date. Sites such as SnapNames take back orders for expiring domains, says Eric Esposito, CTO of SilverTech, a New England online marketing and technology business.

Putting in a request does not guarantee you will have first choice of the domain name when it comes up for grabs, Esposito says. “Typically, when a domain expires, the current registrant will hold it for 30 to 45 days to give the owner a chance to renew. After that, it goes into an auction where those who place back orders or those who are interested in it can bid on the domain name,” he says.

All the bidding is done online, and winners must pay up front before the domain name is released. “This process can take some time, so it is good to plan ahead and request a back order at least a couple months early,” Esposito says.

If you win the domain name, or you can persuade the owner to sell it to you directly, make sure you register it for multiple years. “Domains registered for only one year can negatively impact search engine rankings,” Esposito says. And if you do get the dot-com domain name and retain the dot-biz URL, you should try to purchase the dot-net, dot-org, and other available extensions for your company as well, Weiss says.

What if you don’t manage to secure the domain name you desire? All is not lost. There are likely other, less expensive dot-com domains you can register using alternate versions of your company name. “There are search engine benefits to getting certain keywords in your domain name,” Esposito says.

Photo by g-point.

From: Business Opportunities Weblog.

Wowwie! Check out the changes!

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 07:15:00 +0000

There's been some major changes to the DesignWerks web site. Check it out:
DesignWerks Website

Did You Know Twitter Offers a Guide for Business Users???

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:43:00 +0000

Every day, millions of people use Twitter to create, discover and share ideas with others. Now, people are turning to Twitter as an effective way to reach out to businesses, too. From local stores to big brands, and from brick-and-mortar to internet-based or service sector, people are finding great value in the connections they make with businesses on Twitter.

Check it out: Twitter Business Users Guide

Top 10 Reasons Why You Need A Website

noreply@blogger.com (Gina) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:19:00 +0000

Believe it or not, there are still people wondering whether their business really needs a website. Or, they say: we do not have a business, but a not-for-profit organization: should we have a website? Definitely! I could easily come up with 50 reasons why you need a website but here's the top 10:

1. Promote Your Services - It is hard to showcase services in a store, or office. The web allows you to introduce the service, the professionals providing the service, and how several services can complement each other.

2. Sell Your Products - A few years ago, after all the dot-boms, people lost faith in e-commerce. Now e-commerce is booming. Gift moments like Christmas and Valentine's Day show record sales numbers, and money-guzzling giants like Amazon are starting to make money. Offering a great user-experience and minding usability is the key to success.

3. Offer Service 365/24/7 - This may not be of great value to you (it may even be a burden...), but to your customers it is very empowering and important. The Internet puts the web browser in control - and if you are not there, you will be more and more passed over in favour of an online competitor.

4. Improve Branding - Branding is a way to differentiate your product, service or company from its competition, and create loyalty. The content of a website, its style and tools such as newsletters allow for many ways to differentiate yourself, make the visitor feel good about you, and build loyalty. More worrisome: if you do not do this, a competitor may snatch not only your prospects sales, but also their loyalty away from you with their website! Eat, or be eaten!

5. Reach A Global Market - If your target audience is "the world" then you really need a website. But you knew that already, didn't you ;o)

6. Inquiry Marketing: Be Found - Period! A major advertising conference mentioned recently "advertising is dead". Interruption marketing does not work as it used to, due to video on demand, TiVo, the Internet... The consumers are more and more difficult to reach. Instead, they are in control; they are searching - on the Internet. It is inquiry marketing. Search and be found, or fail to be found and lose the customer.

7. Expand Your Product OR Service Offerings - Exclusively Online - A website allows you to differentiate your product or service offerings. You may want to consider offering slightly different services online than you do offline, for instance to foster repeat visits, using it as a test market, or target different geographical areas than you do with your store or office.

8. Play With The Big Guys - Many small companies successfully take on the big Guys. Websites can be relatively inexpensive (compared to running a brick-and-mortar store), and with proper usability and search engine optimization your website can be as good as your larger competitors, or even better!

9. Enhance Marketing Effectiveness - Success does not come from doing one thing right. What you need is a marketing mix, and a website can be a powerful ingredient. Mentioning a website in a radio, TV or print ad may just be the thing that wins people over - especially if the online experience feels similar to the offline communication.

10. People Expect It - By having a website you show the world that you are a viable business. Not having one makes you suspicious in the eyes of many prospects. It is silly but true: a website will enhance perceived professionalism.

In case you need another reason, think about this: Competition Forces You To have a Website if you do not already have one. Customers (especially the newer generations) will demand you have a website, and will pass you over if you do not have one. It is a matter of adjusting to shifting market conditions. And things will continue to shift, at an amazing speed - just look at how fast the Internet has become an integral part of our lives.

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