Jon Smith / On...

writing & digital marketing

April 30th 2012

On… Effective Press Releases for your new online business

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Every online business is competing for press coverage. There are only so many physical inches of print media published every day and only so many online news or industry-related websites, therefore it’s essential that your press release gets to the right editor, is noticed, and the content gets transformed into a feature or article.

Good PR is all about putting yourself in the position of the journalist or editor. If you received over 100 press releases a week, but you only have seven articles to write, what’s going to help you choose which stories to run?

Target your audience – you’re wasting your time and the editor’s time if your business or the angle is completely unrelated to the publication’s usual fare. This may sound obvious, but new businesses sometimes try the scattergun approach in the hope that something, anything sticks. Your ‘new maternity wear range’ press release is more likely to be picked up by a lifestyle/female orientated/baby-related publisher than a financial products publisher

Do your research – find out the name of the editor or writer and address the Press Release to them

Check and double check – make sure any facts are indeed correct, especially when it comes to numbers, as these are the easiest to check

Spelling and grammar – have someone else proofread your text; mistakes reflect badly on you and your business and it’s another excuse for your release to be ignored

Timing – consider publishing deadlines; magazines are written well in advance of their publication date. i.e. the June edition is usually in the shops in late May and being written in March and April. So if you want a magazine to feature aspects from your ‘100 hot bikinis’ release, you need to be talking to them in February.

Angle – So, you’ve added an additional luxury product range to your website, or you’ve branched into Conveyance to complement your existing Family Law services… So what? Who cares? Why is that news, and why should an editor use their valuable space to promote you? You need to give the publication an angle, something unique, quirky or interesting that can make your press release relevant, interesting and exciting for their audience.

Posted at 11:31pm and tagged with: PR, press releases, marketing, promotion, start a new business,.

April 1st 2012

On… Targeted print media

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Every single month new magazines launch and each of these publications is desperate for new original copy that will help sell copies and keep readers’ reading. You may browse the magazine stands and think, yes, but they’re all ‘lifestyle’ magazines, they don’t relate to my industry or product… think again. It’s all about the angle. Don’t expect journalists to convert your robotic press release into an interesting feature – do it yourself!

·      Create an angle by thinking outside the box – maybe an interesting way your product has been used by a consumer or company. Maybe your product or service usually appeals to one gender or consumer type… find someone who has broken the mold.

·      Magazines and newspapers are a mixture of text and image – include pictures with your press pack. If the story’s of interest they may send their photographer to re-shoot, but your original image will pique their interest.

·      Write to the commissioning editor or journalist by name – it shows you’ve made an effort

·      Keep trying – even if you’ve been rejected, submit a new press release every 3 months – staff churn rate at magazines is high, and their focus can alter drastically.

·      Consider an on-the-page offer. A competition prize is attractive as it’s adding value to the magazine or newspaper – this could be a prize draw for registering or an online voucher code, discount or free information – be sure to create a specific unique webpage as the landing page so that you can track interest

 

Posted at 11:31pm and tagged with: offline, marketing, advertising, PR, media coverage, start a new business,.

March 5th 2012

On… Using newsletters to connect with your customers

Newsletters

Newsletters are very specific mailings and should not be confused or grouped together with email marketing campaigns. The easiest way to differentiate the two is to remember that a newsletter cannot include a sales-related call to action. Here are some examples

·      Hired new staff – include a bio and contact details and outline the area/s of business the new staff member will be looking after

·      New offices – great for kudos but essential to let clients know your new contact details

·      Recruitment drive – let your client list know that you’re hiring – you know they like your product and service; it shows that you’re growing and it’s a great way to ‘sell’ your business

·      New white paper / free information available – you’re giving it away for free, and it’s of interest to your client base

The frequency of newsletters should be few and far between – we’re all busy people and just because I’ve bought a book from you once or you fitted my new kitchen doesn’t mean I want to get a weekly update of every single corporate decision you make forever. Remember – are your customer’s really interested in this? Will it help them?

Most importantly customers must opt-in to receive newsletters. Ask the question when they register on your website and if they opt out, respect their decision.

Posted at 10:10pm and tagged with: Customer Service, PR, promotion, media coverage, start a new business,.