Press releases (from old forum)

[calaf6 +]

lhotch
Moderator

Im just wondering if anyone has tried using press releases to promote their site and if so did you have any luck?
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suzkaw
Staff
I would be interested in hearing about this as well. I have heard some people claim great success and others haven't had much luck. But considering I am not much of a writer I am very hesitant to write one.
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Eric Barnes
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The Manager
Moderator
4 years ago, I used media to assist in the public launch of a new 'business profiles' web site we were developing. It worked very well. We decided that through the release, we wish to 'warm up' potential paying customers and to bring new site visitors to the site. Our local paper was at that stage running a series of 'profiles' on businesses so we thought that would be the most appropriate place for us to launch our media campaign.

We wrote a media release mainly to bait the newspaper that we had a worthwhile story for them. They agreed and came along and interviewed us for their story. The release provide valuable background information, stats and so on that the reporters included in the end story.

It worked. Site visitors over the next two days went through the roof. In addition, our telemarketers and sales staff referred to the article when contacting prospective customers to have their own online business profile included in our site. Because sale staff were included in the picture that accompanied the story, the salesman was not a 'stranger' when he met a prospective customer.

Out of a targeted business population of 1,000, we converted 25% to become paying clients.
Quote:
Im just wondering if anyone has tried using press releases to promote their site and if so did you have any lick?

You should have 'luck' provided you have first made your media release 'most attractive' to those that will publishing it. I am not a journalist nor profess to be a great writer but I do know is the following:

- before writing your release, think of or identify an 'angle' for your story. eg: have you provided a new 'solution(s)' for end customers that previously was not available. Or have you provide a better solution.
- include some appropriate statistics that reinforce your 'solution'.
- provide 'support' information from others who agree you have filled a niche.

It can be common to construct different media release for different media.

Ultimately, you need to develop a top notch site that has great presentation and is easy to use and 'works' thereby bringing your initial customers back time and time again.

BTW, on past occassions, I have contracted freelance journalists to write a media release because they get paid by the newspapers/magazines that publish the story. Find a journalist that writes for many, many publications.
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Chaslie
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[Chaslie +]

Good on you calaf6.