Press Release? Why Do I Need a Press Release?

In the offline world, press releases are commonly used to generate interest and excitement about a new grand opening, a public event and such like. When it comes to online strategies, press releases are equally important in generating traffic to your Next Big Thing.

To create a good press release, it's important to think ahead. You really cannot put out a press release announcing your Big Event on the afternoon of your Big Event. That would not be good timing.

So, as Stephen Covey suggests, we begin with the end in mind: What results are you jonesing for? What do you want to accomplish? Maybe you want to drive traffic to your website in order to convert Looky-Louies to customers. Maybe you want to show off the results you've had by using your Next Big Thing. Perhaps you would like to draw attention your affiliate link in order to make some sales.

Using the "5 Ws" of journalism you will create a press release, telling your audience Who, What, When, Where, and Why regarding your Next Big Thing. Here is a sample idea for you:

"Name of your town-Today's date-Let your first sentence tell your story.

Keep your paragraphs short, stating your Who, What, When, Where and Why. Be factual, not fluffy or flowery. Be wary of using too much hype. Never, ever do this: !!!!!!!!!! because if you do, your piece will lose all credibility and will not be used.

Make sure every word is correctly spelled and your grammar is flawless.

Wrap your press release up with a short statement about your company and offer contact information. "

This enough for you to chew on. In the next post, we can explore this in more depth. Meantime, you are cordially invited to put your comment into the comment box and we thank you for doing so...besides, it's a great opportunity to mention YOUR Next Big Thing, kids!

Connie Baum