What Can One Press Release Really Do?
Are you thinking it’s time to write a press release to announce your new business or product? Before you move ahead, it might be a good idea to take a step back and ask yourself…
“What can one press release really do?”
You’ve probably seen the same blog posts and articles I have… “I sold (insert incredible dollar amount here) by writing just one press release!” I used to be in awe of stories like that, until I began looking a little closer.
In all the instances I’ve examined, that magical money-making press release wasn’t the first one they had written. Not by a long shot. Usually, before that big hit, they had been sending out press releases for years, continually increasing their credibility with their audience. Until finally they were in a position to make thousands from one press release. It’s unfortunate they downplay that fact when they write about it.
Here’s a more realistic example of what that one press release might do for you.
I’ve been working with a local author, and we send out press releases as part of her marketing campaign. There is a magazine whose readership is her ideal audience. Our specific goal has been to get her in that magazine and in front of those readers, somehow.
So, we sent a press release. The editor called my client, asked her a few questions. The next month, her book was briefly mentioned in a side column of the magazine.
We sent another press release to the same magazine. This time, it was picked up and the magazine ran a longer story on my client and her book. Not only did she sell more books as a direct result of that article, a local bookstore owner saw the piece, contacted my client and asked if they could carry her books in their store.
Then, this past weekend, my client went to a networking event. There she met the editor of this specific magazine. He recognized her name from the press releases and they got to talking. She’s been invited to write regularly for the magazine.
Now she’ll be in front of her target audience every month. Of course, the next release I write for her will build on this accomplishment, and we’ll focus on the next goal for her business.
What can one press release do? By itself, not much.
But as one component of a well-thought out publicity campaign, it’s one step closer to where you want to be.
DeniseTopics: Publicity | No Comments »