AC Interpreting

Posts Tagged ‘Press Release’

It’s no secret that generating publicity via online news release sites is good for business.

Continually educating the public and media about what’s happening with your businesses is, well, just good business.

My challenge to clients I work with is to not only submit news or press releases to both paid and free online sites, but to also follow up with any businesses or people who are also involved in your release.

Let me explain. When you craft an effective news release, it’s important to include relevant and timely topics about your business that tie in with other news. This means incorporating relevant information about businesses and organizations that are already well known or newsworthy.

Here is a very specific example. In November of 2006 I invested in a new program via Glazer – Kennedy Inner Circle. Bill Glazer created a certification program for copywriters called Creating Copy that Sells.

After speedy completion of the program and receipt of certification, I verified that I was the first professional copywriter in Idaho to complete the certification. Then, I drafted my news release. I submitted it online and I also let Glazer- Kennedy know what I was up to keeping in close contact and providing them with a copy of the release just in case they might need it for something in the future.

This communication with Glazer-Kennedy paid off. In July, they contacted me to confirm that it was okay to include my press release in a sales letter for the program that was mailed to the entire Glazer-Kennedy list.

Of course it was OK. In fact, it was better than OK! My name, business name and contact information was included and I have received several referrals from that. It truly is a win win situation for Glazer – Kennedy and me. They received free publicity for their program and in turn were able to include my information in sales material as an example of how to leverage certification.

My point is, don’t view your news releases as a one shot deal. Figure out ways to expand their shelf life and follow up. What are you waiting for? Press on with your news to help increase referral flow.

Oh, and it you want to read the original release and listen to a pod interview, click here.

No matter what the nature of your business, you need to be aware of what is going on in your local economy. Even if you are a strictly online business and work with clients all over the globe, the trends of businesses in your community can have drastic effects on your company. Here’s a few ways to keep apprised of local business news.

Chamber of Commerce

Join a local chamber of commerce for a direct way to ascertain who your local competition is and what methods they are using to grow their business. It’s also a way to observe the local economic climate and find out who the people are that could assist you with various aspects of your business.

Get to know the “who’s who” of your Chamber of Commerce and you’ll have an in to the business news and information you need to build your business. Most chambers put out regular newsletters highlighting the events, trends and news for both their community and the business members. Leverage this information to keep your company growing.

County or City-Wide Publications

Contact your local businessman’s association to see what publications exist for your business type. Make a habit of reading these magazines or journals every day to see what is happening with your market, the local economy and the businesses in your community.

PR Watch

Monitor online PR sources based on keywords that include your geographic location and your industry to see what business news is reported that could affect your company or the industry as a whole. Subscribe to RSS feeds from online press release sites like pr.com, pressrelease.com and 24-7 press release.com where thousands of businesses submit news every day. You’ll be among the first to know what the hottest topics are in your industry.