By Sandy Lawrence
So your company has a new product, a new service, or a new campaign. You want to tell the world about it. Right? How do you let the public in on a great announcement, specifically that part of the public who you consider your ideal customer or client?
Let’s say you invented a cool widget, you are introducing a new app, or you created a new logo or phrase. You want your company and you to get credit or be known for your creation so that when someone talks about it, they think of you and your company. What if this amazing new product or service is not so unique or different from what your competition is introducing? You still want your company associated with a new technology or development and you just cannot find a way to do that. What should you do if the competition in your industry is strong and it is hard to gain recognition? What can you do?
You can very effectively use press releases, media releases, or web content to brand your company name, your product, or your service and create an image within your buying audience’s mind, thereby creating a “buzz”. Companies frequently enhance their brand presence by writing and distributing a press release to generate traffic to their websites, blogs, businesses, or to their social media platforms. However, simply distributing a press release is not sufficient to warrant traffic. The key is to saturate your specific niche market with information about your brand and your products and services. You can appear in every available media outlet with your press release announcements. You can also submit your press release through channels that are not so obvious or popular, or even those that your competitors may not have thought of such as online and social media.
When you distribute your press releases frequently through media outlets, you are notifying potential customers, corporate advertisers, and even competitors of your company’s progress. You also establish a presence that creates a following for your product or service and for your story. Although many companies would prefer competitors not know their every move, the only way that a press release can truly be effective is with frequent distribution through a variety of channels. The more often a press release is distributed and the more press releases that you send, the more association and significance they carry as a powerful branding and marketing tool.
Customers and potential customers like to know what is going on and to be apprised of changes within a company they are following. Very often, a company with a strong presence communicates frequently through channels that allow them to share information and news developments from the company’s perspective. Again, the frequency of the press release distribution is essential to ensure that this goal is met.
Press releases are most effective when they are frequently in front of customers and customers can tell what direction the company is headed. Their comfort and trust level is satisfied and their desire to buy from a company is increased. Whenever there is a change of personnel or when the company experiences celebratory financial increases, press releases are an optimal way to make your brand presence known and to keep your name in front of your customers. To maximize its use, consider press releases as a powerful marketing resource that can help build a base of loyal followers.
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C.E.O & Founder of Perceptive Public Relations, Sandy Lawrence has over 30 years of experience in PR training & coaching, writing press releases, and social media. In addition, she is an accomplished speaker and author of several books including “The Do It Yourself PR Guide” and “Soar 2 Success in Marketing: 58 tips to Getting the Word Out and Growing Your Business”. You can contact Sandy by email at Sandy@PerceptivePublicRelations.com or visit her website at www.PerceptivePublicRelations.com.
