The Write Blog

PR campaigns can be the difference between successful and unsuccessful ventures – and they’re the lifeblood for getting your company’s news story into the public eye.

We’ve previously posted a blog about how to write a press release, but where do you go from there? There are a couple of different strategies out there for cultivating a PR buzz both in print and online:

1. Releasing a press release

Releasing a press release is pretty easy now. There are a number of searchable databases available, such a PRWeb, PRLeap, ClickPress, etc – where you can upload your press release, sometimes for a small fee. Journalists and media members with access to these databases will be able to search databases for relevant information or story ideas. In some cases, these sites will also distribute your press release to journalists or send your release to industry-related sites or news hubs. It’s a good idea to upload your press releases to these sites so that your news is archived and available to the online community.

2. Targeting the Media

A really successful PR campaign will include directly contacting media sources. If you can, hire a PR firm. If not, check out Kristina Hill’s blog, Tips for Avoiding the PR Spam Zone. Cultivating a good working relationship with print and broadcast journalists – as well as any online journalists who work for relevant industry sites – is the best way to get your press release seen, and, mainly, your story told.

Good old fashioned etiquette and research go a long way in this business. Hill’s recommendations include:

1. Identifying the correct local or regional media contacts and paying close attention to their style of reporting
2. Finding out their preferred methods for pitching a story – maybe they only want emails, or maybe they want to be pitched on the phone, afternoons only.
3. After identifying local and regional media contacts, broaden your range to include national, international, blog, and online contacts.
4. Reviewing, updating, and double-checking your lists regularly – the easiest way to the trash bin is to send your press release to the wrong person or a deleted email address.

For more best-practice media relations tips, check out the Media Relations blog with suggestions straight from the horse’s mouth: journalists themselves.

With all the push for businesses to invest in and create social media marketing campaigns, more and more companies are jumping on the bandwagon. And this is definitely a good thing. But there is a common misconception that a social media marketing campaign can yield highly scalable results in a short period of time. Yet this is something that needs major clarification.

The fact is, it’s just not feasible to completely quantify the results of your social media marketing campaign.

It’s an issue that www.doshdosh.com draws attention to in this blog about ROI and social media. The blog explores the benefits of social media marketing, and how to use it to your advantage. But most importantly, it says that the results of your SMM efforts are “not direct and immediate.”

What does this mean? Social media marketing is a great tool when used properly – it just takes a little time and TLC before the results can be seen. To some degree, results can be measured by paying attention to the number of hits to your websites from social profiles, social bookmarking sites, forums, and other sites where you are connecting to your audience through SMM.

However, the difficult part to measure is the “general PR effect” of your campaign – meaning you have no way of knowing who passes your information around or who remembered your brand name weeks later after reading a cool article on Digg. Unfortunately, without personally tracking each customer down and insisting they tell you exactly how your social media marketing campaign has affected them, it’s hard to get true tracking on your campaign.

So what do you do?
Even though collecting complete stats for your SMM campaign can be tricky, you can still get a good feel for what’s working. First, you need dedicate yourself to giving each SMM tactic a good run. Keep at it. Since your campaign typically won’t start a buzz overnight, push your campaign hard for six months to a year. Keep your social profiles updated, post blogs often, respond to any feedback you get, and build as many relationships as you can. The longer you push, the more of a presence you will create in the industry. Establish your brand in every way you can then “measure” which of your techniques are working best.

After a year, you should be able to concentrate on the areas that are drawing the most attention. If your online articles are getting tons of feedback, devote your time to writing more of them. If people are swarming to your LinkedIn profile, keep on connecting with them. Maximize your time and campaign by focusing on the marketing outlets that are specifically working for you, and you’re likely to watch your clientele grow immensely.

Copyblogger’s “Four Ways to Target Online Buyers with the Right Words” has a great analysis/advice section for marketing to eco-friendly, socially conscious, tree-hugging types (among other types of consumers). Green is the new black, and it seems a lot of businesses are trying to revamp their marketing efforts to promote a more “green” brand.

But some of these companies are just using this newest wave in the green revolution as a cheap advertising and PR marketing opportunity. Greenwashing – deliberately misleading customers about the environmental practices or ingredients in a product – has become so prevalent that the Federal Trade Commission is getting involved (some good examples of greenwashing can be found at NPR’s Greenwashing blog). Years ago, the FTC laid out clear rules for using words like “biodegradable,” “ozone safe,” and “ozone friendly” on product labels.

A lot has changed since then, and the FTC’s new green guidelines for advertising are eagerly anticipated and long overdue. Look out for the new FTC guidelines in the coming year if you plan to market in the green industry.

A confession: I’m a wannabe treehugger. It’s so easy to get caught up in the do-good rush of a label that is Cruelty Free! Sustainable! Free range! Naturally derived! Renewable! But in actuality, these words have no real definitions, and their use is not currently regulated by the FTC (however, if you see the “USDA Organic” seal on a product, you know it’s been certified as the real deal).

So as the American consumer becomes more jaded in this greenwashed society – especially when corporations like Shell, BP, and GE are regularly accused of greenwashing their marketing campaigns – here are some tips about giving treehuggers what they want to hear (and generally just good marketing advice):

1. Be Specific

Forget generic claims like “All-natural” – it’s an obvious greenwashing term that means nothing. But, if you can be very, very detailed about your product, your company may gain some points in the green revolution. Consider the difference between labeling your product as “All-natural” versus “Our products are grown at our farms in Greensburg, Kansas. We don’t use pesticides or toxic chemicals of any kind, and we harvest everything ourselves so that we can deliver our best product straight to you.” The latter is obviously more detailed, and seemingly more reliable than the nebulous, broad-reaching, unsubstantiated claim.

2. Be Relevant

Don’t include irrelevant “eco-friendly” features about your products – unless your product is new or the feature is new. For example, claiming that your paper towels are “100% Biodegradable” is irrelevant – all paper towels are biodegradable. And a certain major beverage company, in an advertisement for their new “eco” water bottle, claims that the bottle is “100% Recyclable” – which is great, but the bottle has always been recyclable, and all plastic bottles are recyclable anyway.

Don’t drive people away with silly or misleading information; instead, include information like this only if your product is new or improved.

3. Be Transparent

In other words, don’t try to hide anything. If you want to gain reputability in the green community, always refer consumers to your website on your product label – true eco-conscious consumers will check! Make sure everything, such as all ingredients used, your refinement and manufacturing processes, company affiliates and associations, philosophy, and pictures, are clearly spelled out on your website. It’s not always easy to make a name for yourself in the green community, but after establishing your credibility and earning consumer’s respect, you’ll have a long and prosperous relationship with your devoted followers.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, then writing an effective press release can be easier said than done. But follow a few simple guidelines, and you’ll be on your way to successful promotion and publication. Listed below, you will find three steps to creating a first-class press release.

1. Know the purpose of your press release. A press release serves to market your business in a “newsy” format, and it can be one of the best ways to distribute information about your company. Before you even begin writing, decide on your main objective. Is there a big event you are trying to promote? Have you released a new product? Have you made important new business acquisitions that the public should know about? Make sure that whatever you write about is of interest and importance to the public. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to get your information out.

2. Follow the correct format. There is a correct format to follow when writing a press release. If you don’t follow it, your work will convey the message that you are unprofessional and that your work should not be taken seriously.

First, make sure to include a catchy headline that conveys the reason you are writing. (Sometimes, it is necessary to include a brief, italicized summary of the copy underneath the headline. For example, PRWeb.com, one of the largest PR release sites online, requires this.)
Next, be sure to include today’s date and the date you would like for the information to be released.

When you are ready to write the body, make sure to include a powerful lead and several paragraphs with all pertinent information. Quotes add credibility to your writing and make a strong statement.

Conclude your press release with a concise paragraph about your company – this is called a boilerplate – and be sure to include your contact information. The end of your press release is signified by typing “###” or “-30-” a few lines below your text. If your copy is more than two pages, write “-more-” at the bottom of the first page.

3. Include the right information. The most important thing to remember when writing a press release is to write it in a “news” style tone. Consult an AP or Chicago Style manual is you are not familiar with the standard conventions for abbreviations and punctuation. As stated above, a strong lead should give the reader a reason to want to keep reading, and the following copy should be factual evidence that supports the subject of your press release. Many times, newspapers and other publications will publish portions of your press release without revising or rewording anything as long as your copy is clear and free of errors. Write a press release that is newsworthy, relevant, and interesting, and you will be on your way to publication in no time.

Like writing compelling website copy, there is an art to writing pay per click (PPC) ads. What are PPC ads? They’re the links labeled as “sponsored” that pop up near the top of your search engine results. Basically, individuals and companies have paid money to be listed at the top of those search results. Not to be confused with straight search engine optimization, how prominently the ads are featured is a combination of how much the person has paid and the click through rate.

You’ve purchased the ad through the search engine of your choice. Now what do you do? How do you get people to click through?

The ads are small – just a few lines – but you have a lot of freedom in what you can put in them. First of all, like with any marketing endeavor, you need to think like your customers. When they’re searching for the service you offer, what are they typing in? You can look at your web search log to give you a good indication of what they’re searching for, but remember: Those are the people that are finding your site. What about the people that aren’t? What can you include in the limited space you have to capture their searches, too? After you’ve determined what your audience is searching for, sprinkle those keywords in liberally.

Make sure your headline is an attention-grabber. This should go without saying, but the headline is what will most likely grab the reader’s attention.

So you’ve grabbed their attention, and their finger is hovering over their mouse, trying to figure out if they want to click on your link or not. Make sure that your headline and your copy plainly states something substantial to appeal to your target audience. People might click on a headline because it’s intriguing, but what good does it do if they look at your website, determine that it’s not for them, and close the page out out? Bottom line: The quality of click-throughs is important, too.

Good copy in this instance does not equal long, eloquent sentences. Be aware of how much space you have. Don’t jeopardize your click through rate by gobbling up what space you have with unnecessary words. Be concise and tell you audience what they really want to know: What will you do for them?

Which brings me to my next point: Make sure that what you’re saying you’ll do for them is actually what you’ll do for them. If you say you offer a service at a more affordable rate than your competitors, make sure that’s the truth. If it’s not people will jump ship pretty quickly, and will be too disgruntled that you misrepresented yourself to ever come back to you.

One more thing: If you’re advertising one particular service or product of yours, direct the link traffic to that product or service’s page. Don’t direct them to your homepage and let your potential customers flounder around trying to find it. Believe it or not, those extra clicks make a difference.