Promoting Your Website Through a Press Release

Have you ever gotten one of those letters from your local

property tax appraiser, informing you that your tax bill is

going up about 20 percent?

I got one of those recently, so I took it to my friend

Joe Gross in San Antonio. He appeals property tax assessments

for a living.

"Man," he said. "I've never seen assessments shoot up like

they have this year."

My "news antennae" shot up. Then when he showed me his new

web site, which gave property owners a chance to look up

appraisals of other homes in their neighborhood, I told

him, "Joe, you've got write a press release about this new

website."

I helped Joe put together a press release and distribute it

to local radio and TV stations. A few nights later, there

was Joe, on the evening news, describing his web site to

tens of thousands of viewers.

Could it happen to your website? You bet, if you remember

a couple of basics--and write an attention-grabbing press

release

***Learn to spot opportunities. When you see, hear or

read something that relates to your field, call the reporter

who did the story and offer "another angle" or a "follow-

up." Reporters are often judged on their ability to

"enterprise" their own stories and ideas, and if you help

make THEIR job easier...guess what they're likely to do for

YOU?

Recently the San Antonio Express News ran a story about

some new software. Darrin Schroeder, VP of a San Antonio

company that had just rolled out a similar product, called

the reporter and offered a "follow-up." Result: front page

story, with color picture, several days later.

***Don't be afraid to ask. Listening to a pitch is part of

every reporter's job. And keep this in mind: because they

work on deadline, they don't always have much time to talk.

So sometimes "No" just means "Not now." It's okay to try

again another time.

***Talk high touch more than high tech. A high tech feature

is great...but only if it results in a high touch benefit

that makes life simpler, easier, more enjoyable, or more

interesting. Pitch how it saves time or money and cuts down

aggravation. Humanize it as much as possible, and if you

know of someone who legitimately loves and uses your site,

offer them as a possible interviewee.

Writing a press release to promote your website isn't

nearly as hard as you probably think. It will cost you

some time and energy, but it doesn't have to cost you cash.

You WILL get results if you keep trying, and the rewards

will far outweigh the effort.

Just ask Joe Gross.

To see the entire press release I wrote for Joe, along with

a line-by-line explanation of why I wrote it the way I did,

go to http://www.publicity-pro.com/joegross.htm

About The Author:

Award winning TV anchor George McKenzie

offers a free 7-part email "Publicity Crash Course" at

http://www.write-a-press-release.net. During his 33-year

broadcasting career, George's work appeared on ABC, NBC,

CBS, ESPN and CNN This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_6981_3.html