Press Release: RIP?

Now that we live in a Web 2.0 world with new opportunities popping up daily to promote our businesses online, is their still a purpose for press releases?


With Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Google Ads, blogs, article submission sites and a myriad of online business forums, many businesses have jettison press releases as a Flintstones’ era relic in a Jetsons’ world.


Think about it … when was the last time you thought about writing and distributing a press release?


They can’t be all that effective, right? If they were, why isn’t there more buzz recommending them versus the constant promotion for the latest programs in the forums mentioned above?


Before you throw away an old stand-by for the latest-and-greatest, consider the following 4 thoughts:


1. The opening paragraph has a latent pitfall in it – it’s called self-promotion.
What is the purpose of a press release? If you answer something similar to “getting your message out to your target market”, you’re only half way there. The power of the press release is to have someone else get your message out to your target market. People more readily believe what others say about you than what you say about yourself.


2. Did you get your PR into the right hands?
So, who are those someone else people that you should get your press release to? You have to get your piece in front of an appropriate reporter, editor, blogger or other influential person that holds sway over a market that you want to attract. You are less likely to get lucky posting your press release out in cyberspace than to get the direct contact info of these people and establish a rapport.


3. Just because press releases didn’t work for you in the past doesn’t mean they aren’t a purposeful, promotional tool.
Writing a stimulating, intriguing press release takes more than a gift of gab and a grasp of grammar. It takes a newsworthy story crafted in such a way that it serves a purpose for the target market. Self-promotional pieces will end up in the wastebasket.


4. Just because it doesn’t have the buzz like other programs doesn’t mean it’s a bust.
Yes, we have new and exciting technology as tools for marketing our business, but people do buzz about what is the latest and greatest. With buzz comes profit … especially if you are the first one creating the buzz or doing the best job at it.


Typically, people don’t spend much time talking about what worked in the past. Press releases can exist “with” these other tools; it doesn’t have to be an either / or scenario. The broom in your garage works just fine for some jobs even though it doesn’t get the air time of latest Dyson vacuum.


Misused? Probably.


Misunderstood? Most definitely.


Before you condemn press releases as antiquated and unworthy of your time, you need to rethink your marketing campaigns. If your inability to write an effective piece is holding you back, get professional help.


Maria & Doug
Small Biz Break
“give your biz a break”