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The Importance of Press ReleasesBy Scott Rupp
You might be asking, what’s the importance of press releases? After all, you advertise your business and spend good money to get the word out about the invaluable services you are providing your customers. You might be thinking that you have no need for press releases or the media; you’re not in the business of making news, but of making money. Well, you might be surprised to discover that there’s a simple answer to why press releases for your business are so important. Most people never think about it, they are more concerned with creating a successful company, but once they do, and follow through, in just a short period of time -- weeks or just a few months -- they may begin to see a major change in the way the media, and most importantly, their clients, see them. Advertising and publicity are two completely separate tools that businesses often confuse with each other. While advertising is used to keep your company, products, and/or services in the mind of the public, publicity that is presented in the form of a news-worthy story is usually viewed in a more trusted and positive light by the general public. Surprisingly, it’s estimated that 70 percent of “news” comes from sources outside of the traditional media sources. In other words, a good amount of the stories that are being printed in your local paper are coming from people just like yourself who have taken the time to approach the media. Most “news” arrives on a paper’s editorial desk in the form of press releases. These press releases are then picked up, reported on and delivered to the public as “news”. Surprised? Don’t be. There is a new Web-based service that can help. PublicityParadise.com is in the business of making your life easier while connecting your company directly to the media to help you sell more products and services. PublicityParadise.com works to create long-lasting, personal relationships with people within your company and people in the media, such as reporters, editors and columnists. No only do we craft press releases for your company -- which can be nothing more than advertising but with a news hook and makes them more appetizing to the media - but the information we put in the press release is truly newsworthy - something the public would want, need or care to know about. Otherwise, your press release will be filed in the circular (read: trash) file and never reach its intended audience. To ensure that your press release is newsworthy, you will need to remain objective. This may be difficult since you the one dealing with your own company every day where all developments there are considered important and newsworthy. However, step back and write your press release as if you were a third party, such as PublicityParadise.com, looking in at your organization. Would they find the information you are presenting newsworthy? Is it something that you would want to read about, something that you would care about, something that you could learn from? Why? But remember, you have to try not to get discouraged if your press release is not picked up immediately, or if it takes several releases and attempts until you finally get the coverage you want. Nobody is perfect, even the professionals at a firm like PublicityParadise.com gets every release turned into a news story and we do this all the time. It may take a lot of persistence to make the news, but sending press releases regularly -- monthly or even weekly -- will increase the chances of your press release being picked up. And once it is, you’ll begin to see a direct correlation between your press release being picked up by the media and an increase in sales after your story has been printed. The media, more so than advertisements alone, with help to validate your company, and create a sense of trust between you and the readers of the newspaper. Essentially, since you took the time to have a press release created and sent, you’ve take the first step in creating a profitable, quality and trusted public image. For more on that, simply click on www.PublicityParadise.com.
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