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Publicity for Niche Markets

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Why a press release and not just a blog post?

If you’re releasing a report on the state of your industry, what’s the purpose of writing a press release? Why not just post the information to your blog?

In fact, why even bother with press releases? Can’t blog posts serve the same function?

That’s what law firm marketing expert Kevin O’Keefe asked at Real Lawyers Have Blogs.

He will be releasing a report later this week on the use of blogs by large American law firms, and he asked:

“My question is who do I send the press release to? Don’t I accomplish the same thing by posting a blog post with the report as I always have? As a courtesy to reporters and editors, couldn’t I just email them a link to my blog post? How does a press release help them?

“Some law firms and companies use press release services such as PR Newswire or PRWeb for press releases, many in large part for Search Engine Optimization. Getting links from such sites to your company website or blog using keywords describing your offering causes your website or blog to rank higher on such keyword searches. But that feels a bit like a sham and I’m not looking for SEO.”

Write a release and a blog post

Do both.

Press releases are written much like a newspaper article would be written with “just the facts.” And, of course, you can link directly to the report and anything else you wish.

One of the big advantages of press releases is that journalists, bloggers and others can simply cut and paste from the press release and add what you’ve written to their own copy. Blogs, on the other hand, are written in a more informal, personal style that make wholesale copying difficult.

A blog also serves as a great platform to comment on various aspects of the report, in one or more blog posts. So while that press releases is pulling traffic at PRWeb, your post is pulling traffic at your blog.


How to publicize an industry report

I gave Kevin seven ideas for publicizing his report:

Write a press release and post it to PRWeb. Journalists and others can also search the PRWeb site by topic. I found eight RSS feeds at PRWeb just for legal news. So if the only place that somebody can find info on the report is at Kevin’s blog, they’ll miss it if they’re at the PRWeb site.
Let your Twitter followers, Facebook friends and LinkedIn connections know about the release. Just give an enticing headline and link to it at PRWeb. (See 11 Ways to Avoid Missed Opportunities on Facebook.)
Write a blog post that ties into the press release. Why was the report written? Are the results surprising? Can you offer a behind-the-scenes look at the benefit of blogging for big law firms, something the press release doesn’t explain?
Post the same press release at your website, in your online press room. You want to do this so that people who come to your website can find recent information about what you’re doing.
If you wish, you can now pitch the story to a select group of journalists and bloggers. These can be people whose names you have collected and put into a database. I’d create individual pitches for each journalists or blogger, customized for their audience, and then include a link where they can see the press release.
What about people on Twitter who “tweet” about law-related topics? Don’t forget about them. Sometimes you can get far more traction on Twitter than you can in traditional media, simply because of the retweets.
How do you find people who would be interested in the report and are most likely to retweet? Go to Search.Twitter.com and search for #law, #lawyers, #legal and other related words, using hash tags. Twitter will return a list of tweets written by people who have used those keywords in their posts. You can then go to each person’s Twitter page and decide if they’re worth following. If so, follow them. They might follow you back. You can then send them a direct message and let them know about your report, and link to the press release on PRWeb.
Finally, how about creating a short video, about two and a half minutes, discussing the report? You can do this with an inexpensive Flip video camera and upload the video to YouTube, which can pull more traffic to your blog or website.

Kevin might also consider a subscription to Expertclick, the Online Yearbook of Experts. A subscription puts you in their experts directory and lets you post up to 52 press releases per year. You can then link to these releases from your blog or the online press room at your website. That’s what I do. Learn more at Expertclick.com.

How do you use press releases in conjunction with your blog?

Posted In: Blogs, LinkedIn, Pitching the Media, Publicity for Niche Markets, Social media marketing, Twitter, Video, YouTube
posted On: 3/8/2010: 12:32 am: By Joan
Comments: 1 Comment

Expert needs to reach Texas Boomers who want to downsize

Patti Chavet of Frisco, Texas writes:

“I’m a sales consultant and I want to brand myself as an expert in active adult lifestyle living in Texas.

“My target market is Baby Boomers, age 55 and older, who want to downsize to a maintenance-free home so they’re free explore personal hobbies, interests, public service, education, travel, etc., all in the company of others who share the same lifestyle.

“I work for Del Webb, whose communities traditionally have targeted retirees looking to downsize. I’m new to marketing, and I’d like ideas and advice on how to use traditional and social media to become the go-to person in Texas who can help Baby Boomers move from big houses to easy-to-manage single-family homes in Del Webb communities.

“Where should I begin? I’ve been in this niche market for more than 20 years, so I’m already an expert. My challenge is to now spread the word throughout Texas. I’d love to hear suggestions from your Publicity Hounds.”

Posted In: Advertising, Business Promotion, Publicity for Niche Markets, Social media marketing
posted On: 3/2/2010: 11:12 am: By Joan
Comments: 4 Comments

9 freebies artists can offer to build an email list

Artists frequently make the mistake of failing to capture email addresses at their websites because they can’t think of anything to offer in return.

That’s why I was gratified that on today’s preview call for the smARTist Telesummit 2010, the annual virtual extravaganza on how artists can market their work, artist Melanie Banayat asked:

“What’s the best way to use your website to build a mailing list? Internet marketers use lead capture pages to build theirs and offer something of value in exchange for someone’s email address. What can an artist offer?”

Host Ariane Goodwin directed the question to me. Here’s my list of nine freebies:

A video. Demonstrate how to do something. An oil painter can show how to blend colors. A needlepoint artist can show how to do a complicated stitch. A woodworker can show the best way to polish a piece of furniture.
Special previews. Offer “sneak peek” previews of your artwork and other projects only to those on your email list.
A coupon. Offer a coupon good for X dollars off a purchase. The bricks-and-mortar stores do this all the time. A good shopping cart will let you create a coupon. Here’s a free ebook on how to buy a shopping cart. (I’m an affiliate.)
An article. Think of the Number One question people ask about your artwork. Write an article on that topic.
A buyer’s kit. Let’s say you sell beautiful handmade jewelry. What’s the best way to store it so it doesn’t get damaged?
A flow chart. Show the steps you follow to create something.
Quotations and jokes. If you paint horses, how about offering the top 20 quotes about horses? Or the 10 best horse jokes? You can find them free all over the Internet.
A trouble-shooting guide. If you sell beautiful clothing made of rich fibers, explain how to remove stains from the material. What can the buyer do if the material snags? What are some tricks on how to cover up a spot that can’t be removed?
A cleaning guide. How do you clean various types of artwork or things like delicate figurines, origami, or beaded jewelry?

I offer a free cheat sheet on “89 Reasons to Send a Press Release” which you’ll get when you type your email address in the box on the right side of this screen. I listed many more ideas in my special report that lists 55 free things you can offer to generate publicity or capture people’s email addresses.

Once you start building a list, keep in touch with your readers by reguarly sending free tips and updates about your businesses. And don’t forget to let the media know about the freebie you’re offering. That’s one of many ways that artists can generate publicity.

If you’re an artist, or you’re in any other type of business, what kinds of freebies do you offer in exchange for email addresses? Let’s hear about yours.

Posted In: Publicity for Niche Markets, Writing Articles
posted On: 1/22/2010: 4:44 pm: By Joan
Comments: 4 Comments

Help a publisher promote a book to volunteer board leaders

Linda Alexander of Pitman, NJ, writes:

“I work for an association management and publishing company, and we have just published the book Mentoring the Stars: A Program for Volunteer Board Leaders.

“The book is designed to help new board members on association boards understand their new roles and learn the skills and competencies they need to be a successful board member. Leadership, decision making, teamwork, strategic planning, effective meetings and mentoring are just some of the topics covered.

“Mentoring the Stars is a great resource for association board members in any industry—nursing, hospitals and health care, education, banking, real estate, human resources, plus church groups, community organizations and more. While it’s great to be applicable to anyone, it’s also hard to promote to everyone!

“The book is available on our website and on Amazon. We have done some traditional PR and will be trying some targeted advertising on Facebook, Google and Yahoo. Can your readers offer any suggestions for ways to promote Mentoring the Stars to members of association boards?”

Posted In: Authors & Publishers, Facebook, Publicity for Niche Markets, Publicity on the Internet
posted On: 1/5/2010: 3:09 pm: By Joan
Comments: 5 Comments

Author needs help selling tips booklets for senior citizens

Ted Fuller of Lafayette, Calif., writes:

“Thanks to you and Paulette Ensign, the Tips Booklet Queen, I have completed my first two booklets.

“‘The Best Ideas Yet About Aging Successfully is 16 pages, and ‘Tips for Writing a Great Memoir is 12 pages. Now comes the grind of contacting book and gift store distributors, retirement home companies, and other organizations serving seniors.

“Any suggestions on how one gets these charming publications publicized so the purchasing departments seek me out with their orders?”