Categories
Branding Business Development Public Relations

Why Should I Bother with a Press Release?

'WebRTC Announcements Week' photo (c) 2012, Tsahi Levent-Levi - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/Press Releases must work or else there would not be millions of them each year.  I am reminded of the old saying attributed to John Wannamaker.  “I know advertising works half the time, I just don’t know which half.”

If you are not swayed by my general point about Press Releases working, then consider these benefits of Press Releases.

 

 

1.    Search Engine Optimization

Build links back to your site to bring new visitors.  Links help with your credibility as a website.  Thus, the more credibility the higher you arrear in search results.

2.    Provide News on Social Media Sites like LinkedIn and Facebook

We are constantly looking for status updates.  A Press Release is a perfect opportunity to briefly describe the situation and provide a link.

3.    New Content for Your Website

Spiders on search engines like Google and Bing are always looking for new content.  Oblige them by adding the press release to your website.

4.    A Quick Way to Touch a Customer

Send the press release to a customer to keep them current on your firm’s activities.

5.    Send it to Top Prospects

Similar to the idea of keeping customers in the loop it may be even more important to let prospects know your good news.  Prospects are still forming opinions about your firm and whether they should take a leap and partner with you to meet their needs.

6.    Create and Reinforce the Habit of Writing Press Releases

The Takeaway

Press Releases are beneficial.  They have many uses which might just land you a coveted interview or press exposure.

Over to you.  What are your thoughts on these questions?

  1. What other ways to you use Press Releases?
  2. What has been your experience with Press Releases?
  3. What advice would you provide to someone just getting started with Press Releases?Why Should I Bother with a Press Release?

If you would like to contact me, you may do so by visiting my LinkedIn page, following me on Twitter,  or e-mailing me at rcberman2 (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Categories
Branding Customer Service

6 Techniques to Re-Purpose Customer Success Stories

'80% of success is just showing up' photo (c) 2011, Sean MacEntee - license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/Customer success stories should be proof of success. The fact that you have satisfied needs and exceeded expectations makes you feel good. These stories were great in the Sales Process , Communications Vehicles and when Working with the Media . Here are a few other places to utilize them as well.

Industry Awards Entries

When you apply for awards you need to demonstrate your success. What better way than to detail a customer challenge and how your firm met it.

Non-Profit Fundraising

Non-profits require funding to provide their valuable services. That funding is only derived in a few ways. Foundation or government grants are really spiced up when they are personalized to how the funders dollars have been effectively put to work. The same approach works well with fundraising campaigns.

Annual Reports

We traditionally think that only larger, public corporations issue annual reports. Not true! Non-profits often create them to give to funders. Smaller firms can create them to use as marketing collateral to share with current or prospective clients. It is your document and your chance to show what makes you different.

For-Profit Fundraising

Share your successes when you pitch a Venture Capital Fund, Economic Development Fund or your bank. Your reason for funding is to continue to create more successes. Funders want to go and grow with a winner. Show you are a winner.

Voicemail

Usually, you are trying to reach someone when you call. But what if that was not your strategy? Call after hours solely to leave a message. What does your message say? Start with the basics, who you are and what your company does. Then, share a quick success story and indicate how you can do the same for them. The person getting the voicemail will either call you back or be more inclined to take your next call during business hours.

On-hold Messaging

Similar to the voicemail approach above, tell customers or prospective customers how successful you can make them. You compose a message that will appeal to most callers. Invite them to a special offer or to speak to a specific person about your success story.

Bonus Techniques

I have written 4 other posts on Customer Success Stories. Click below to read them.

The Takeaway

Customer success stories are little treasures. Don’t bury them. Rather, share them with anyone and everyone who can help your organization.

Those are the ideas. Over to you. Please comment below:

  1. How else do you use customer success stories?
  2. Have you successfully used any of the above techniques?
  3. Will you value your success more in the future?

If you would like to contact me, you may do so by visiting my LinkedIn page, following me on Twitter,  or e-mailing me at rcberman2 (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Categories
Branding Product Management

Does Your Logo Equal Your Brand?

Inversionphoto © 2008 David Goehring | more info (via: Wylio)Starbucks has just introduced a new logo. They are trying to expand their branding to consumer packaged goods instead of just coffee. The words “Starbucks Coffee” have been removed, the mermaid image enlarged and the background color is brighter.

Categories
Branding Product Management Strategy

Night of the Living Dead Brands

Antic Magazine Disk for Atari Computersphoto © 2005 John Morton | more info (via: Wylio)
Brands are like personalities for a physical product.  They have value built over time.  Even when they fade from stores and consumers think the brand is dead, they live on.

Acquiring Trademarks

There are companies that hold the trademark to these brands.  Additionally, there are companies that believe they can revive faded icons.

Categories
Advertising Branding Product Management

Turning a Liability into an Asset

mmmmm... taste that freedomphoto © 2005 Dave Morris | more info (via: Wylio)
Coca-Cola has introduced a new bottle partially derived from plants.  It is ironic since the soda giants who are accused of using so much sugar are now utilizing sugar to make the bottle.