Re: Email Press Releases

From: Fred Showker <DTGNews_at_aol.com>
Date: Sun 5 Dec 1999 17:52:52 EST

KAREN DILLON WROTE:
> I'm a small business and I want to send e-mail press
> releases to relevant (and select) sites, ad agencies
> and industry pundits so that I can promote my
> site, our new features and (as appropriate) encourage
> ad sales.
> So how do I so this so that it's not spam?

An excellent channel is the press, with real press
releases. Distribute them through the press/wire
channels.

There are several free services, and several that
charge. (Look in the Open Directory under "News:
Services") There are also announcement lists that
invite your spam. Use them.

I caution however to

a) make sure it's news worthy (avoid "me too" releases)
b) honest (don't say you're the "leader" unless you
   are)
d) beneficial to the readership (an obvious reader
   benefit)
e) use the inverted pyramid (look it up, or hire
   someone)
f) write in a no-hype voice. (Editors see through hype
   instantly)

Additionally you _must_ include a live person 'contact'
email, phone and address along with your web site.

We've subscribed to four different news services
(iWire, SoftwareWire, AP, and NewsDesk) for our
newsletters, and news service for user group newsletter
editors. (www.user-groups.net). And we can instantly
spot the difference between a ligit release and one
whose purpose is simply spam. (Believe me, the spam
ones are becoming more and more frequent... maybe
20-25% these days)

Give the media something good, and beneficial to their
readerships to write about, and they'll run it. Then
you don't have to worry about spamming your target
audience -- they'll read it in the credible pages of
their favorite media. Editorial coverage is
ten-thousand times better than spam.

Fred

http://www.user-groups.net/ugcommunity/subscribe.html
tells you how to send your press releases to the
User Group Network ANNOUNCE list.




Received on Sun Dec 05 1999 - 16:52:52 CST