How To Write A Great Press Release

This article was created as I was clarifying in my own mind what I would like from issuing a Press Release myself. So picture this, you and I are sitting at a Starbucks having a cup of coffee, and the question comes up "What can you tell me about Press Release?" Now you are my best friend, so I hold nothing back. Besides, you paid for the coffee.

The Goals:

1. Get any website to be seen by search engines such as Google, Yahoo, the search engine formerly known as MSN, now called Windows Live Search, for inclusion on their natural listing within a few days.

2. Gain significantly higher search engine rankings in less than few days!

3. Enjoy thousands of targeted visitors pouring into your website.

4. Plus, form possible contacts with the media for HUGE promotion opportunities.

Issuing a press release is one tool that allows you to use leverage, in your business and anything you are promoting. A great man once said, "If you're not using leverage, you're working too hard and earning too little."

Everyone uses press releases, from our Presidential candidates to our favorite football team. Best of all, this incredibly easy and nearly-effortless strategy is highly effective to get an edge over your competition because practically nobody else is doing it!

In this series of articles, we will be going to go over how to create an effective press release to get the maximum effect out of the website medium on line and off line. The next time we talk, you know after you have enjoyed the success your press release on the web, you will learn how to take your release, modify it, and gain more attention from television, radio, or print media.

So, are you READY? Ready to prove this strategy to yourself? Then let's get started.

Let's begin by focusing on getting your press release printed. Before we start to write a successful press release, you need to be aware of a deadly mistake. It is so lethal that it is the single biggest reason press releases fail. I mention this so when you start writing your press release, you do not accidentally fall into the trap and do it anyway. Many do. Do not write a sales letter or what many people call a pitch for your product or focus on you. Don't do it. This is the very first mistake most people make and get turned down.

At the very first "whiff" of a sales pitch or having too much focus on you or your company, you're not going anywhere. For example, if you want to promote a new Travel website and the headline is, "New Travel Website Writes On Enjoying Travel." Then you've already added a "pitch" of your ulterior motive. This is compared to a headline that says, "VacationOften.com Owner Donates Vacations to Local School to Help Fundraising Efforts." The focus is no longer on you, but on the school and helping them. Big difference! Because.... The media's job is not to give people or businesses publicity, but to provide a valuable resource to their readers, listeners, or viewers. The media, who reviews your press release, does not care about your business, their concern is their readers. It's their job. So, with that said, there is a rule of sorts when it comes to writing your press release. It is a "help me - help you mindset" that you must keep in mind.

As you write your press release, imagine what the media and their readers want to know instead of telling them what you want to tell them. Ask yourself: What type of new are you providing? How does it affect the public?

For business owners, you must keep in mind that many of the readers of your press release are going to be targeted prospects and not just the media. What can you say that will grab somebody out of their present day and give them no choice but to read your press release...AND then.... be tempted enough to take action and go to your website and buy your product?

Focus on what your company has to offer of interest for the media. To gain the attention of Google, Yahoo, the search engine formerly known as MSN now called Windows Live Search and the other search engines and to receive thousands of visitors, ultimately earning more cash in your pocket, then you must stay focused on the goal. Remember your company is not the focus of the press release.

When you are able to focus on enlightening people as to what's available, you can't help but to be of interest to potential buyers... and amazing benefits will be the result.