For an additional test, during the pitch and courtship period, send them an email during non-office hours and see how quickly they respond. Too many times I’ve dealt with PR professionals who didn’t respond to emails for hours, sometimes days, which baffles me. If I had been a journalist on a deadline, an hour’s delay would’ve meant me finding another contact and writing the story without your company.”

Read the full story here

Website traffic trend surveys show investors head first to newsrooms to find out exactly what is happening at the company. This includes new products, new appointments, attending or speaking at conferences, new reports, new offices, awards, sponsorship etc.

The newsroom should be featured on your navigation bar. Inside, present in an orderly easy to use fashion all your press releases, news clips, videos, audio news and images. Pull out the headline and first paragraph for each article, report or press release then a link for the full document so visitors can easily scan your content.

Present them in date order and searchable by topic. Feature your media contact point person with email and phone.

Images must be downloadable in low and high resolution. Include your logo in images.

Consider having your most recent press releases or news clips rotating on the front page for additional credibility and validation.

Finally, your newsroom needs to be regularly updated. Aim to prepare a press release at least every month, ideally once a week. It is powerful content for SEO and traffic generation, and investors will be impressed to see fresh regular content on your newsroom.

Which is why press release marketing ticks all the boxes for Google search and so your website page rankings and traffic generation – think leads and sales – even investment.

So next time you get spammed by someone claiming they can get your SEO up instantly don’t be fooled. The first thing they will ask of you is for you to provide some content – press releases, articles, whitepapers etc. Or you could let them write them…probably not. It is not magic they will charge to plenty of money, say it will take 6 months and talk about link building etc …as well as asking you to provide lots of new content. Be warned there is an easier cheaper faster way. The way search engines like. That Press Release Marketing.

From the Google online handbook for website owners wanting to boost their page ranking:

You will discover :

The fastest ways to get media coverage

Who you should be pitching, when and how

How to get great and positive news reports about your business

Why you shouldn’t pay for distribution lists and databases to get to media contacts

How to nurture media so they call you

How to extend the life and influence of every news article you get about your business

and much more.

In fact we guarantee you will get at least five news reports in the first five months of  using the “How to get Free media coverage” Handbook.

PLUS we will also instantly email you the top (free) news services so you can start getting their request feeds from real journalists writing real stories that will drive traffic, leads and prospects to your business.

We like surveys because they are a great way of getting target prospects’ attention. They don’t need to cost anything if you are tight on budget. Just ask your customers or database what they think about a topic. Survey Monkey is a great service.

Then send out a Press Release with the results.

Another idea for news is milestones. Are you reaching your 1000th customer/order, have you had a record number of orders in one day? Think about anything that demonstrates growth and has a milestone around it and you have a story.

Send out a Press Release announcing your milestone and bring people to your business.

Get our FREE enewsletter for more of the very latest ways to generate news.

And you don’t need to have multi-million $ deal news to send out a press release. Opinions, comment on current issues, a report or survey release, customer finding are all good content for news releases.

No time. Not sure where to start or where to send it?

So we have come up with an easy automated marketing solution, Press Release Marketing.

It shows you how to set up so your news is automatically shared to your prospects, customers and people that influence sales decisions, locally or globally.

We also offer the Press Release Builder which is online and gives you step by step instructions, even down to the word count, so you can quickly build your Blogger or Press Release. Then it will be emailed to you instantly. We even offer with the annual subscription to review (free) four of your press releases for content and style.

Write it once and share it a thousand times is our mantra.

Drop your press release into your website NewsRoom, send it to prospects and customers, use it as a blog, then with our guide you can automatically send the news release link out on Twitter and Facebook, Google + and Linkedin and more for maximum reach and exposure – and you are done.

Be smart. Write it once and use it a thousand times. Be in control of your own publicity.

Building your personal brand is an asset to your business as well as your own future growth and security.

So a great way to start is to think of your Personal Brand as a company for example Joe Smith Inc.

Give Joe Smith Inc a vision statement or an “about me” in one paragraph, then start building your network.

Your online networks are crucial and you will ideally devote 10 minutes a day to keeping them fresh, updated and respond/inspire your network. Think LinkedIn (professional), Google + and Twitter to start. A personal blog is also a consideration however it is best to focus on the above top 3 networks and use these to share your thoughts and information first. If you have time later start a blog/Tumbler etc.

YouTube will become relevant as soon as you have created original video content you want to share. Then you can easily create a channel and include YouTube in your online network.

You will notice that I have not included Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram etc. I am fast coming to the conclusion that for busy time poor executives these are not essentials – maybe for personal connections and fun in closed groups such as keeping up with extended family etc. But for business we recommend you focus on the top 3 – LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter.

Next get a Hootsuite account so you can post to all 3 or selectively during the day – or schedule posts to go out at certain times.

Give your personal brand a personality – show what you are interested in, good at, or passionate about – hopefully this is in someway aligned with your business – if not try and get some connection. For example if you are passionate about children’s health in developing countries consider a charity program for your business. If you have a passion for a certain business style or process, invite speakers hosted by your business for Skype interviews/talks.

Invest time in your personal brand with courses, conferences and training as well as online coaching – and make sure you share your experience with your network each time.

Get a professional picture taken of yourself – one casual and one professional.

Business cards and all email sign-offs and contacts should have your Top 3 network addresses for easy reference by prospects and customers.  The more they get to know you the more trust and connection you will have with them which is great for business and your personal brand and reputation.

Staying fit and healthy says a lot about your personal brand, how much you value the brand and how much time and effort you have invested in Joe Smith Inc.

Get a FREE Membership and get instant access to our new “Checklist: Top 7 online checks that boost revenue generation” and the new ”All in one Blogger and Journalist Press Release template”

It will deliver strong search engine rankings or search engine optimization (SEO), attract media interest and potentially calls or reporting, as well as pick-up from bloggers so they run your story.

Reporting by bloggers and media provides powerful content for search engine rankings plus valuable validation and credibility for customers considering your company.

Just by posting this on your website and your blog you will generate significant search engine appeal and so attract buyers or investors searching on your topic, your name, as well as those companies mentioned in your Press Release. Become a Member (its FREE) for free access to the template.

Also get your Digital PR Review here.