Press releases are one way to get your company in the news. When news-hungry editors report directly from your release, or create their own report and just mention your company or service, the publicity value is immeasureable. The big guys send out release after release in an effort to gain free publicity.

But don't toss a good press release once it's distributed! There are other ways to get continued coverage from that one piece of writing.

USE IT IN YOUR SALES COMMUNICATION

Whether this includes a sales kit, a welcome packet for new members, or a direct mail campaign, including a nicely printed copy of one or more press releases will be both useful and impressive. Why not dash off a copy of it, with your handwritten "hello, thought you'd like to hear the news" to old leads?

Did you have a fabulous quarter? Have you expanded to include a new product or service? Are you ahead of a trend? A press release like this informs and also hints at professionalism. (And when you DO get that call from a harried reporter wanting information about your company, you'll have it ready.)

A recent client asked if he could add the press release I had written for him to his direct mail campaign. A sales letter was ready to go to a 70,000 potential new customers. Did I think it was a good idea? Yes!

In this case the client's business "story", from humble beginnings to 15 years later, had been intermingled into the press release. We expected a good chance of having the release picked up on, since his newest service for finance and credit managers was newsworthy (solutions offered in a shaky economy) and groundbreaking (daily credit updates posted to the Internet on businesses experiencing economic stress). Certainly the release could add strength to the sales letter! He firmly decided to include it, in the exact form it had been sent out to the media.

POST IT ON YOUR WEBSITE

Press releases can be an important element to websites. Who doesn't benefit by being able to click right to current information, important announcements, and news about your company? A progression of releases being made available offers a real history of the business.

Have you extended the life of your press release in other ways? Let me know at http://InternetWriters.com.

About the author: Lisa Lake shares her ability to communicate through good writing with anyone who wants to learn. See her free tips at http://MyAdBlaster.com and catch advice from the staff at http://InternetWriters.com Quick turnaround on writing from classified ads to ezines and ebooks. Reach Lisa at lisa@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.