Advertising business

In the “good old days” of print media, the quickest way to create a buzz about anything was to use press releases. Publicity agents in the entertainment world have always been aware of this advertising art form, and many a career has been launched or boosted by using the press to spread the word. The success of using this type of promotion required knowing when to release information for the best effect and which print outlet to go to.

These aspects still apply today. The only difference is the medium. The internet can still be used to get the word out about a brand name using press releases, and there are several websites now that specialize in this service. Some even provide this service free to the company promoting a brand name. Yet even those sites that do charge tend to keep the rates low enough that it brings a great savings over traditional print and online advertising and promotion techniques. There are some general rules of thumb to follow when using press releases to build a brand.

The first tip for building your brand via press releases is to choose the best target dates to release them. This is usually best approached by keeping up with any related industry, especially regarding typical product release dates as well as any other special events that will be taking place throughout the year in those related industries. This can include semi-annual sales events that tend to take place around the same time each year; annual conferences or trade shows that can be targeted; and related news events that can be followed up by press releases tying in a brand to a specific type of product or service.

These aspects will actually end up requiring the most on-going effort to build a brand through diligence. The other tips for brand-building have more to do with the actual writing of the press releases, and this area of promotion will simply require either hiring someone who is skilled and experienced with writing press releases to begin with, or studying the proven methods of writing effective press releases.

Basically, a good press release is no different than a good news report. The same general rules apply – the famous “5 W’s” of who, what, when, where, why. These are also mandatory for an effective press release. A good press release must start with a strong first paragraph in order to catch the attention of a random reader quickly. This will take some practice – as all of the writing will. The language and grammar must be as proper and acceptable as possible. Slang, over-the-top promotion, and inappropriate punctuation (too many exclamation points, for instance) will be counter-productive. A press release is not an advertisement, and must not be written as one. This will lose whatever interest was created in the first place.

Lastly, it is always best to proofread a press release before the final draft is submitted to the chosen website(s). Several re-reads are recommended, and it never hurts to have others read the copy before the final draft. They may catch errors that were missed, and will usually have a good outsider’s view of the effect of the press release.

If you’re a business owner, one request that is common throughout your career would be “May I have your business card?” Whether you’re having a sales call or just wandering about in a networking event, the practice of handing out your print business cards with other people is the most popular means of making an introduction.

Your business card printing is definitely very important when you want to have people know about you and what you can do for them.

So why is it that many marketers still go out without their print business cards in tow? Why do many business owners leave their home without their business cards?

This is the ultimate faux pas for business owners and marketers – to arrive at meetings and trade exhibits minus their business cards. If you want to be taken seriously by your peers and target clients, you need to have your print business cards with you. And not just during events and occasions like trade shows and sales calls. You need to have your business card printing everywhere and every time you go out. Because forgetting your cards is like forgetting to put on your pants before you go out your door.

On the other hand, the business cards that you get are also important for you to keep. For one thing, the business cards provide you with the means to remember the people you’ve met. These little pieces of paper help you remember the person and the kind of business they’re involved in. You can write down directly at the back of the business cards relevant details which can remind you later on about your meeting or even something that you’ve agreed on.

After getting back at your place, the next move you have to do is review the stack of cards you’ve received. Write thank you notes if you can. Assign people to act on what you have agreed or committed to do. Pass along or refer leads if need be. Whatever thing or action you need to do after the meetings or business trips, the stack of business cards you accumulated would help you to put the right name to the right person and business, as well as make the right action.

With this in mind, you should always remember to include all the contact information in your business card printing as these things would also be used by your recipients to remember your name and business. Put your name, phone number, mobile number, fax number, street address, email address, your toll-free number if you have one, and your company name and logo. The information you have should be written in a font that is both readable and legible. Include also discounts, freebies, coupons, or any other extra that will add value to your print business card.

All in all, always remember that your business card is the one thing that can make you known to your target clients. The most basic action that you have to do then is to make sure that you have your cards with you wherever you go and whatever the season or occasion; basically, whenever you go out of your home. Because without one, you’ll surely lose the opportunity to make a profit for your business.-