Press Release Experiment: Part II

Please read my post, Press Release Experiment: Part 1, for the background on my experiment.

Just to recap...Thursday, July 3, I set out on a mission to follow a press release that I generated for my business. I wanted to see how fast it travelled through the Internet via news wires, RSS feeds, blogs and more. I also wanted to see if one press release could generate any inquiries and eventually provide a return that I could measure against my investment. I released it to local Indianapolis-area media on my own, via email. I also released it to national/international media through PRWeb on July 7th.

As of 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16th, the headline had appeared on 39,127 websites. Just on PRWeb alone, there were 426 full-page reads. The eBook version was downloaded 250 times. The PDF version was downloaded 36 times. And, 20 people downloaded the printer-friendly version.

That's 800 people who, on just PRWeb alone, has either read, downloaded or printed my press release. That's just one (1) website.

Today, my press release appears on nearly 500 business-related websites, blogs, and podcasts. I have even been quoted by newspapers and business publications in Europe and the United Kingdom. If I use PRWeb as a benchmark, which is very unscientific, and multiplied 500 sites that have posted my press release by 800, that's about 40,000 people that have read, downloaded or printed my release.

I can also track my website statistics. The average daily number of visitors to my website is nearly twelve times what it was prior to the press release distribution.

What I can't track are the newspapers, marketing journals, magazines, radio stations, television stations and other sources where my press release has been embraced and reported on.

Has my business benefited? Oh, yeah. I've received more than 60 emails from people I've never met, asking about my business. They've asked me to review their website. Two are sending me their marketing materials for review. Others want to know how much to budget for marketing and advertising. Others have asked about the benefits of blogging and podcasting. And, I've had a few asking me to help write press releases for their business.

I've had one on one appointments with three business owners in the Indianapolis area and scheduled another two.

I will tell you that, as I predicted, the number of reads has declined steadily over the past five days. Why? Because the headline is now getting buried in the news feeds. Also, my website hits are declining slightly.

This morning, a local real estate agent was curious how a press release could benefit her business. While she is impressed with my statistics, she didn't see how national or international exposure could be beneficial. First, a well-written release WILL get her local exposure. Secondly, people relocate. They are moving to the Indianapolis-area. Suppose that one person in Florida does a search for "Indianapolis Realtor" and her press release pops up in the top of the search engines. On that press release, they click on a link to that agent. They call her, schedule an appointment and buy a home. If that home is $400,000 and her commission is, say, $12,000 (3%), then she has just gotten a return that is more than 20 times her investment.

I'd say that's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

I'll continue to track my press release and provide updates. To track it on the Internet for yourself, go to any search engine and type in "BTK & Associates" (be sure to include the quotation marks).

For more information about how BTK & Associates can help you put together an effective press release marketing strategy, visit www.btkmarketing.com or call me at 317.696.6734.

Press Release Experiment: Part I

If you are looking for cost effective ways to generate interest in your business or organization and you aren't using press releases, let me tell you about my current press release experiment.

Why?
I have a couple of clients and prospects that are considering adding press releases to their marketing mix. But, because they haven't done it before, there are concerns that it either won't generate leads or that a consistent press release strategy will be costly and difficult to manage.

So, last Thursday, July 3, I set out on a mission to follow a press release that I generated for my business. I wanted to see how fast it travelled through the Internet via news wires, RSS feeds, blogs and more. I also want to see if one press release could generate any inquiries and eventually provide a return on investment that I could measure against my investment.

The Topic
I didn't want to just issue a press release about my business. So, I zeroed in on a topic that I thought would be of interest to businesses, especially in today's economy. I specifically wanted speak directly to executives, managers, sales people and marketing professionals. My headline was BTK & Associates warns businesses against cutting marketing budgets. I thought it might grab some attention. Embedded in my assessment of marketing in a struggling economy was my underlying purpose - to position myself as an authority and hopefully generate interest in my consulting services.

Distribution
I decided to distribute the press release two ways. First, I emailed the release to my local media distribution list for print including newspapers, magazines and business journals. I decided not to distribute to radio and television. The second way I distributed it was through PRWeb.com.

PRWeb is a fee-based service where businesses can create and distribute press releases. Depending on which service you pay for (I think there are 4 levels with some add-on services), you can choose geographic areas by MSA, and you can select certain business sectors. I chose Indianapolis (the MSA where I live), Lafayette, Indiana (where I grew up), and Cincinnati (because its close and has a lot of businesses). I chose five business categories including executives, managers, marketing professionals, sales and technology. These are groups that people can subscribe to online to receive news about their job or industry.

And because last Friday was July 4th, I scheduled the release for 12:01 a.m., Monday morning so that it would hit the news wires for Monday.

Tracking Results
Here's the fun part - tracking results online. On Sunday morning, just for grins, I did a Google search and found that the press release had already been picked up by the Noblesville Daily Times, a small local paper. On Monday morning, again did a Google search and found that the release had made it's way onto some interesting news feeds including Gas & Oil News, eBusiness Automation, 8 Steps Success and a handful of others.

Next, I decided to log onto PRWeb and actually view my press release statistics. This is a great tool because it tracks how many times the headline actually appears in searches and how many full-page reads and downloads your release receives. Pretty cool!

Check It Out
If you want to see where the press release is appearing, go to Google and type in (use the quotation marks) "btk & associates". You'll find some of the more popular sites. Here is how it looks on PRWeb:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/7/prweb1075274.htm

Here is a link to PR-USA.net:

http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=117375&Itemid=34

My Press Release's Results
As of 10:30 on Monday morning, just 10-1/2 hours after the release was distributed by PRWeb, here are some impressive stats. The full-text had been read by 143 people across the globe. An additional 44 people had actually downloaded or printed it. The headline had already on over 6,400 websites/newsfeeds.

At 3:30 p.m., there were 156 full-page reads and an additional 74 dowloads/prints. The headline had now appeared on 12,466 sites.

As of last evening at about 10:30 p.m., the release had 236 full-page reads and another 203 downloads or prints.

This morning, at 9:18 a.m., there were 288 full-page reads and 268 downloads/prints. The headline impressions has reached 26,657.

Any Leads or Business?
Yes. Yesterday morning I had already received emails from three former colleagues, one in Indianapolis , one in Ohio and one in Michigan, who happened across the release. They had all visited my website and offered to help me network. I received two emails from people I didn't know asking me if I could speak at their business meetings. And I received a request for a quote helping an organization with sales collateral, website and scripting for fundraising. I'm pleased.

Measuring ROI
I'm documenting the inquiries, proposals and speaking engagements to see how much business is actually generated by this release over the next 90 days. But, I'm already confident that I will recoup my investment.

The Cost
Obviously, since I wrote the press release, I didn't have to pay. But, it did cost me about four hours of my time at a billable rate of, say, $75/hour. That's $300. My PRWeb fee was $140. So, my investment was less than $500. Compare that with one time insertion of a small print ad in a local newspaper...I'd never get that much exposure or generate the same results in 24 hours.

Updates
I'll continue to post updates here on my Marketing Muse blog. I'll let you know about any proposals, speaking engagements, interviews, etc... So, stay tuned!

To learn how BTK & Associates can help you develop and implement a press release strategy, visit www.btkmarketing.com or email me at brian@btkmarketing.com.

For Patriotic Marketing, Travel Back to 1776

My newspaper was stuffed with July 4th advertising circulars and I couldn't help but avoid the countless radio and television ads touting "Star Spangled Savings" and "All American Discounts". Everything from grocery items and bed mattresses to automobiles and vinyl siding were on sale over on this 2008 July 4th holiday weekend. That got me wondering, "What was on sale in July of 1776?"

This morning, with my ears still ringing from the blasts of last night's July 4th fireworks celebration, I finally found time to write about some interesting things I learned yesterday about life in 1776. It was what appeared in Dixon & Hunter's Virginia Gazette on July 20, 1776 that is probably the most influential advertisement ever placed. Read on...

Around 7:30 a.m., as I was tossing a purple 'power worm' in the pouring rain on my friend Matt's boat on Morse Lake during a bass fishing tournament, my thoughts drifted as they usually do when I'm not catching fish. I began thinking about a radio ad for a "Fourth of July Sale" for a home repair center. Another holiday. Another opportunity for retail businesses to exploit the long holiday in an effort to lure (no fishing pun intended) consumers.

So, after returning home having only caught one keeper largemouth and finishing dead last in the tournament, I was hoping I'd have better luck fishing the Internet for information about marketing and advertising in 1776.

It took awhile, but I finally "Googled" the right phrases that produced a collection of articles, research papers, discussions and images of the history of advertising. While there is evidence of advertising products and services dating back to 4,000 B.C., Advertising as we know it in the United States, first appeared in print in 1704. The first newspaper advertisement, an announcement seeking a buyer for an Oyster Bay, Long Island, estate, was published in the Boston News-Letter.

It was Ben Franklin, though, who started including paid advertisements in his newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette in 1742. Franklin's paper and others contained advertisements that only included text. Ads with illustrations and graphics began appearing in the late 1700s and more prominently around 1830.

Newspapers allowed people and businesses to expand their marketing beyond the common signs, window ads, posters and advertising bills (or flyers). Instead of reaching local townspeople or spreading information by word of mouth to a small target audience, newspapers allowed business owners to reach a few hundred or even a few thousand people throughout the 13 Colonies and in much larger cities such as Philadelphia, Boston and New York.

Advertisements weren't regulated though and everything was fair game. The majority of ads at that time were centered around slavery. During this dark time in our Nation's history, slave-owners bought and sold slaves. They also placed advertisements offering rewards when their slave's ran away or seeking rewards when they captured runaway slaves. Many newspapers, such as the Hartford Courant did in 2000, eventually apologized for profiting from running such advertisements.

Other prominent ads from the 1770s were more focused on products and services. Ships advertised their sailing dates so that businesses could ship their goods to other countries or arrange for products to be shipped back to them. They also advertising for sailing crews and space for passengers if available. People sold livestock for slaughter and horses for transportation. A watchmaker who offered his watchmaking and repair services. Richard Brooke advertised his cobbler services this way.

For Sale
A shoemaker who understands mens' and womens' feet completely. He has about five and a half years to serve and worked and worked many years with Mr. Didsbury. For terms, apply to subscriber near Fredericksburg. Richard Brooke.

One of the most interesting advertisements I discovered was from a gentleman who was selling admission to his own death. Having felt that he had accomplished all that he wanted to in life, he planned an exhibition where he was to shoot himself with his revolver, once in the stomach and once in the head. He even warned the public against attending another man's hanging demonstration at the same time as his - calling it a fraudulent event. Pretty bizarre. I wonder whatever happened to the man...and the money he collected?

But it was the one full-page advertisement that appeared in the Dixon & Hunter's Virginia Gazette on July 20, 1776. I'm not sure that it was intended to be an advertisement. But, that's what it was. The advertisers identified a need to solve a problem. They consulted with each other to develop a plausible solution. The developed a product and marketed that product to the people of the thirteen colonies. The problem - tyrannical rule. The solution - independence and the right to self-govern. The product they needed to sell was the Declaration of Independence.

According to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Alexander Purdie's Virginia Gazette (Friday, July 19, 1776) briefly noted the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by Congress.

On Saturday, July 20, the Council of the State of Virginia ordered that the full text be published, and it appeared in John Dixon and William Hunter's Virginia Gazette that same day. Dixon and Hunter had established their newspaper a year earlier with the motto "Always for Liberty and the Public Good."

The Declaration was publicly proclaimed in Williamsburg on July 25, at the Capitol, the Courthouse and the Palace "amidst the acclamations of the people, accompanied by firing of cannon and musketry, the several regiments of continental troops having been paraded on that solemnity". Alexander Purdie included the full text in his Virginia Gazette issue dated July 26.

A few years ago, I portrayed George Reid in the Indianapolis Civic Theater musical production of "1776". Reid was Delaware's Crown Attorney General and one of Delaware's appointees to the Congressional Congress and signers of the Declaration. I admit that I did not take the time then, nor had I ever taken the time to read the complete text of the Declaration of Independence. I took the time yesterday - all of five minutes to review the greatest, most poignant document in our young nation's history. I encourage you, too, to take the time.

As I sat in a friend's backyard last evening enjoying pulled pork barbecue and other great homemade dishes, I watched our kids running and playing on swing sets and the adults eating, laughing and partaking in adult beverages. But, I couldn't help but think about what I had learned during a couple of hours surfing the Internet and the few minutes it took to read the text of the Declaration. As a people, we enjoy many great freedoms that we take for granted. I thought about my brother in law, Major Scott Sendmeyer, U.S. Army who is currently stationed in Mosul, Iraq, training the Iraqi troops how to fight for and defend their freedom.

Using such a great National holiday to market discounts on furniture, cars, computers, triple-pane windows and other products wrings a little trivial in my mind right now. However, without the work of our Founding Fathers like John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and the other signers of the Declaration, and so eloquently written by Thomas Jefferson, we could not not enjoy such a freedom.

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

I Am Now An Official "Twitterer"

You might say that I am "Twitterpated" now that I have latched on to one of the newest Internet marketing tools called Twitter.

Left In the Dust
Back in February, when I started contemplating taking my business BTK & Associates full time, I started realizing that, as a marketing & sales consultant, it would be my responsibility to stay up to date on the most current trends and share them with my clients. That was going to be a bit of a problem.

Admittedly, technology passed me by at warp speed over the past two years as I was pigeon-holed in a stagnant bank marketing environment. We couldn't spend money and we sure weren't allowed to implement any new marketing tools - or very many traditional ones, for that matter. I can't believe how much the marketing landscape changed around me. It was like I went into hyper-sleep for 24 months only to awaken to find all of this new marketing technology.

Being Resourceful
As a self-proclaimed "marketing junkie", I am constantly reading and researching marketing & sales information. Whether it's speed reading a book while drinking a latte at a nearby Barnes & Noble bookstore or perusing the Internet, I am constantly on the lookout for new ideas and technology. I can't tell you how many Internet groups, forums and blogs I subscribe to currently. One of those sources is Larry Chase's Web Digest for Marketers. It's a great resource for news about new and emerging marketing tactics.

This week, he wrote about "Twitters". How people come up with terms like blogs, bloggers, widgets, blidgets and now, twitter and twitterers I'll never understand. But, Twitter technology has a lot of merit and promise as a corporate marketing and sales tool.

What is a Twitter?
In my own definition, a Twitter is a miniature blog that allows people in a group to establish a social network and communicate via email and cell phone by sending short messages called "tweets". You might say, "Well, we already communicate via email and texting." Not like this.

For example, when I build an email list for my business using a service like Constant Contact or Exact Target, which I pay for, I include clients, prospects, friends, family and neighbors. Depending on their email settings, my emails may not get through their spam filters. And, I have no way to know if they are really taking the time to read them before they end up in the trash. And when it comes to sending a text message, I have to set up my text message list and then type the message separately from my email message. Twittering solves all of these problems by combining the tasks...and it's FREE.

With Twitter technology, I simply invite clients and prospects to subscribe to my tweets. Or, other twitterers can become "followers" of my Twitter because they did a topic search and decided they wanted to stay in contact. Twitter networks can be set up for families, neighborhoods, friends, sports teams, support groups and more...it's limitless.

Marketing Benefits
So, how can your business benefit by using Twitter as a marketing tool? Let's say that you own a seafood restaurant. Your supplier offers you a great deal on Alaskan Sock-eye salmon. You can send a tweet to your list announcing your menu special in an effort to boost reservations. Your "followers" receive an instant email notification as well as a message sent to their mobile phone. A bank may use Twitter to alert customers to special interest rate. A Realtor may tell clients about a new home listing. Your company may release details about registration for a seminar or conference or news about a new product release or upgrade. Twitter is ideal if you want or need to communicate timely information with your customers and/or prospects to elicit a buying response.

Who's Twittering?
So, how popular is Twitter? Here are the names of just a few familiar companies and brands that use Twitter as a marketing & communication tool.

• CNN
• Computer World
• Fox News
• Carnival Cruise Lines
• Southwest Airlines
• MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
• Amazon.com
• Apple Computers
• Dell
• Monster.com
• Notre Dame
• Michigan State University
• Ford Motor Company
• General Motors
• Forrester Research
• Cincinnati Art Museum
• San Fransisco Zoo
• Smithsonian Institute
• Comcast
• M&Ms
• Barack Obama

And there's thousands more...

I encourage you to visit Twitter.com and see for yourself how you can join the Twitter craze. If you'd like to join my Twitter network, I can be found at http://twitter.com/btk_marketing.

If you'd like help setting up a Twitter and developing a strategy built around this new technology, visit www.btkmarketing.com or email me at brian@btkmarketing.com

New Marketing Incentive Gives People Gas

What do Chase, Callaway Golf, Big Bear Campground, Dick's Sporting Goods and the New Jersey Department of Transportation all have in common? They've got gas.

Ever since gasoline started approaching the $4 per gallon mark, people started wooing customers with the next big incentive. Free gasoline is everywhere, as long as you spend money with them.

What happened to the good ol' "20% Off Sale" or the "Buy One, Get One Free" offers. And where are those perks that banks offer like free tool kits, toasters and trips to the Bahamas? Oh, they're still around, but they seem to have lost their luster.

Fear Marketing
Now businesses are playing into consumers' fear and frustration over sky-rocketing gas prices by simply substituting discounts and gifts for "free" gas cards or rebates. Other businesses are building their prospect lists by offering gas cards in sweepstakes drawings. Just "Google" the term "Free Gas" and you'll find thousands of offers and chances to win.

While everyone is feeling the pinch of escalating fuel prices, gas in the United States is still below many other countries. If gas hits $5 per gallon, a $25 gas card will get me five gallons, or about 125 miles down the road. But, how much did I have to spend get that $25 gas card? I just saw a television commercial from a vinyl siding company that will give you a $25 gas card just for calling and "inviting" a representative into your home. So, you spend two hours with a pushy salesman that talks you into $10,000 worth of new siding. For what? $25 worth of gas?

Customers or Samplers?
Should your business ride the Free Gas wave? Well, that depends on what type of customer you want to attract. While $4.19 per gallon is an annoyance, I, like many, haven't reached the threshold that would cause me to spend more money on products I really don't need just to get a few gallons of "free" gas. People who jump at the chance to earn free gas may be feeling the economic pinch and may not have the expendable income to purchase your products. Are they truly going to be long-term, loyal customers or are they merely enjoying the "free samples" with no intention to buy?

Focus On Quality and Reward Loyalty
My suggestion? Focus on providing the highest quality products and services at reasonable prices with the best customer services. No, it's not a new concept. But, in the long run, people will still go out of their way if they perceive they are receiving value from your business.

One pet peeve I have with special offers, and my cell phone company Verizon Wireless is the perfect example, is that they extend rewards to new customers and neglect long-term, loyal customers. I pay them over $300 per month only to be told by some of the rudest customer service people that I can't upgrade my phone or receive the same "special discounts" as new customers. They aren't loyal to me, so when it's time to renew my contract, I will not be loyal to Verizon Wireless.(Sorry, I will step off my soap box now.)

Again, gift cards (such as Visa) can be used for any purpose including gasoline. And give them to your loyal customers - perhaps for referring new business or making a large purchase. Surprise them with the card. I was ecstatic when I received a $100 gift card in the mail to an upscale restaurant when I referred a co-worker to Matt Kennedy at Tom Wood Volkswagen in Indianapolis. They bought a car from him and he thanked me for the referral.

Like me, maybe your client isn't all that interested in free gas. Maybe it's a single mom that needs to buy clothes for her child. Or a gift card may come in handy for a parent to buy school supplies or for someone to take their spouse out for a celebration dinner. By showing your loyalty to your best customers, you will build long-term relationships and gain quality referrals from their friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.

A Passing Fad?
We've enjoyed low gas prices for many years and we are just catching up to the rest of the world. And, while we can debate the merits of drilling for oil on our own soil, prices aren't going to fall below $3.00 or even $4.00 again. We'll learn to adjust and the "Free Gas" marketing fad will disappear just like Green Stamps and free toasters.

If you stay the course with quality and service and you build loyalty with your best customers, you won't need to rely on gimmicks like "Free Gas".

To learn how BTK & Associates can help you market your business based on quality and service and establish a loyalty rewards program, visit www.btkmarketing.com or email brian@btkmarketing.com.