DIVADIGEST: MAY '05, ISSUE 17

Advertising Techniques: Making the Most of Press Releases

Press releases aren't only for moguls who already have the proverbial market cornered in the area of one commodity or another. These are announcements that can be - and are - used by any business owner who's smart enough to tap into this type of media technique in order to promote a product or service to a wide target audience. In this type of scenario, however, the media takes on the task of doing the reporting. So, what's the advantage of a press release? Simple - positive exposure. You have a product to highlight to a large number of people, and you want it to be presented in the best way possible. Press releases provide snappy headlines that will attract consumers, and tend to provide a comprehensive overview that people will understand. This translates into significantly higher sales and a more successful business.

One of the most common mistakes that new business owners often make is to overlook the public relations portion of establishing their company. This should be one of their highest priorities, and yet it's often pushed to the back burner in lieu of other tasks that seem - for the moment - to be more pressing. A good press release is one way to let the world know that your company exists and that you have products that can benefit them in some way. Rather than spending a lot of time and money into creating and publishing costly ads, the smart business owner recognizes the value of the press release and utilizes its benefits to the fullest.

Once your company and its products have been introduced to the media, you've established yourself as a significant member of the business community and will be well on your way to a successful marketing campaign. The best part is, it doesn't have to come with a big price tag. Even if you choose to have a professional marketing firm handle your press release, it can be modestly priced - if you choose one that's got a solid reputation for success without escalated fee schedules. Perhaps the best firm, dollar for dollar, is DivaDesignWorld in Portland, Oregon. These folks are well seasoned in providing such services and are known for the ability to communicate effectively and professionally while staying within a price range that's affordable to even the smallest of businesses.

Since a press release is a significant form of publication, it's critical to remember that its grammatical structure, message, style and approach are professional in their presentation. The benefit of having a marketing firm handle this type of publicity technique is that their employees are armed with professional writing skills and know how to develop a press release - something which the average business owner lacks. They know they best way to get the message across, and know their target audience, as well.

Once you've made the decision to issue a press release, you'll have to determine when the most fortuitous time would be to have it published. Simply releasing it without a carefully thought out strategy will lack the effectiveness that you're hoping to achieve. This type of announcement should only be made when there's something significant to communicate and, even then, it should be considered significant to journalists and the overall market - not just to your company. In order to enjoy the coverage that your press release will need to be successful, it has to provide the necessary motivation to editors, such as a clever angle.

The thing that you'll want to avoid is the impression that you're simply jumping on the bandwagon with a lot of other companies who are offering a product or service that's already been widely advertised. You need to take the approach that what you have to offer is unique in some way. Stress the benefits that the consumer will reap when purchasing your product, and make it clear that you have something to offer that the others don't - i.e., it needs to be innovative, without the usual advertising mumbo jumbo that only serves to insult the reader. Make it clear and concise without making the reader feel as though they've been hit between the eyes with a hard sales pitch and without confusing the reader as to the nature of the product.

Events such as mergers, the hiring of a notable staff member, industry awards and other types of newsworthy pieces of information are all suitable material for a press release. These are the types of stories that typically generate interest among journalists and editors, and will stand a good chance of being picked up by the press. Don't make the mistake of thinking that only current events are newsworthy, however. Upcoming events that carry the same type of impact are also press release-worthy. The grand opening of a company or satellite, charitable or political involvement and events that will include celebrities or other notables are also enough to pique the interest of the media. Of course, lesser known businesses may not command as much attention as a more established company will, but it depends upon what's being announced and the strength of the message.

Internal human-interest stories are often picked up by the press, and these types of news items should be utilized in a press release whenever possible. Examples of these would include information about an employee that's received significant recognition for a particular achievement or anything unusual or unique that can be attributed to an employee or customer.

In order to capture enough interest to generate a popular press release, it's critical that you offer something that's significant enough to grab the attention of the right people. If that means launching a particular incentive program or special event in order to create something newsworthy enough for a press release, then take the challenge and do so. Offering a fantastic deal on a product, or providing a service that's both unique and exciting will generally be enough to get the attention that you're looking for and throw a lot of business your way.

Keeping in touch with news events is a great way to develop reasons for publishing a press release. If, for instance, there's some major community event that's on the horizon or you become involved in a controversial issue, seeking to involve your company in some way will generally ensure some type of press release that includes that information.

Of course, it's important to remember that the same press release shouldn't be issued to more than one area of the press. For multiple segments of the media, separate press releases should be issued, rather than passing out the same one to everyone, as though they were cigars in the hands of a new father. In other words, make sure that you're targeting the right audience with your press release. If you've created some fantastic new beauty care product for women, you probably wouldn't get very far if you attempted to issue it in a press release that would be included in a men's magazine.

With all of the information that must be considered about what to write, how to write it, who to target and where to launch it, the development of a press release can be rather burdensome. If you have the time, talent, research skills and money to do all of this and still run an up-and-coming business, that's great. Realistically, however, that doesn't often happen, and the need to call in the professionals becomes rather obvious at some point. So, either get ready to put in a lot of overtime or call on those who can successfully achieve these goals without all of the hassle. In other words, call on DivaDesignWorld.

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The Power Of Women In The Marketplace

Although women make up a little over half of the population, and influence 80% of the spending in their households, market research companies are reporting that sales to women still have not reached their full potential. Monique Danielle, of Diva Design World ( http://www.divadesignworld.com ) spends a great deal of time researching the buying habits of women, in order to better serve her clients. She reports these findings:

Monique Danielle of DivaDesignWorld (http://www.divadesignworld.com">http://www.divadesignworld.com) pays close attention to marketing trends, and uses the information to better serve her clients. She gives the following information to help you design your marketing to appeal to women.

The number of female consumers of traditionally male oriented products, such as automotive, technology, and sports items, is steadily increasing, and is expected to surpass the purchases of traditionally male products in the future.
Women who have never been married, between the ages of 25 and 44 will be spending close to $200 billion annually as early as next year - 2006.
According to Business Week, women will control $1 trillion of wealth in the United States by the year 2010.
The number of women who are entering the professional work force is steadily increasing. This means that more women have more dollars to spend every year.
Women make up more than half of the Internet population, and constitute 63% of online shoppers. On an annual basis, more than half of the new users coming online are women.
When defining your target market in relation to women, you will get better results if you group women by their professions and interests than by their ages. For instance, woman have babies in their late teens, twenties, thirties, forties, and even in their fifties. Women further their educations in the same manner. Some women start college right out of high school, while others wait until their kids start school, and yet others wait until their kids leave home. Women can no longer be grouped by their ages.
Women prefer to be acknowledged - and approached - based on their intelligence, not based on their gender or their age. While certain colors attract their attention, they won't buy something just because of the color. They consider features of a product when making their final purchasing decision.
Women want information. They want to know everything that they can about a product before making a purchasing decision. In most cases, if a woman is considering two different brands of the same product, she will go with the one that gave her the most information.
While women want information, they don't want long, complicated answers. Provide all of the information without wasting words or wasting their time, but avoid being too simplistic.

These are just a few of the findings that Monique Danielle has been studying. To learn more, visit her site at: http://www.divadesignworld.com.

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Using Your Website as a Vehicle to Drive Up Your Sales

There are many advantages to having a website, but it really all boils down to one thing: increased sales. Savvy business owners know that paper advertisements are no longer sufficient for generating the type of sales that they need to become successful. While they certainly have their place in the scheme of things, a website is a critical tool in today's world for bringing customers to your door.

The average consumer is busier today than ever before. With the fast pace of juggling careers and family responsibilities, folks tend to tap into that which offers them the most convenience. Internet search engines are unmatched in their ability to find products and services that consumers once had to scour the Yellow Pages to find.

You might be surprised by the enormity of the online community. Businesses who offer a website will gain far greater exposure and have the potential to realize significant profits when compared to those who only advertise in the phone book - which only covers a specific geographical area. Look at any truly successful company, and they're sure to have their own website. It's important to keep in mind that you won't get sales if the customers can't find you, and your greatest chance of being found is through the utilization of a well maintained website.

Paper advertisements - by their very nature - are very inhibitive. When you post an advertisement on your website, you can use far more space than what would be available to you if you were limited to the confines of a brochure, newsletter or ad in a local newspaper. You can communicate far more effectively without these restrictions, and the addition of eye-grabbing graphics will help, as well.

If you've ever advertised through hard copy media, then you know how expensive it can be to run an effective ad. One of the benefits of a website is that it offers a greater opportunity to provide more effective advertising without the extra expense. It also gives customers the chance to take their time and browse through your merchandise. Take a look at some of those TV ads that rattle off phone numbers or addresses, expecting the customer to have paper and pen in hand as soon as the advertisement airs. By the time they've found the necessary writing tools, the ad has finished and they're left feeling frustrated.

Since a number of companies rely on mail-outs and fliers, they accumulate extra expenses in the areas of paper, printing and postage. When your marketing avenue consists of a website, these overhead costs are eliminated.

There's nothing quite so frustrating as calling a brick and mortar company, only to find that the business has closed for the day, or that you've neglected to consider the different time zones and called during off hours. Websites, on the other hand, are available to be accessed on a 24/7 basis and - if properly presented - will provide all of the information and assistance that the customers will need, whatever the time of day.

Instead of wasting your time fielding phone calls and interrupting the other critical tasks that must be faced during your workday, utilize your website to answer questions, provide information and highlight products. The investment of your time in a website is far more financially beneficial than the business that's lost when customer can't get through to you because your phone's perpetually busy.

Since not everyone is equipped to develop an effective website, there are firms that specialize in this area, as well as in marketing and advertising. If you're interested in contacting such a company, your best choice is DivaDesignWorld of Portland, Oregon. The dedicated professionals who staff this business - headed by Monique Danielle - are fully equipped and prepared to meet all of your website advertising needs with progressive designs and strategies unmatched in today's market. Offering outstanding services, customer relations and a price tag that's quite reasonable, DivaDesignWorld is head and shoulders above the rest in providing the means that are necessary for boosting your company's sales.

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What Does Your Logo Say About Your Business?

A company can get alot of mileage out of their logo, or symbol. Just as catchy jingles and slogans stand out in our minds, we also associate company's with their logo's. We learn to look for the logos of our favorite companies. For instance, if you were traveling and needed to stop and grab a quick bite, you would probably start looking for the logo of a favorite fast food restaurant, such as "The Golden Arches." If you needed gasoline, you would begin looking for the logo of your preferred brand, such as the red, white, and blue of Chevron or a yellow and white shell of a Shell station. Some logo's even become collectors items, like the old Coca-Cola memorabilia.

Have you ever noticed that most of the memorable logos don't relate to what the business does? America Online's symbol is a little yellow man walking, yet it is easily recognizable as the AOL symbol, and those who have come to depend on AOL look for that symbol when they are looking for Internet related things, just as a hungry McDonald's fan looks for those golden arches. The golden arches do not convey the fact that there is a restaurant there - but anyone who has learned to talk knows what those golden arches represent.

These logos, or symbols, represent corporate identity, and establishing your own identity is important, even if you are a small company. Consumers will learn to recognize your logo, and if you have operated your business in a way that has earned their trust in your services or products, those consumers will automatically 'reach' for your brand without glancing at their other options. You may not be as big as McDonald's or AOL, but you can be as memorable to your customers.

According to Monique Danielle, of Diva Design World (http://www.divadesignworld.com) there is quite a bit to consider when designing a company's logo. To make your company memorable, you first must provide top-notch products and customer service. Then, you need a memorable logo. A logo's purpose is to establish a company's identity, even if the logo doesn't relate to what the company does. Logo's should catch the eye and be designed in a modern way. If possible, the logo should evoke emotion in the viewer, even if that emotion is just being attracted to the actual design.

Designing a logo that will become instantly recognizable and appealing to consumers is often harder than providing excellent services and products.You want your logo to be unique, because your business and the service you offer is unique. Not only does it need to be unique, it needs to stand out - but you must know where to draw the line. Flashing blinking red lights on a television commercial or on a computer screen is irritating. However, a logo that slowly flips, changes, or turns catches the eye without irritating the viewer.

Ms. Danielle has noticed that some business owners simply do not know when a logo has outlived it's usefulness and needs to be changed, while other business owners change their logo's too often and leave it totally unrecognizable, and still other business owners don't even realize the importance of having a logo at all. Ms. Danielle works with her clients to determine if the logo that they are currently using will stick with consumers, and she helps those who don't have a logo to develop one that has the potential of becoming as memorable as the golden arches. You can visit her site at: http://www.divadesignworld.com for more information.

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