In this age of banner ads, spam e-mails, and newsletters, there is no more effective way to get across your message than a well thought out press release. You don't have to be a big corporation to put out a release, all you need is something interesting to announce.

Press releases work best as part of an ongoing campaign, but can also be used to call attention to a singular news event. Besides providing you with no-cost publicity, the articles that can result from a newsworthy release offer something that other advertising mediums do not: third-party objectivity.

There are a number of steps involved in putting out an effective press release, from deciding on a news hook to faxing it out to the media. Sometimes you may have to follow up with reporters to help them see the value in your announcement. If you do it right, though, the effort is well worth it. A well-placed story can lead to additional articles, which can generate sales, increased site visitors, and more.

WHAT'S NEWS?

The first thing you need to decide is what you are announcing. Is it a new product or service, a new Web site, a human-interest story, what? Once you establish the topic, you need to look for the news hook. What's unique about your announcement? Why is it different than anything out there? Why should people be excited about it?

QUOTES

You should always include a quote in your release, preferably from a third-party, such as a customer who is using your fabulous new product or service. You can also include a quote from someone associated with your Web site or business. Put this quote up high in the release and make sure it speaks to the value of your announcement.

WRITING THE RELEASE

Writing the release can be the most difficult task. A few words of advice:

Keep it simple - Don't drone on. A one or two-page release is more than sufficient.
Write in short, sweet sentences.
Write in the active voice, not the passive voice. For examples of the active voice, consult any writing stylebook.
Avoid buzzwords - Journalists tend to shy away from-and even detest words-like greatest, first, industry leading, and so on.
Get it proofread - Nothing looks worse in a release than a lot of spelling errors.
Be sure to include your contact information.

DISTRIBUTING THE RELEASE

There are several ways to distribute your press release. If you're on a budget, you can fax it or e-mail it to the local papers and publications yourself (look for key contacts on newspaper Web sites). Or you can distribute it through one of several wire services, including PR Newswire, Business Wire and Internet Wire. These services offer everything from local distribution up to national and worldwide distribution. The costs range between $100 and $1,000 depending on your distribution. It's more expensive than sending the release out yourself, but you might get exposure to a whole new audience this way. By specifying business news or technology circuits, you can be assured of hitting the correct audience.

FOLLOWING UP

Sometimes a well-written and newsworthy release will cause reporters to give you a call. That's a best-case scenario. In most cases, you will likely have to follow up with reporters to help them see the value. It's a sales pitch. You are selling them on the newsworthiness of your story. Get your facts straight and know why it's news. Ask the reporters if they need anything else to get the story done.

MONITORING AND GAUGING ROI

Now comes the fun part. Monitoring press hits. Sometimes your press release gets picked up in places you would never suspect. All wire services offer hit tracking services for both online and offline press. There are also clip-monitoring agencies like Bacon's or Luce Clippings. You can also use Web site analysis tools to detect online stories that contain a link to your site and are driving visitors to your site. Real-time analysis tools allow you to pinpoint coverage, and see right away how your PR efforts are paying off. That's real return on investment.