5. Your website image must match everything you *do, say and are.*

Create continuity, in person, on paper, and on Internet. You must come across as professional, trustworthy, and knowledgeable. When I was interviewing people for my book, *Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul,* I turned to expertise of a professional PR listserve to which I subscribe. One woman, whose knowledge and online manner I'd come to admire, was first on my list to call. I visited her website to research her background before I contacted her. I was baffled to find little dolphins and other silly-looking characters that had nothing to do with a theme or anything else for that matter, on her site. Needless to say her esteem dropped in my eyes. I never called.

On other hand, my client Leslie Kirk Campbell, Founder of Ripe Fruit School of writing, took time to ruminate over her website for months. She carefully chose photos that gave her potential clients a real sense of her as a teacher and leader. She poured over hundreds of testimonials to select just right ones that captured essence of taking a class or going on a writing retreat. And she thought intensely about what it was that people whose creativity was stifled, stalled, on brief hiatus, or in full roar, would need from her. Her site isn't *perfect* and it's still in evolution, but basics for what her audience needs are there. See what she came up with that represents her teaching/living style and her love of language at: http://www.ripefruitwriting.com

A Wall Street Journal article about best Southern pork barbeque,illustrates my point. Restaurateur Wilbur King who got started doing mail order Bar-B-Q by sending care packages of his *Kingston, N.C., 'cue to displaced locals,* said that he didn't want to make his website too slick. *People have an image in their mind, and if it's not three rednecks over a pit in woods, they think it's not real deal.* Smart marketer this Bar-B-Q salesman.

Another great example of how look and feel serenely match is Feng Shui expert Shannon Lee Turner's website. Visit at http://www.tranquilspaces.com to get a sense of how content, images, design, graphics, and services are completely congruous. Besides offering classes and business or residential consultations, Shannon also has a free weekly newsletter called *Feng Shui Tips.* You'll get many fascinating ideas about how to run your business better with insights on structuring your environment. Her newsletter also perfectly matches sensibility of her business. To subscribe to list, send your name and city of residence to mailto:tips@tranquilspaces.com

I look forward to getting this one in my mailbox. It always contains both wise advice and a beautiful quote or poem. By way, there is no archive of past tips so only way to get them is to subscribe.

6. BONUS TIP! Don't give your customers too many choices.

Potential customers will log off if they're confronted with a dizzying display of decisions. Case in point, a friend of mine was looking to buy Herman Miller Aeron chair on a site that advertised it for a great price and free shipping. First he needed to choose a size. Then color of frame. Then color of material. Next, color for arms, and size and type of casters, and on and on! He decided he couldn't make a decision unless he saw darn chair.

The solution? Offer a few of most popular standards first. Then note that any of items can be customized. It's your job to help guide your customers to optimal answers to most common asked questions--before they're asked. Since you're tracking your most popular items you can let people know what has worked best for others. You're helping them make an intelligent decision. In other words, simplify thinking and ordering process so it's a quick and easy process.

Back to my original point. While ordering process is crucial, look and feel of your website may be more important than you think. It's a surprising fact that people remember feelings more than specifics of what you say. Make sure your online image matches your expertise and feeling you want to leave with people. Warrant that every step someone takes on your website is in direction you want them to go. Finally, take time to ensure that their journey is guided tour you want them to take.

Get insider secrets on publicity and marketing by subscribing to Sixty Second Secrets. Packed full of powerful techniques to promote yourself on and off web. Exciting ideas and stories from successful people. http://www.prsecrets.com/joinlist.html

If everything reads well and there are no errors, submit your press release for distribution.

How Often Should You Submit Your Press Release? We receive this question many times and now have decided to finally include this bit of information within our Press Release Writing Tips section.

How often should you submit your press release? Rule of thumb is once to twice a month if you have news to tell. This being said, if you do not have any news worth mentioning, then once a month is a good rule of thumb again IF you have news to write about. If you do not have anything to write about, wait until you do. Many Companies go through changes. Management changes, product changes, service changes or other changes. To not have something to write about, in most companies would be rare. Do you have a hot new service you are now providing? Do you have a great new service you plan to offer coming up in future that you would like to inform public of? Do you have some new widget that you are importing that no one else has? Are you hiring some new executive from a Fortune 500 Company that will add an asset to your Company? These are just a few ideas to keep in mind.

As long as you have a good story to tell that will be interesting to general public and of course editors and journalists, a press release may also be viewed, indirectly, as a way of brand marketing. People will begin to recognize your Company in news. This being said, we do stress that you should have a story to tell. Do not flood media or public with garbage in an attempt to spread your name. All to often we come across those who send out weekly press releases with no story to tell. These types of Companies will eventually become tuned out by editors and journalists.

Are images important? You bet! If you are in position to be able to include an image within your press release, you will definitely increase readability of your release.

Images are worth a thousand words. This is why magazines are so popular. They have images, they tell a story. Try to imagine your local newspaper with no image on front page, but rather straight text. Try to imagine People magazine with no images of your favorite celebrities. Need we say more?

Some press release distribution companies such as 24-7PressRelease.com allow you to attach images to your press release.

Images tell a story. Images get attention. Images within your press release are a great way to extend your Companies logo. This works especially well when you are sending out multiple press releases. Permission When writing your press release, you may run into common instance of attribution or writing a quote from an individual.

Having permission from this individual, to use their quote within a press release is extremely important. Failing to do so may result in a lawsuit, something that no Company would like.

If you are close to an individual, a verbal ok may be all that is required but we always recommend written permission.

Start Strong Not only should your press release have a catchy title and sub headline, your first paragraph will also be very important.

This is perfect location for giving information about what you are trying to portray to reader. Perhaps use of some statistics may be used, as long as you do not go overboard.

If you have already written a strong headline and sub headline, chances are you are well underway to writing a good press release.

Target The Media > Press Release Distribution Writing Tips At 24-7PressRelease.com – Targeting The Media

What not to write about There are certain don’ts that are fairly simple to follow.

Do not write a press release that reads like an advertisement. Do not submit your press release if it is riddled with grammatical errors and typos. Do not submit your press release if it is geared toward illegal activity, stock promotion (unless you are a registered member of NASD with a registration number), hatred towards others, or terrorism. Nobody will publish this type of release.

Do not continually submit same press release over and over, or even one that is slightly modified from original. If your press release was not picked up or you did not receive any enquiries, this should be a clue.

Conclusion A well written press release with a catchy title will bring attention to your Company. This type of media attention is invaluable and could move a Company from launch pad, to moon. Keep it simple, interesting, informative and to point. Keep your facts and figures accurate with sources where available and you are well on your way to success!

Resources: Press release distribution and further press writing tips may be found at: http://www.24-7pressrelease.com