How can you multiply your chances of getting media coverage amidst fierce PR competition? There is a common sense PR technique you can use to ride your way to media limelight.

Here is a recent case study of how an unknown startup company catapulted into media limelight using this proven PR technique.

After September 11, security and safety were buzz. The media were concerned with national, local and home security. With anthrax scares, opening of snail mails became dreaded by many.

On October 31, a San Francisco startup called Paperless POBox sent out a press release titled "System That Delivers Postal Mail Via Email is Available to Combat Mail Bioterrorism."

Paperless POBox provides a service which integrates snail mail with modern email. People sign up for a box address and snail mail addressed to them are scanned into image files automatically routed to their email inboxes.

But they often miss out most powerful marketing channel for driving hundreds of thousands of visitors. What is it? Media publicity!

Almost every person on this planet is exposed to some form of mass media daily - be it newspapers, radio or television. Such wide media reach drives huge traffic.

How do you get media coverage for your website?

One highly effective way of getting media publicity for your website is through press releases.

All businesses, large and small, use press releases to disseminate information to public. Editors and journalists use them to get fresh information about latest happenings in their fields of coverage.

Should you write your own press release?

That depends on how much a writer you are. If you don't enjoy writing, you should outsource to a professional PR firm.

The major advantage to using a PR firm is that they can write your press release objectively in a style which adheres to media editorial requirements.

Press releases are often written like sales letters. That's number one reason why many press releases get trashed. Editors are interested in stories, not sales pitches.

Next, you need to distribute your press release to relevant editors and journalists. You can submit your press release through email, fax or postal mail.