Not Your Father's Marketing Campaign

By Kim T. Gordon of Entrepreneur.com



In a tough economy, with businesses and consumers cutting back on spending, even the best advertising may not be enough to sway shoppers. Right now, PR is an indispensable part of a campaign thanks to its influence over consumers' buying decisions.

When asked to rank the factors that sway them to buy a product or service, many Americans cite reading about it or seeing a recommendation. And though PR tactics that earn news coverage are still standard practice, these new PR tactics can help you gain credibility and grab the attention of customers. It all starts with a press release. But it's what you do with your release these days that counts. Here are four ways to use PR as a conduit to sales.

1. Target influential media. Press releases help gain coverage in media that reach designated target audiences. Today, with the emergence of specialized Web sites and blogs -- and to an extent social media -- it's possible to distribute your release almost entirely online. You can target specific Web masters and online editors, use online distribution services that send your release to thousands of newsrooms, or individually email your release to editors of traditional media.

Online product reviews can be particularly influential. And since the majority of Americans begin the purchasing process online, gaining online coverage will build your credibility and influence prospects' decisions at a point in the shopping process when they can go directly to your Web site....