How to Ride Your Way to Media Limelight

A press release is an effective way to get your story into the
hands of journalists and editors. Through the media, many
startups and small businesses are often transformed from little
unknown companies to famous brands.

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 the buzz. The media
were concerned with national, local and home security. With the
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.

They were soon featured on prominent media like CNN Moneyline,
CNNfn, TechTV, CBS-KLAS and CNet Radio. From an unknown upstart
with no track record, they were soon gaining popularity and
credibility.

Traffic and business poured in. I wouldn't be surprised if
investors started knocking on their doors - wanting to own a
piece of this innovative company.

What can we learn here?

Paperless POBox was able to ride on the bio-terrorism and
security buzz that catapulted their company into media limelight.

Quoting their original press release, founder David Nale "created
the service for frequent fliers to receive their mail anytime,
anywhere and eliminate paper clutter."

By riding on the media buzz, they captured huge media attention
and gained an additional market for their service - people who
were concerned about snail mail safety.

Most of us follow the news regularly to keep ourselves updated.
Why not go an extra step and ask yourself: "What does that mean
for my business?"

You can apply this technique to industry buzz as well. As you
update yourself with industry-specific news, keep an eye out for
buzz that your business can ride on.