Yahoo! Small Business Advisor vice president and GM Tom Byun spoke with WebProNews today, to relate some new features and share some insight regarding the platform. Most recently, a new press release generator was added to its business tools, in tandem with PR Newswire. The PR wizard walks one through all the steps required to create a professional-style press release. Here’s a screen shot:
A user can generate titles, dates, locations, paragraphs, a boilerplate (A standard paragraph that describes one’s business – who you are and what you do) and contact information, which can then be either printed or copied to HTML for free. A user can also incorporate Yahoo! Reach, to better distribute their newly generated release. A small business owner can also glean tips for writing and formatting their press releases by visiting the PR Toolkit.
Yahoo! Small Business also recently launched a new Marketing Dashboard, and Byun says that there’s been a healthy interest in free dashboard signups, with overall positive feedback. Byun also points out that as a whole, the platform facilitates the “unique and helpful voice” of bloggers, thinkers and influencers of their respective communities.
Along with assisting celebrity entrepreneurs who’ve adopted the platform build their brands, including chef Ming Tsai, Dr. Phil and Lance Armstrong, Yahoo’s Small Business Advisor has developed an excellent forum for local business leaders to showcase their knowledge and perspective regarding their fields. An expert plumber can convey trade-secret tactics gleaned over time, in the same arena where a famed pop-psychologist can muse upon assessments, utilizing the same personalization element powered by Yahoo’s C.O.R.E system – all offered to early-stage and established entrepreneurs who adopt the platform.
