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Strategies For Getting Free Publicity |
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Page 1 of 2 Publicity or press release is the better way to
advertise your business or product because information is dessiminated
in a news-worthy fashion. Regardless of what kind of business you are
operating, you should want, and strive for, as much publicity for your
business and your products or services, as possible. After all,
it's "free advertising" that is essential to the growth of your
business.
Product publicity is the "secret pathway" to financial success
everyone wants. In simple terms, publicity for your corporate image or
your product is a kind of advertising that costs you nothing, yet
brings in the orders for you. However, your publicity efforts should be
well thought out, and pre-planned for maximum results.
The first and most basic form of obtaining publicity is by getting what
is known as the press or news release. This is generally a one page
article about your business, your product/service or an
event/happening related to your business that is about to, or has
recently occurred. These publicity stories are generally "shot-gunned"
to all the various media: local newspapers, radio and TV, and trade
publications.
The challenge with press publicity is getting the press people to whom
you've sent these publicity stories, to use them - publish or broadcast
them. And this leads us back to the "right way " of writing them and
sending them in.
In every case, send a short cover letter addressed to the individual
you want your material to be considered by. This means that you send
your story to the city editor of the newspapers; the news directors of
the radio and TV stations; and the managing editors of the various
trade publications. It will do you no good what-so-ever, to send your
material to the advertising, circulation or business managers -
describing how you're a long-time advertiser, subscriber or listener.
The most critical factor to your success is to make contact with the
person who has the final say as to what is to be published or
broadcast, and at the bottom line - this person's use of your material
will somehow make him a "hero" to his or her readers, viewers or
listeners.
The cover letter should be a short note. Go to an office
supply store or copy house and order a hundred or so sheets of
high-grade bond paper -8 1/2 by 11" preferably in a pastel color as
blue or ivory - and that you want this paper cut into quarters, giving
you a grand total fo 400 sheets of note paper. "From the desk of..."
note sheets are too elaborate until the people you're contacting get to
know you - first time around and until they use your press
release.
On this note sheet, begin with the date across the top. Then, skip two
or three spaces and start on the third line to the recipient that the
attached material is new and should be of real interest to their
readers, viewers or listeners.
You can also advise your dealers and distributors to send the following
note to the editors and news directors of the media in their areas:
"CD-ROM Containing over 650 Money-Making Reports. Here's something new
for people trying to cope with inflation - the soaring costs of living
- and those engaged in building extra income businesses of their own.
We have a new CD that should be of real value - interest - to your
readers. Please take a look - any questions, or if you need more info,
give me a call at (954) 000-000."
After your article, you skip about four spaces and then type your name,
your business name, and your address - sign your name above where
you've typed it, and staple this note in the upper right hand corner of
your news release. This note should be typed and double-spaced.
So now, you've got a cover letter, and you know who to send it to... We
type up one such note, and take it to a near-by quick-print shop. They
xerox the note 4 times, paste 4-copies onto one sheet of paper, print
50 to 100 copies, and cut the paper into individual notes, all for less
that $10... Do not try to save money by photo-copying or xeroxing - a
photo-copy is a photo-copy is a photo-copy, and will not do the job for
you
At this point, you need the actual publicity release, which also must
be "properly" written if you expect it to be used by the media. Above
all else, there's a proper form or style to use, plus the fact that it
must be typed, double-spaced, and short - about a half page in total
length.
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