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Stop Making These Mistakes
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Articles: "How to Obtain Free Business Publicity"
Product publicity is the "Secret
Pathway" to business success everyone wants. In simple
terms, product publicity is a kind of advertising that costs you
nothing, yet brings in the orders for you. 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. However, your publicity efforts should be well
thought out, and preplanned for maximum results. The first, and basic form of obtaining
publicity is through what is known as the press or news release.
This is generally a one page story 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. Problem number one is getting the people to
whom you have 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 person 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 & 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 are a long-time advertiser, subscriber or
listener. The most important thing is that you 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
a paper supplier - tell them you want a hundred of so sheets of good
bond paper - 8 1/2 x 11 preferably in a pastel color such as blue or
ivory - and that you want this paper cut into quarters, giving you a
grand total of 400 sheets of note paper. "From the desk
of..." note sheets are too elaborate until the people you are
contacting get to know you first time around, and until they use
your material, don't use these semi-formal note sheets... On this note sheet, begin with the date across
the top - skip a couple of spaces and then quickly tell the
recipient of the note, the attached material is new and should be of
real interest to his readers, viewers or listeners. If you had just
written a publication called MONEY MAKING MAGIC, you would
send the following note to the editors and news directors of the
media in their area: "Here's something that is new, and for a change, truly helpful, to people trying to cope with inflation - the soaring costs of living - and those engaged in building extra income businesses of their own. Should be of real value - interest - to your readers. Please take a look - any questions, or if your need more into, give me a call at: (999) 999-9999..." Then, or course, you skip about four spaces,
type your name, your business name, and your address - sign your
name above where you have 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 have 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. Then xerox the note 4 times, paste these 4 copies onto one sheet of paper, print 50 to 100 copies, and cut the paper into individual notes, all for less than $10... Do not try to save money by photocopying or
xeroxing - a photocopy is a photocopy is a photocopy, and will not
do the job for you... Now 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 is 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. About an inch from the top of the paper with an
inch and a half margin on each side of the paper; form the left hand
margin, type in all capital letter: PRESS RELEASE: Then, underline
these words. Immediately following the colon, but not in all capital
letters, put in the date. Always set the date forward by at least
one day after the day you intend to mail the release. On the same line, but on the right hand side of
the page, and in all capital letters, write the words, FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION: Underline this, and immediately below, but not in all
capital letters, type your name - your phone number - and your
address... Skip a couple of spaces, then in all capital
letters - centered between the margins - type a story headline, and
underline it... Skip a couple of spaces, and from the left hand
margin, all in capital letters, type the words, FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: From there on, it's the news or publicity story itself.
You can write the headline before the story,
and then a story to fit the headline - or the story before the
headline, and then a headline to fit the story - either way, it's
basically the same as writing a space ad or a sales letter... You
attract attention and interest with the headline and fill in the
details with your story. Here is an example of a possible headline to
use on a publicity blurb for a publication, MONEY MAKING Magic:
HELP IN MAKING ENDS MEET NEW PUBLICATION FOR EXTRA
INCOME SEEKERS Notice how we continue to sell or involve the
editor - His readers are always looking for better ways to make ends
meet, and he's specifically interested as to what our promise
involves... He wants his readers to "think well" of him
for enlightening them with this source of help, so he reads into the
story to find out who, what and how... An actual copy of one of our
publicity releases is contained as an appendix to this report... Suffice it to say that your headline, and the
story you present to the editor, must sell him on the benefits of
your product or service to his readers. Unless it specifically does
this, he will not use it. You must sell the first person receiving
your materials. Keep this fact uppermost in your mind as you write
it. The person you send your press or publicity release to, must
quickly see and understand how your product or service will benefit
his readers - thereby making him a hero to them - and he must be
assured it will do what you promise in your headline. Come right to the point and say your product is
lower in price, more convenient to use or in what way your product
or service is useful to the people in general. It is also a good
idea to include a complimentary sample of your product or an
opportunity for him to sample your services. Remember, the editors receiving your
information are fully aware of your purposes - Free Advertising!
They are not in the least interested in your or your credentials -
If you have sold them on the benefits of your business to their
readers, and they want background details, they will call you. That
is why you list your telephone number and address... These people are busy people. They have not got
the time nor the interest in reading about your trials and
tribulations or plans for the future. They want only "a
flag" that alerts them to something new and of probable real
interest to their readers. Sell the editor first. Convince him that you
have found the better mousetrap. Show him that your product or
service - that your business - fills a need and/or will interest a
large segment of his readers, his viewers or listeners. When an editor uses your publicity release,
always follow-up with a short thank you note. Never, but never, send
a publicity release to an editor and then call or write demanding to
know why he did not use it, use it as you wrote it, or only gave you
a quick mention. Do this once, and that particular media will
"round-file" any further material received form you,
unopened! If your first effort is not used, then you should review
the story itself, perhaps write it form a different angle; make sure
you are sending it to the proper person - and try again! As stated earlier, these people are busy, with
hundreds of publicity releases passing across their desks every day
- They only have so much space or time - therefore, your material
has to stand out and in some way, fit in with the information they -
the editors - want to pass along to their readers, viewers or
listeners. Regardless of your business, product, or service, you
must build your press release - write it around that particular
angle or feature that makes it beneficial or interesting to the
readers, viewers or listeners of the media you want to run your
press release. Without this special ingredient, you are lost before
you begin! The timing of your press release is always
important, Try to associate your press release with current events
in the news. A story on job lay-offs and increased unemployment
carried in the newspapers, on TV and radio would prompt us to get a
publicity release out to all the media on the help and opportunity
offered by MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Say there is a deluge of chain
letters and pyramid schemes making the rounds - the media picks up
on it and attempts to warn the people to beware... Within 5 days, we
would get a publicity release out, explaining the availability of
our reports on chain letters and pyramid schemes - a report that
explains everything form A to Z - who are the winners and who are
the real losers. There is another kind of timing also to keep in
mind...Publication Deadlines... For best results, always try to time
it so your material reaches the editor in time for the Sunday paper.
This is because that is when the papers have their greatest
circulation; the most space is available; and the people, the most
time to read the paper. For articles you would like to appear in the
Sunday paper, you will generally have to get your releases in at
least nine days prior to the date of publication. If you are in
doubt, call and ask about the deadline date. SUMMARY Choose the media most likely to carry your
press release. Select those that carry similar write-ups on a
regular basis. Always use a cover letter of some kind. It pays
to call ahead to find out the name of the person you should be
sending your press release to. Use the proper press release form, complete
with a headline that will interest the man deciding whether or not
to use your item. Be sure your press release is letter perfect -
no typo's or misspelled words - and don't photocopy - always have
each letter or press release individually typed or printed. When
your item is used, send a thank you note or call the editor on the
phone and thank him for using your press release. Never, but never call or write an editor demanding to know why he did not use your press release, why he had it rewritten or cut it short - just try, and try again!
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