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 pre-planned for maximum results.

The first, and most 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 related to your business that is about to, or has recently, occurred. These publicity stories are generally sent to local newspapers and television stations, as well as community magazines and Web sites.

In every case, send a short cover letter addressed to the person who will be reviewing your material. This means that you send your story to the city editor of the newspaper, the news directors of the radio & TV stations, and the managing editors of trade publications. It will do you no good whatsoever, to send your material to the advertising, circulation or business managers. 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.

So now, you've got a cover letter and you know who to send it to at the newspaper or local television station. 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'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.

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. 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 in your mind as you write it. The person you send your press release to must quickly see and understand how your product or service will benefit his readers and he must be assured it will do what you promise in your headline.

Sell the editor first. Convince him that you've found the better mousetrap. Show him that your product or service fills a need and/or will interest a large segment of his readers, viewers, or listeners. When an editor uses your publicity release, always follow up with a short thank-you note. Never send a publicity release to an editor and then call or write demanding to know why he didn't use it, use it as you wrote it, or only gave you a quick mention. If your first effort is not used, then you should review the story itself, perhaps write it from a different angle; make sure you're sending it to the proper person - and try again!