HOW TO OBTAIN FREE BUSINESS PUBLICITY

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 preferrably 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. We advise our dealers and

distributors of MONEY MAKING MAGIC - our regular publication

for serious wealth builders and extra income seekers - to 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: (503) 666-5824..." 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. The 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 forwad 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 the headlines we use on publicity blurbs for

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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