How To Generate FREE Publicity For Your Product, Service, or
Cause...
One of the most misunderstood and most underutilized promotional
tools available to small businesses is FREE PUBLICITY.
Every business, no matter how large or small, can effectively
use free publicity to enhance its image, increase sales and
profits, generate sales leads, expand distribution, and promote
customer goodwill. All of these benefits can be gained for
nothing more than a small investment ot time, paper, envelopes,
and postage.
And...with the addition of new e-mail based media release
services...even the paper, envelopes and postage can be
eliminated.
Most new businesses start out on the proverbial shoestring
budget. There never seems to be enough money available to do
needed advertising.
Professional marketing assistance seems like an unaffordable
dream, and there is always "one more piece of equipment" that
needs to be purchased.
Add in other concerns, and it's no surprise that marketing and
promotion end up last on the long list of perceived needs. They
should be among the first!
A well-executed and on-going publicity program can dramatically
improve your chances of success in the marketplace. Whatever you
want to achieve promotionally... you'll accomplish it faster and
less expensively with a knowledge of the publicity game.
You can generate high volumes of traffic to your web site,
increase direct sales, generate qualified sales leads, shorten
your selling cycle, enhance your image, and boost your cash
flow, with free publicity!
Free publicty is the perfect promotional tool for start-up
companies. Why? Because it's cheap...and it's available.
While I can't make an expert publicist out of you in one short
article, I will give you the basic tools you need to get started
with your own publicity program and a resource list to enable
you to expand your success and build your knowledge base. Let's
get started...
WHAT IS PUBLICITY?
Publicity is NEWS. News about your company, its products or
services, its personnel, etc. Anything that has a legitimate
news angle will probably find a number of editors eager to
publish it for you...free.
Why are editors willing to do this? It's their job! Editors are
charged with the responsibility of filling up page after page of
space (or, in the case of radio or television, minutes of time)
with information that is timely and useful to their readers or
listening/viewing audience. Theirs is a formidable task,
performed under the constant pressure of deadlines. Your news
release helps editors do their job.
It's important, however, to differentiate a legitimate news
story from what should be paid advertising.
To acomplish this, editors typically ask themselves two
questions when reading your press release:
Who cares?
Who already knows?
If the answer to the first question is "a large number of my
readers or listeners", and the answer to the second question is
"very few", then your release stands an excellent chance of
publication.
Remembering the old axiom of "Nothing is older than yesterdays
news", it also becomes obvious that your news release must be
timely. In other words, the news must be new.
THE TOOLS OF PUBLICITY...
The principle tools of publicity are: News Release
Press Kit
Press Conference
Feature Story
Letters to the Editor
Media Lists/Selection
The news release is the most useful (and most used) form of
communicating news to the media. When coupled with a
well-selected media list, the simple news release is a very
powerful tool that you can start using today.
THE NEWS RELEASE...
Your release (news story) should typed, double-spaced, with wide
margins on one side of 81/2" x 11" plain white paper (or
letterhead). Never hand-write a news release.
Keep it simple. Follow the standard news story format of Who,
What, Where, When, Why, and How, and you can't go wrong. Use
simple sentences (seven words or less). Use short paragraphs
(seven sentences or less).
Use as many simple single-syllable words as possible. Remember,
you're trying to convey news...not impress William F. Buckley.
Omit the superlatives. Words such as best, greatest, finest,
unique, one-of-a-kind, and highest quality don't belong in news
releases.
Don't say anything you can't back up with facts.
your news release will generally fit on one sheet of
paper...rarely more than two. If you have more than 400 to 500
words (roughly two pages of double-spaced copy), you should
probably rewrite the release.
If necessary, editors will cut your release to fit available
space. Your story will be cut from the bottom up, so make sure
you tell the most important details in the first paragraph or
two.
The editor has no obligation to run your news release. Your
release will be judged on it's own merits. If it meets the
standards of publication...(Who Cares?--Who Knows?), and space
is available, your release will probably be published.
You should keep in mind that one of your long-term goals is good
media relations. Accordingly, you should never complain to an
editor if he or she does not use a particular release. Keep
submitting good releases, and you'll get your share of free
space.
FORMAT IS IMPORTANT...
Savvy publicity seekers make sure that their news releases look
professional. The following layout formula will serve you well:
Make a special form with the heading "NEWS RELEASE" prominently
printed at the top, along with your company name and address.
In the upper left corner print "FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:".
Fill in the appropriate contact information and telephone, fax,
e-mail, url, etc.
Drop down three lines and print "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" next to
the right hand margin.
Drop down two inches and type your story headline in all capital
letters.
Drop down three spaces and begin the body copy of your release
at the left-hand margin as follows: "(Your Town,
State--Date)"xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx..."
End your release by centering "(-----30-----)" or
"(----end----)" three or four lines after the last line of the
story.
MEDIA SELECTION...
The slant of your news story will dictate the media selection.
If you are a local retailer serving a limited goegraphical area,
your media list will include all of the appropriate newspapers,
radio stations, television stations, magazines, community web
sites, etc. serving your market area. Your release would be
written to a general consumer audience.
On the other hand, if you are a small manufacturer selling
specialized equipment nationally, your media list would be
targeted to industry trade publications, newsletters, trade
associations, and other relevant trade outlets and business
media. Your release would be written for a more focused audience
of end users and trade press editors (in the hope of a possible
feature article).
In all cases, releases should be customized to the target
audience so that the editor will quickly see the news value to
his or her readers or listeners.
DISTRIBUTION OF YOUR RELEASE...
There are now three means of distribution of your news release:
(1) Regular Mail, and (2) Electronic Mail (e-mail), (3)Fax
transmission.
Always mail your news releases by first class mail. Address
them, whenever possible, to the editor...by name. If you don't
know the editor's name, check the publications masthead or call
the publication and ask.
You may also want to check current media guides online or at
your local library...usually found in the reference section.
A word of caution. Media people change jobs often, and media
guides may not be up-to-date.
If you are unable to identify the proper person, you can simply
mail to "Editor", but this is the least desirable alternative.
DO IT NOW...AND DO IT OFTEN...
What is the key to being effective with a publicity program?
Start using the skills you have just learned... right NOW! Don't
worry if you feel a certain lack of confidence. You'll only gain
confidence by writing a few news releases an distributing them.
You'll be amazed at how easy it becomes once you've written a
few.
If you consistently turn out at least one good news story each
and every week, you'll probably have to double your trips to the
bank to deposit the increases in sales and profits that come
your way through FREE PUBLICITY!