Want some free publicity? Donate your product or service to a Charity Auction. Great. Now the 3 organisers and the 25 people actually at the auction know about your product. Well, guess what -- your job doesn't actually stop with the donation. Now you put some marketing grunt to work.
Don't rely on the organisers to do that task - believe us, they'll welcome the help.
First, start well ahead of time, so you can make the various deadlines of the media you intend to approach.
Find yourself a tame commercial photographer - or an obliging local newspaper photographer - and get snapped handing over the widget.
Whatever your product, there's a marketing angle that can be used - you've just got to find it.
* "Chemist donates cosmetics to spruce up Asthma Appeal"
* "Does 4 hours on a luxury boat sound tough?"
* "One fully-decorated Christmas tree, available to a good home. Presents not included."
Now write some copy, identifying WHO, HOW, WHAT, WHEN and WHERE - focus on the charity, but get in some good licks for your product (and your organisation, if others sell the same product). This sort of thing:
"Next week's Charity Auction for the Green Elephant Trust is going to be a blast, thanks to this replica Louis Armstrong BlueNote Trumpet donated by the KindHeart Music Store. The Auction, scheduled for 8pm at the etc etc etc .."
OK. Job partly done. Now identify all the possible recipients of this press release - daily papers, community papers, local shoppers, local radio, local TV, what's on guides, women's mags, mall or library noticeboards, newsletters for affiliated charities, etc, etc. The magazines will have the longest deadlines, so approach them first.
If you have the time (& the skill), create different angles for different media. Make yourself available for interviews, if you can - just remember, it's an interview about the Auction, not about your product.
Phone, fax, email, snailmail - get the press release in front of their eyes. Some will buckle under and print the thing, spelling your product name right.
Job done, for little cost (except your time). Then turn up at the Auction and pay silly money to buy your product back!
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Michael Carney, a marketing professional with 30 years experience,
is Marketing Tutor for The eLearning Institute and creator of the eCourse
MARKETING ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET.
Learn all about this comprehensive 10-lesson course,
delivered by email, on Marketing With Little Or No Money.
Visit http://www.ShoestringMarketing.net/ecourse.html.