How
to Get Free Publicity ?
Small Business Marketing Strategy
Small Business Marketing Strategy
Teaching you how to get free
publicity is my goal with this article, helping you to lay a foundation for
growing your business. Do not get overwhelmed, but consider the big picture and
then dive into doing this small business marketing strategy well with the
following proven ideas:
Write a
Column –
Writing a regular column, whether in a newspaper, magazine, ezine, or offline
newsletter, is a great way to become known as an expert in your field. Once
published, send reprints to your clients and prospects to add proof to your
sales letters and promotional materials.
Write
an Article –
Articles are anything from a short essay on a topic to a feature article in a
magazine, newspaper, ezine, newsletter, you name it. Being published just once
can lend a lot of credibility to your business.
Write
articles and publish them on popular websites in your field (niche) or visit
forums where your prospects frequent and post your informative/educational
articles there.
Write a
Press Release – Press
releases have been used to promote companies and products for years and while
they have been around awhile, they are still tremendously effective if done
correctly. The trick with press releases is to make sure your release is a
newsworthy event.
Try to
put yourself in your newspaper editor’s shoes and ask yourself “Would my
readers be interested in this?” No editor is going to run a story just because
you now carry extra large widgets in your store. However, if your extra large
widgets now make life pain free for 90% of the population, then you will have a
chance at getting published.
Learning how to get free
publicity from your writing depends on the target audience and publications to
be published in. Editors will only consider press releases if they think their
readers will appreciate the story. It is nothing personal, but they really do
not care about you or your company. Your press release must effectively answer
the What’s in it for me question for them.
Here are two more ideas to
consider when writing press releases for your small business marketing
strategy:
Create
a Newsworthy Event – While
you can often tie in things your business is doing with current events that are
published in the news, there is no reason you cannot create your own event
worthy of making the daily paper or the evening news.
Here is
an idea to use to promote your business while supporting a good local cause.
How about designating a day as a local “fire company appreciation day” or
“adopt a pet day” and donating all or a portion of your proceeds from your
sales to that local charity? You could issue a press release a week or so
before your special event and invite the local media to spread the news or join
you when you present a contribution check to your chosen charity.
Attend
Special Local Events – Keep
an eye on your local news for events in your area to increase your visibility.
Maybe another local business is holding a special event like the one mentioned
above and you will partner with them by contributing to their cause, sharing in
the publicity.
For
more info on getting how to get free publicity and writing an effective press
release, a great resource is www.publicityinsider.com.
Now, do not go overboard and
try to do all of these at once. Take just one idea, create a plan and
implement; then you move on to the next one. What do you think? Which one will
you try today for your own small business marketing strategy?
Please share this article on
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right there. Thank you.
