The most overlooked method to get free Publicity
By Abe Cherian - Copyright © 2005
In most cases, you can use the normal media channels to get
the publicity you need for your product or service. And,
although you don't need to come up with schemes to get
attention, they do work.
Sometimes promotion departments of manufacturers' stage
marathon events or contests with their products -
especially with toys and games. Apparel companies may
sponsor athletic races; manufacturers of motorcycles
sponsor races.
Although promotion schemes do cost money to stage, the
efforts usually pay off in a long run with the number of
customers sold on the product.
For local coverage, charity drives and dinners are good
ways to get in the paper. Some enterprises strive for a
more national coverage with special prizes connected to
sports events.
If you are clever enough, and there's no big news break
that day, you may get your scheme on television. Even local
footage reaches thousands and thousands of people.
What gimmicks can you think of that will pay off for their
investment? How is your product or service used that it can
commercially be exploited by the news? Can you keep going
with it-making it an annual event, drawing customers from
near and far?
What if you don't want to do the publicity yourself? If
your product or service is a natural for free publicity,
you can hire a company or a person to do your public
relations work.
There are many freelancers in the large cities who have a
number of clients that they publicize. They've already
broken the ice with the editors and the media, so they can
get their releases printed.
If you want to hire someone for a special project, get a
person who has the contacts and who specializes in your
product line. If you're a celebrity, use someone who has a
reputation in the entertainment industry. If you are a
manufacturer with new appliances, likewise consider a
person with expertise in that field.
Check out the person or firm. Talk to other clients and
find out what has been done for them. Have they increased
their sales or public exposure?
Investigate the reputation with people in the media you
want to publicize in, and be sure there is a clean slate
with the local business associations.
Then work efficiently with the person who will handle your
publicity. Communicate effectively and be sure your ideas
are understood. Listen well and absorb any ideas thrown
your way. Between the two of you, you can come up with an
excellent publicity campaign that will make your business
boom.
The wonderful thing about free publicity is that you have
nothing to lose. A few phone calls; a few personal letters,
maybe some investment in quick printing news releases.
And, you can reap many times that investment in additional
sales and orders.
Whether you have an international personality to publicize
or a community barbecue, you can get that information to
the public at little expense.
What is unique about your service or product? Is it the
best? The most used? The longest lasting? Do customers
return year after year? Consider all the angles, then
consider again.
Be sure to make solid contacts and be thorough with your
follow-ups. Being polite and efficient will always create
effective business relations. Then exploit your own
publicity. Use it again and again; post it in the store or
rewrite it for more national distribution. Go as far as you
can with your ideas.
And, it doesn't cost you. That is the true joy - with a
little effort and persistence, you can reap great profits
from free publicity.
Very nice article and well written keep up the good work.
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