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Get Free Publicity by Being Newsworthy
A lot of business owners wonder how they can get free publicity. The answer is quite simple. Be newsworthy. You can do this by sending press releases based on one or more of the following strategies.
Tie into the news, current events or holidays. For example, if you own a health spa or gym, write a press release about how people can lose those unwanted pounds they will gain during the holiday season.
You can piggyback on a national story, such as the weak economy. If you are a business consultant, show business owners how to cut expenses or create clever ways to attract new clients or customers.
Do a survey on something that relates to what you do. Most people love to express their opinions. Offer them the opportunity to express their feelings and thoughts about a topic that relates to what you do.
Sponsor a humorous contest. A sports shoe company once ran a contest for the ugliest pair of sports shoes. You might do something along those lines. If you are the owner of an auto repair shop, you might have a contest for having the ugliest car. A pet store could stage an ugliest pet contest.
Write a top 10 (or 5 or 7) list. David Letterman made these kinds of lists very popular. If you run a computer repair shop, you could create a list of the top complaints or likes people have about their computers. An ice cream shop owner could send out a list of their most popular flavors.
Reach a milestone. If you have been in business 10, 25 or 50 years, let the world know about it. If your business just sold your 10,000th car or gained a large client, brag about it. This is a very powerful way to get free publicity.
Start some controversy. Are their differing opinions from the experts in your area of expertise? Tell people about them, and what side you take.
Do some charity work, both to help people and to get free publicity. Do something hands-on to help a local charity or non-profit. You might paint a homeless shelter or clean up a local park or volunteer at a senior center.
This site went to #1 on Google on September 1. I used a very basic publicity technique to do it. Would you like me to help you rocket up the Search Engines? Email Me
This Site is #1 on Google
If you’re reading this post, chances are you saw this site on Google. It is now #1 on Google for the search term “Get Free Publicity.”
It is also #4 on Yahoo!
Would you like to know how I did this? I used a common publicity technique in some special ways.
Would you like to rocket your site up on the Search Engines?
I can help you.
Email Me for a Free Consultation.
Get Free Publicity with a Survey
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Radio Shows that Will Interview You
Just about any business or creative endeavor can create a survey that can be used to get free publicity.
If you sell or service computers, do a survey about the most common customer complaints and announce your results to the media.
If you own a health spa, you might do a survey to determine whether jogging or walking is more popular.
Malcolm Kushner, humor consultant to Fortune 500 companies and author of such books as Public Speaking for Dummies and Presentations for Dummies, has gotten national publicity for his annual “Cost of Humor Index.”
Each year he surveys the cost of such humor-related items as rubber chickens and whoopee cushions, then sends out a press release announcing his findings. He’s been featured on several top TV talk shows and other national venues.
With some imagination, planning and a little luck, you can create the same kind of free publicity success as Malcolm.
If you’re not sure what might make a good survey, ask your friends and associates for ideas. You could — survey them.
Adapted from the book You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity
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Power Words for Press Releases
Blog Post begins below the video screen.
NEW!!! GET YOU CAN BE FAMOUS! as an instant download.
Marketing Guru Joe Vitale of “The Secret” said, “Buy this book NOW.
Entrepreneur.com said, “This book is a must have for anyone with a media message begging to get out.”
Only $9
Radio Shows that Will Interview You
Advertising copywriters know that using certain words in their pitch can help increase sales.
You can also use these same words in your press releases to make them more effective, with a couple of caveats, that I will explain below.
Here are those words, as determined by the psychology department at Yale, from least to most powerful:
10. New
9. Save
8. Safety
7. Proven
6. Love
5. Discover
4. Guarantee
3. Health
2. Results
1. You
Now here are the caveats:
Even though these words come from the world of adverting, do not turn your press release into an ad. If you do, journalists will reject it immediately. Your press release must read like a news article.
Second, although the word “You” is the most powerful of the bunch, press releases must be written in the 3rd person — she, he, they, even if the release is about yourself. But, you can use “You” in a headline and in quotes.
Weave these power words into your press release, but don’t hammer people over the head with them. If you use them well, you’ll have much more “powerful” results.
Radio Shows that Will Interview You
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The ART-ful Way to Get Free Publicity
Blog Post begins below the video screen.
NEW!!! GET YOU CAN BE FAMOUS! as an instant download.
Marketing Guru Joe Vitale of “The Secret” said, “Buy this book NOW.
Entrepreneur.com said, “This book is a must have for anyone with a media message begging to get out.”
Only $9
Radio Shows that Will Interview You
A great way to increase your chances of getting Free Publicity is to include “art” in your story pitch.
Art is the journalism term for anything graphic in in printed story (which now includes online media). Art can be a photo, a chart, a graph — any visual element than makes the story more appealing to the eyes.
The use of art is growing more important because there are so many news stories, articles, etc., that are competing for people’s attention. A striking or interesting visual element of the story can draw reader’s eyes and entice them to read on. It is often one of the elements editors use when deciding whether or not to go with a particular story pitch.
There is one caveat: do not include attachments with your email press release the first time you contact a media outlet. If a journalist does not know you, they will most likely delete your email without reading it. Instead, indicate that you have art to go with the story and ask if they would like to look at it.
If the art is a photo, try to make it more interesting than the standard head shot or handing-over-the-check shot. Boring. Use your imagination to come up with an idea that will make editors sit up and take notice.
So before you do your next story pitch, think of ways you can add art to it. Journalists will love you for it.
Radio Talk Shows — How to Get the Best Results
Blog Post begins below the video screen.
NEW!!! GET YOU CAN BE FAMOUS! as an instant download.
Marketing Guru Joe Vitale of “The Secret” said, “Buy this book NOW.
Entrepreneur.com said, “This book is a must have for anyone with a media message begging to get out.”
Only $9
Radio Shows that Will Interview You
Okay, you’ve sent out your press release to radio show producers and worked hard to get booked on some shows to get some free publicity. Now it’s time for your publicity efforts to pay off. Here’s how to make the most of being interviewed on the phone by a radio show host.
A few days before the interview send the producer, host and switchboard operator a 3 x 5 card with your contact information. Listeners often call during the show and after to learn how to contact you.
Try to listen to the show before your interview date. If you have a friend who lives in that market, ask them to record it for you. Most radio stations now make their shows available on the Internet, so check into that possibility.
Do the phone interview in a quiet room, so you won’t be disturbed. This is very important.
If you have call waiting, be sure to turn it off. You don’t want to be interrupted by an incoming call during the interview.
Have a glass of water within reach in case your throat gets dry. When the producer calls, or if you call them at the appointed time, assume you’re on the air, even though you probably won’t be. This way you won’t say anything that you don’t want the audience to hear.
Your voice will sound better if you are standing or pacing than when you are sitting down. So use a cordless phone with a well-charged battery. If you use a standard phone, put a longer cord on it so you can move around. Be careful not to trip on it. Standing also raises your energy level, compared to sitting.
During the interview, offer the audience something for free, such as a tip sheet. Make sure they have to write or call you to get this freebie. This technique will help you build a list of prospects you can contact later.
Within a day or two after the interview, send both the producer and host a nice thank-you note. This small courtesy can sometimes help in getting booked on radio talk-shows again down the road to free publicity.
Want more Free Publicity Tips? Read You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity. See the 1st Chapter
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Get Free Publicity with These Proven Story Ideas
Be Interviewed on Radio Talk Shows
There is no limit to the types of stories you can pitch to the media to get free publicity, though some are easier to sell than others.
Below is a list of some of the types of stories journalists are likely to be open to. Some of these will apply to you, others won’t; but you can use them as a springboard for related public relations ideas.
Do well by doing good. Sponsor a charitable event or volunteer for a charity. If you’re a business owner or a manager, you might encourage your entire staff to participate. Doing good works offers two chances for publicity. You can send out a news release to announce the commitment you’ve made before the event and another one after the event detailing some of your accomplishments.
Celebrate a milestone or an anniversary. Just sold your 10,000th car? Reached a 10th, 25th or 50th anniversary? Let journalists know. It’s a great time to get free publicity.
Write a helpful how-to article. If you own an auto repair shop, offer tips on basic maintenance or trouble shooting. If you run a pastry shop, offer some tips on how to get a flakier pie crust.
Tie in to the news. There are many possibilities. Let’s say a celebrity couple announces that they’re getting a divorce. If you’re a psychologist or a marriage counselor, you could offer pointers on how to have a better marriage. If you’re a divorce attorney or a CPA, you might issue a press release on the financial consequences of divorce.
Create your own survey. If you sell computers, you can get some free publicity if you do a survey about the most common customer complaints and announce your findings to the press. If you operate a health spa, you could do a survey to determine whether jogging or walking is more popular. Fortune 500 Humor Consultant Malcolm Kushner is author of “Public Speaking for Dummies” and “Presentations for Dummies.” He has garnered national publicity for his annual “Cost of Humor Index.” Each year he assesses the cost of such humor-related items as rubber chickens and whoopee cushions, then he issues a press release to announce his findings. He’s been a guest on several top TV talk shows and other national venues.
Want more Free Publicity Tips? Read You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity. See the 1st Chapter
Be interviewed on 150 Radio Talk Shows
Follow me on Twitter
Be Friends on Facebook
Learn about my Publicity and Writing Services
Join the Power Publicity group on Facebook
How to Get Almost Free Publicity
I usually write about getting Free Publicity here but I want to diverge a little with this post to talk about advertising.
A good marketing plan should include a combination of free publicity and advertising, especially when you can dramatically cut the cost.
Many people are not aware that advertising costs are not set in stone, even if you read them on a rate sheet. They are almost always negotiable, especially in tough times when ad buys drop. So don’t just accept the quoted price. Haggle a little.
Another great way to cut advertising costs is to join with other advertisers to get group purchasing power. This approach works well with print media.
For example, let’s say a quarter page in the local paper costs $300, but a full page sells for $800. If you buy a full page with three other local businesses, each of you can get a quarter page for
$200, which is a substantial discount.
The key to making the approach work is to give yourselves an informal group identity and put a banner on the top of the page to that effect.
Tough times call for creativity and a determination to succeed. With a little imagination, you can not only survive, but thrive.
Want more Free Publicity Tips? Read You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity. See the 1st Chapter
Be interviewed on 150 Radio Talk Shows
Follow me on Twitter
Be Friends on Facebook
Learn about my Publicity and Writing Services
Join the Power Publicity group on Facebook
Ping Your Blog for More Bling
If you write a blog to promote your business, to make money directly through affiliate programs and AdSense, or just want to share your thoughts and feelings, you probably want more traffic.
One way get free publicity for your latest blog post and to bring more traffic is to “ping” it. A ping is essentially, in this context, sending some information to blog directories and search engines to indicate that a blog or website has been updated.
Ping sites such as Pingoat and Pingomatic a couple of the more popular free ping services that will automatically contact the blog directories and search engines for you. All you do is type in the name of your blog, the URL and if you want, the RSS feed. Then check the sites you want pinged. The ping sites will do the rest for you.
There are many more that you can use. Because few, if any, ping services contact all the directories, some SEO and blog experts suggest that you ping dozens of ping sites on the theory that your blog will be posted to perhaps hundreds of directories.
This works well in theory. But the problem is that there will be a lot of overlap, which can lead to pinging some directories and search engines more than once. They don’t like that and will penalize your site in the overall rankings.
There is software, in most cases free, that will sort it out for you so you get the maximum exposure without any penalties.
If you have a WordPress blog, it usually contacts Pingomatic automatically. You can add more ping sites by going to Settings and then Writing. You should see a box with the Pingomatic URL already listed.
If you want, you can add more ping sites in that box. There are some WordPress plug-ins you can download from their site that will help prevent double pinging and safely help you to get free publicity.
Want more Free Publicity Tips? Read You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity. See the 1st Chapter
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Trade Up to Free Publicity
Watch the Video Review of my book by media expert TJ Walker
A great and somewhat easy way to Get Free Publicity is to pitch a story about yourself or your business to trade publications.
A trade publication publishes stories for and about people in a certain industry or profession. Just about every type of business has one, and these pubs and/or websites are open to doing stories about people in that line of work. Usually, but not always, they are published by an association that advocates for that industry.
Some of the topics they cover are profiles, award recipients, how-to’s, case studies, new product releases and industry trends.
Because these pubs exist to support people in your profession or line-of-work, they are easier to break into than many other media outlets. But you still need to create a great hook to pitch to them. Once you do, they may seriously consider doing a story on you.
Now, you may wonder how a story about you in a trade publication will help you get new business. It probably won’t directly. But it can add to your credibility with current and prospective customers when you show them the story about you. And it can add to your credibility when approaching other media outlets for publicity.
So take some time to study the trade pubs in your industry, then brainstorm about possible story pitches to them and move one step closer to Free Publicity and success.
Want more Free Publicity Tips? Read You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity. See the 1st Chapter
Follow me on Twitter
Be Friends on Facebook
Learn about my Publicity and Writing Services
Join the Power Publicity group on Facebook
