Using the Power of the Press to Promote Your Business – Without Advertising!

The press need you! It's true! They really do want your stories and articles. It saves them time writing their own!

How you can work with the press to promote your business

• Articles




• News




• Give-aways

Articles

Whatever your business, whether it's an insurance company, a fashion outlet, a firm of accountants, a fishmonger or a hairdresser, there is something you know that other people want to know. You are an expert in your field - be proud!

In every town in every county there are dozens of magazines, newspapers and newsletters being published every week or month. And they need you to help them fill their pages. How about a monthly hair care advice column from the local salon owner? Or a financial advice feature from the accountants firm? Or even a 'fish dish of the week' feature from the fishmonger? The world is your oyster (or bass or lobster!).

You've probably already seen these features in your local press. But you probably wondered how they got there. Well it's easy - ask! If you're ready prepared with a small library of articles that are well-written, aimed at the right audience, and about the right length, then chances are you will be accepted.

This type of business promotion is one of the most effective there is. You are not paying for advertising space, and you are seen as a trusted and respected community business, able to give advice.

How to do it: Choose your target publications and study the style and length of the articles published in them. Find out if they accept articles from non-staff contributors and if so, how to submit them. Write your articles to match the style and length and appeal to the readership of the publication. Write in a factual style and don’t under any circumstances include any - not a stitch - of advertising jargon. If you do, the publication will just get their advertising sales team to give you a call! Include your contact details and a two line description of who you are and what you do at the end of your article.

Then send it in!

News

This is where we need to talk about 'press releases'. Something important is happening in your business and you want to tell the press about it. You want them to run you a story and maybe even send a photographer down.

Well, the news is, they are only going to do this if you have something really newsworthy to report. You may think that appointing a new sales manager or opening a new office is news. It may be to you and your customers, but the local press won’t see it like that. How do you make it catch their attention?

How to do it: Make it special. Do something for the local community to tie in with your news. Get your new sales manager to take part in a local fundraising event then report on how much they raised for charity. Get a local figure of high standing in the community to do the ribbon cutting for the opening of your new office and pledge a donation to their nominated charity to thank them for their time, or run a raffle on opening day with a top prize donated by a local business, with all moneys taken donated to a local cause.

Now you have to write your press release. It has a lot of work to do. It has to:

• Be concise and effectively get your message across in the first two lines;




• Convince the news editor it's a story worth running;




• Be well written and topped and tailed with a proper title and clear contact details.

Now send it with a brief covering letter or e-mail with a striking headline, personally addressed to the news editor or reporter, then follow it up by phone a couple of days later.

Give-aways

If you give you usually expect to receive. And in the case of press give-aways, you will certainly receive sack loads of replies!

This is how it works: you offer to give away one of your products or services to an agreed number of readers. For the larger national titles, you usually have to give away a certain amount in retail value. But for the local press you can usually negotiate. In return the publication will run a feature on your product, include a photo and your contact details, and provide readers with an address to send their postcards to if they'd like to be in with a chance of winning. Sometimes the publication will offer to handle the responses for you or you may wish to have them all sent to you. Tip: you want all of the responses, not just the winners. These are very valuable to you!

How to do it: find out who deals with give-aways at your target publications. The larger titles will have people dedicated to doing just this and these are usually called reader offer co-ordinators or give-away editors. Smaller or local publications usually have a promotions or marketing manager. Make contact by outlining your offer and providing a well written press release of around 150-200 words on the giveaway item, as well as a photograph.

These are just three ways of promoting your business through the press without spending money on advertising. Showcasing your products and services through cleverly written articles, news items and give-away promotions are excellent, tried and tested marketing techniques. Give them a go and start raising your business profile!

Good luck!