how to get free publicity
DESCRIPTION
Use this presentation to learn how to get your small business in the news.TRANSCRIPT
Free! Small Business Seminar Tonight
How to Get Free Publicity
www.BizLaunch.ca
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What is Publicity?• It’s getting your business name mentioned in
magazines, newspapers, radio, newsletters, blogs,
websites and TV
• It’s about building interest in your business
• It’s about creating a buzz about your business
• It’s about ensuring that people recognize your name
• It’s great because it is free or nearly free
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Why Is Free Publicity Great • It’s much cheaper than paid advertising
• It helps you build your brand
• It increases your visibility
• It builds your credibility, because someone else is talking about you
• You can reach a larger audience than you can reach with other
marketing tools
• It can increase the number of visitors to your website
• It’s good for company morale
• It’s good for your customers to see you in the media
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Free Publicity Opportunities• Know your target market
• Identify the media your customers read, listen to or watch
• Identify media you would like to get into
– It’s often a good idea to get into your local media for
starters
– Local media love publishing local stories about small
business success stories
• Identify which journalists write about your industry
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Free Publicity Opportunities
• Start developing a database of media contacts, phone
numbers & email
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Build a Database of Media Contacts• Make a list of relevant media. Which media are featuring
stories about your industry
• Listen, watch and read
• Check media websites
• Create a database of Media Contacts
• Print media: collect names of editors, reporters &
columnists
• TV and radio: collect numbers for news desks and program
directors
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Build a Database of Media Contacts
• Refresh your list every six months (media people move
around!)
• Internet: do searches on the internet about people that
write about your industry
• Blogs: Develop a list of Blogs that write about your industry
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What Stories Do The Media Like?
• The media want information that is interesting and
informative
• Do you have a story about being the 1st, newest, oldest,
biggest or smallest
• Have you introduced something new or improved? Tell the
journalist why it’s better and what problem it solves
• Is it the anniversary of a significant event? Has it been
5,10,20 years?
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What Stories Do The Media Like?
• Have you recently appointed a new senior manager?
• Have you won an award recently?
• Have you won a big contract?
• Do you have an opinion about something that is currently
being written in the media?
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You’ve got plenty of things to say!• Have you done some interesting research that will interest
readers
• Spot a trend in your industry and write about it
• Does your business ride a trend? (Like people ordering from
home)
• Have you recently donated to a special cause in the city?
• Are you a “rags to riches” story?
• Do you have any unique business practices or marketing
methods?
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Become an Expert in Your FieldThe media loves interviewing experts. Become an expert by:
• Speaking at conferences or giving seminars
• Getting an article or column published
• Starting your own advice blog or website
• Publishing your own book
• Publishing a newsletter
• Media love statistics
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Become an Expert in Your Field
• Media love articles that are ‘list’ formats, such as:
• 10 things you should know before buying a car”
• 5 things your banker doesn’t want you to know
• 6 ways to reduce stress for business owners
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Writing Successful Media Releases
• Target your market. Who do you want to read your media
release?
• Chose your media to approach:
– Daily or weekly newspapers
– Magazines and trade magazines
– Newsletters
– Local radio and TV
– Websites
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Writing Successful Press Releases
• Start off by planning what you are going to say. If possible
get an expert to help you out and coach you
• Writing the press release
• Make the journalists job easy by writing a great story
• Start-off with a great headline
• Your headline needs to grab the readers attention
• Read the newspaper or magazines to get ideas for great
headlines
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Writing Successful Press Releases• Explain what the press release is all about in the first
paragraph
• In the body of the press release go into more detail without
rambling on
• Use quotes and statistics if possible
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A Case Study – PR at work
• Developed short survey on marketing spending of entrepreneurs for 2010.
• Results lead to interesting statistic from 200 participants.
• Wrote newsworthy release around survey results
• Contacted small business editors to pitch the story idea
• Provided quotes and interview opportunities
• Offered assistance with story development
• THE RESULTS?...
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SUCCESS
National publication featuring Bizlaunch in following
publications, along with others:
Writing a great Media Release• Type the words Media Release across the top of the page
• Include the date. If you want the press release to be used
right away, type “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” in bold caps
• Use quotes and statistics
• Create a catch headline no more than six words
• Use double spacing
• Write it like an article that has already ran
• Check your spelling
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Writing a great Media Release
• Stick to the facts
• One page is best, no more than 2 pages
• Include your contact information at the bottom
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Media Release Mistakes• Don’t write long media releases
• Don’t write boring media releases without any news value
• Don’t forget to double-space the text
• Don’t send media releases to inappropriate publications
• Don’t send your release out too late for inclusion into the
media
• Don’t expect media to call you…follow up on each media
release distributed to see if the journalist is interested
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Send Your Media Release• Typically, you will send your release via fax or email
• Other resources include:
• www.canadaone.com/promote/newsrelease1.html
• Canada NewsWire – www.newswire.ca
• Automated Press Releases www.automatedpr.com
• http://www.send2press.com/ write and submit your press releases
• Contact a local Public Relations expert that can handle the whole
thing for you
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The Media Likes Your Story
• If the media likes your story they will call you to arrange an
interview
• First, try to relax… reporters are well trained to ask the right
questions to develop a great story
• Schedule an interview for a time when you can talk
undistracted
• Ask the reporter what angle they want
• Do they want your comments on a recent news item, or is it
a story about your biz?
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The Media Likes Your Story
• Are they writing an article of interest to a specific target
market?
• The reporter will use your media release to ask more in depth
questions
• Remember …you’re the expert so make suggestions
– “I’ve got customers you can speak with”
– “Would your readers like to know this year’s Top 10 Most
Popular Pet Toys?”
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When Speaking to A Reporter
• Think before you speak
• Immediately correct inaccurate statements
• Give your comments some context
– (“For example…”)
• Get to the point, no rambling
• Avoid selling your business
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Radio and TV
• If you are called in to be an expert on a TV show or you are
being interviewed on TV…
• Relax and smile
• Dress smart. Ask the show producer advice on what to wear
• Talk slowly and don’t ramble on. Get your point across quickly
• Repeat questions you are asked as it gives you time to think
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Radio and TV• Don’t look at the camera
• If you are to be interviewed by Radio:
• Talk slowly
• Be clear
• Get to the point
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Internet• The internet can be a great place to get free publicity
• You can start your own Blog. Journalists often refer to Blogs
and websites when writing articles
• Submit articles to:
– www.Digg.com
– http://del.icio.us/
– http://reddit.com/
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How to spin your publicity • Thank the reporter or editor
• Ask when your story will be published or repeated on TV
• If you’re on TV or Radio ask somebody to record the event
• If you know you are going to appear on TV tell your clients to
watch out for you
• If you appear in newspapers keep copies of the article
• Send links to your published story to clients by email
• Don’t forget to tell your mom…she will be proud of you
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Learn From Your Mistakes
• For print media:
• Which parts of the interview did they publish
• Did they change your headline
• Did you give them too much information or too little
• If you appeared on TV or Radio
• What did you do right?
• What can you improve
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Learn From Your Mistakes• The more often you appear in the media the better you get
at it
• If you start to appear regularly on TV and Radio, buy some
media training
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Don’ts When Being Interviewed
• Don’t give ‘off the record’ comments
• Don’t make comments you may regret later
• Don’t bad mouth your competitors
• Don’t forget that a reporter may be pursuing their less
positive story line
• Don’t lose your temper
• Don’t look at the camera
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Use the Publicity to Grow Your Brand
• Send copies of your article to prospects, clients
• Use “as seen on Global TV” on your marketing materials
• Refer to yourself as ‘published’ or ‘popular media contact’
• Add copies of your coverage to your website
• Send an email to your database “what a thrill to be
interviewed by CNN…”
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7 Media Tips1. Become an expert. The media wants to interview experts
– Small Business Expert Jane Smith
– Divorce Specialist Mary Heartbreaker
2. Send a media release regularly, don’t give up
– Keep coming up with fresh material
3. Use only one idea per story or interview
4. Plug only one way to reach you. “Visit us at
www.bizlaunch.ca”
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7 Media Tips
5. Appoint a Media Spokesperson in your business
6. Never ask to proof read an article
7. Never lie to media…they love to dig up dirt! Watch what
you say
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Make friends with the media
• Ask media people “How can I help You?”
• Tell them you can provide them resources they need
• Offer to provide them with some contacts they may need
• Offer to supply them material you have written
• Always meet their deadlines
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Other Publicity Opportunities
• Offer to speak at your local Chamber of Commerce.
• Sponsor a community project or support a non-profit
organization
• Have a grand opening for your business & invite VIPs
• Come up with some outrageous ideas that will attract the
media (see Sir Richard Branson!)
• If you’re a good writer, offer to write regular columns for
magazines and newspapers. You can even get paid to write
them.
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Never Give UpPublicity can be the difference
between your success and failure in business
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To register for the next seminar in your area visit: www.bizlaunch.ca
Thank You!