Learn how to get free publicity for your small business

1. 10 LOW COST NO
COST WAYS TO
GET PUBLICITY
FOR YOUR
SMALL
BUSINESS

2. Richard Branson
Donald Trump

3. Benefits of Publicity
• Increased sales
• Instant credibility
• Helps build interest in your business
• Helps ensure people recognize your name
• It’s great because it is free or nearly free
• Helps establish you and your business as an authority
• Helps build traffic to your website

5. The Media Needs You
• Position yourself as an expert
• Tie your business to current issues
• Write articles for trade publications
• Comment regularly by writing to the
media
• Participate at conferences
• Blog and write a book

6. What’s Your Story?
• You need an interesting story
– How did you start your
business?
– Why did you start your
business?
– What makes it special and
unique?
– What makes it interesting

7. AS PART OF YOUR
MARKETING PLAN DEVELOP A
PUBLICITY STRATEGY –
WRITE IT DOWN

8. News Angle
• Your news must:
– Be new, unusual, sensational
– Affect many people and be of
public interest
• It must make interesting reading,
viewing, and/or listening
• It must be innovative, creative,
beneficial, funny or extraordinary

9. 10 Ways to Get Free Publicity
1. Do a customer service survey and ask some controversial
questions
2. Create top 10 lists – Top 10 fashion trends for 2010
3. Develop an annual community award
4. Piggyback on a great story in the media
5. Write a story about some surprising facts about your industry
6. Write a rags to riches story about yourself
7. Sponsor a local community service project
8. Disprove a well known myth
9. Write a story about being the first
10. Do some interesting research and publish the findings

11. How to Write
a Press Release
• Write “For Immediate Release” or J EAN - P AU L, D E LORI A & DE LO R I A 12345 Main Street
Any City, Province V5H 4H9
Phone 123-456-7890
Fax 123-456-7890
appropriate date on the top of the page Press Release
Contact: John Stephens FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: 123-456-7890 9 AM EDT, September 23, 1998
• At the top of the release HOW TO CUSTOMIZE THIS PRESS RELEASE
TO OPTIMIZE THE GRAY SHADING for your printer, click on the text
area, and choose Borders and Shading from the Format menu. Select
– Include a contact name a new shade or pattern, and choose OK.
TO CUSTOMIZE THIS TEMPLATE:
Insert your company information in place of the sample text, and
change the header on page 2 (for multi-page stories).
– Phone & cell number
Choose File Save As. Choose Document Template in the Save File
as Type: box.
To create a new document, choose File New to re-open your
customized template as a document.
TO DELETE A TEXTBOX, click on the border (the handles should
– Email address
become highlighted), and press Delete.
-End-
– Website address

12. • Keep it to 1 page or less
• Write it like a journalist would write it
• Develop a great short headline
– 5 ways to avoid investment mistakes
– 4 skills every entrepreneur should have
– 10 things you should know before buying a home
– 6 things you should ask your contractor
– How to sell your home in 30 days guaranteed

13. How to Write a Press Release
• The 1st paragraph must
summarize the news story and
include the who, what, where,
when, and why
• Thereafter write 3 or 4
paragraphs to explain in more
detail
• Include quotes from an
"expert.“ This could be you

14. How to Write a Press
Release
• Include statistics from
a reliable source
• Add a picture
• Check spelling, dates,
and details carefully
• Keep it simple, write
short sentences and
avoid jargon

15. Target the Media
• Identify magazines,
newspapers, TV,
blogs your customers
read/watch
• Choose media you
would like to get into
– Start off with local
media
• Target journalists that
write about your
industry

17. Build a Database Contacts
• Check newspaper
websites for media
contacts
• Collect names of
editors, reporters, and
columnists
• TV and radio: collect
numbers for news
desks and program
directors
• Keep your list
updated

18. Lastdetail.ca

19. • You can send a
release via:
– Fax
– Email
– Mail
• Ask the journalist
what they would
prefer
19

21. Follow Up
• Use the telephone to follow up
• Ask if the release has been received and if
there is any interest in it
• Ask if they would like to clarify anything
• Ask if they require or would like to take
photographs
• Encourage the reporter to contact you if
they need anything

22. Follow Up Interview
• Be well prepared
• Have some statistics
• Use examples that people can relate to
• Set a time when you won’t be disturbed
• Keep your answers simple, easy to
understand, and to the point
• Relax and be yourself

23. Get featured on the Bizlaunch blog.
Email: heather@bizlaunch.com

24. The Interview
• Remember nothing is off the
record
• Don’t bad mouth your competitors
• Reporters are well trained to ask
the right questions
• Ask the reporter what angle they
want and if they’re writing an
article of interest to a specific
target market

25. Make Friends With the Media
• Develop relationships with
people
• Get back to reporters as soon
as possible
• Help them out when you can
• If they like you they’ll regularly
contact you

26. Radio Interviews
• Send them a list of questions
• Relax and speak slowly and
clearly
• Ensure you’re in a quiet place
• Repeat listeners questions if
live

27. Television
• Send them a list of
questions
• Relax and speak slowly
and clearly
• Don’t look at the camera
• Dress appropriately

28. Once you’ve got publicity
and you’re famous
• Put it on your website
• Include a link on your blog
• Share it with clients
• Put it in your resume

29. Join Our Community
Blog.Bizlaunch.com
facebook.com/bizlaunch
twitter.com/bizlaunch
Email: andrew@bizlaunch.com

30. To register for the next
webinar visit:
www.bizlaunch.com