The most overlooked method to get free Publicity

In most cases, you can use the normal media channels to getthe publicity you need  for your product or service. And,although you don't need to come up with schemes to getattention, they do work.

Sometimes promotion departments of manufacturers' stagemarathon events or contests with their products -especially with toys and games. Apparel companies maysponsor athletic races; manufacturers of motorcyclessponsor races.

Although promotion schemes do cost money to stage, theefforts usually pay off in a long run with the number ofcustomers sold on the product.

For local coverage, charity drives and dinners are goodways to get in the paper. Some enterprises strive for amore national coverage with special prizes connected tosports events.

If you are clever enough, and there's no big news breakthat day, you may get your scheme on television. Even localfootage reaches thousands and thousands of people.

What gimmicks can you think of that will pay off for theirinvestment? How is your product or service used that it cancommercially be exploited by the news? Can you keep goingwith it-making it an annual event, drawing customers fromnear and far?

What if you don't want to do the publicity yourself? Ifyour product or service is a natural for free publicity,you can hire a company or a person to do your publicrelations work.

There are many freelancers in the large cities who have anumber of clients that they  publicize. They've alreadybroken the ice with the editors and the media, so they canget their releases printed.

If you want to hire someone for a special project, get aperson who has the contacts and who specializes in yourproduct line. If you're a celebrity, use someone who has areputation in the entertainment industry. If you are amanufacturer with new appliances, likewise consider aperson with expertise in that field.

Check out the person or firm. Talk to other clients andfind out what has been done for them. Have they increasedtheir sales or public exposure?

Investigate the reputation with people in the media youwant to publicize in, and be sure there is a clean slatewith the local business associations.

Then work efficiently with the person who will handle yourpublicity. Communicate effectively and be sure your ideasare understood. Listen well and absorb any ideas thrownyour way. Between the two of you, you can come up with anexcellent publicity campaign that will make your businessboom.

The wonderful thing about free publicity is that you havenothing 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 additionalsales and orders.

Whether you have an international personality to publicizeor a community barbecue, you can get that information tothe public at little expense.

What is unique about your service or product? Is it thebest? The most used? The longest lasting? Do customersreturn year after year? Consider all the angles, thenconsider again.

Be sure to make solid contacts and be thorough with yourfollow-ups. Being polite and efficient will always createeffective business relations. Then exploit your ownpublicity. Use it again and again; post it in the store orrewrite it for more national distribution. Go as far as youcan with your ideas.

And, it doesn't cost you. That is the true joy - with alittle effort and persistence, you can reap great profitsfrom free publicity.