Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Believe it or not,  it`s possible to get free publicity for your home business? And it`s not nearly as hard as you might think.

How? Just write a press and send it to your  local media. If they think your home business is newsworthy and interesting enough, they`ll come out and interview you, and voila...just like that--free publicity!

Last November, I wrote a press release for my sister, who owns her own virtual assistant business called Instant Assistant. Here`s the press release I wrote:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?ar ticleID=15947

Anyway, nothing happened the first time I sent out the release. So a few weeks ago, I redistributed her release and voila...her business was written up in the Albany Times Union, as well as the Spotlight News:

http://www.spotlightnews.com/spotlightnews/article.php?artic le_id=tR1186597948t46ba0c3cecd29

Have any of you had success with press releases? Care to share your story?

Dale King

 

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I think this information is misleading ... your top link, first of all, is not a press release. It`s an article, posted on an article posting site.

This is how to write a correctly formatted press release.

The issue of writing press releases is much more complicated than that as well. Sometimes you get what you pay for when the item is free - and you would be better off putting a small bit of money beind your press release to get greater coverage and ROI. It`s not just as simple as submitting a press release and watching the traffic flow in!

I`m curious. What type of companies write press-releases? If I was to look in the yellow pages for companies that do press releases what categories would I look under even?

We write some press releases. If you were looking for a company that strictly does press releases and contacts, you`d look for a PR Rep. They usually use words like "PR Solutions" or "Publicity Representative". One example is Three Girls Media, who we have worked with in the past.

Hi,

You`re probably looking for someone like me, a sole-prop with a boutique PR firm focusing on small businesses and startups.

I can tell you, though, that it`s true....generating interest in your business from media is about the story behind it or the concept of your business.  In smaller communities it can be much easier.  In large cities, harder because you`re competing with major mulit-national corporations. 

I am more than happy to help you with writing a press release and putting together a plan on how you can distribute it on your own to save some money.

Jennifer

I think the biggest neccessity after a good press release is having the right media relationships.  I have magazine editors and newspaper reporters that I correspond with on a regular basis on my industry.  I will often send them a  note telling them thanks for a particularly good article. 

That way, when I send my press releases to them, they "know" me.  It`s not just another PR that falls into their box.  I don`t ALWAYS get a reaction, but I seem to get a reaction more often from those I have some sort of relationship with over those that I just send my PR to blindly and who don`t know me. 

~Kim

That`s a great point, Kim!

Dale King

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If you`re tired of all the money-making
hype, lies and scams...read this!
Click here for more details!