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Getting Publicity Like the Pros
By Anne Marie Baugh
Publicity is the ability to romance the media. To create the kind of attention that turns you or your business into an article. Of course there is good and bad publicity. If you do enough stupid stunts you'll definitely make headlines, but this won't create the kind of results you're hoping to achieve. So, how do you get noticed by all those print mediums?
Many people are under the erroneous impression that a lot of education helps, but there are plenty of examples that don't support this. Anthony Robbins is one of the most sought after motivational speakers, yet he doesn't have a college education. Publicity is more about soft marketing, timing and formalities. It is about turning the ordinary into the extraordinary; finding the story.
Most people make a mistake on one side of the spectrum. They either perceive that what they are doing is interesting to everybody, and thus newsworthy, or they believe that what they are doing couldn't possibly be newsworthy to anyone. Both are wrong. Nothing that we do is interesting to everyone. We must target the right publications to attain the correct results. On the other hand, whatever it is that you're doing is interesting to someone.
Many publicity agents will have you believe that you cannot correctly handle your own publicity, but this isn't true. Don't let anyone make you believe otherwise. This is where the education comes in. Learning the correct principles means you are probably the best person for the job, simply because no one will have the same passion for your business as you do. Passion or enthusiasm is the motivating force behind every successful story. This is a principle without exception. Don't give your power away, educate yourself instead.
How do you begin?
Hypothetically, pick up your business in your hands and turn it around and around examining it from all angles. What is unusual about it? What about it can you use to educate others? What is inspiring? Remember that an article must be educational or inspirational. The most common mistake beginners make is writing a long ad instead of educational article. Write an article, not an ad. For instance, I had a client that sold pottery from South America. There's nothing very interesting about that. However, upon learning that the pottery came from a section of South America that had been hit by a hurricane, and that the gentleman selling the pottery had trekked into the ruins from the United States to help his native people rebuild their community -- then we had an inspiring story with which to build an article.
A successful story builds on education, which gives people more power or evokes emotions that inspire. It's as simple as that, and believe it or not, there is something in every business that will make a great article. Once you have several articles in hand, make sure it follows the correct publishing format. Check out books on formatting and follow the instructions. This isn't the time to be unique. Publishing is an old fashioned medium that isn't terribly interested in a new look. New looks tend to scream amateur. If you have to hire a professional writer to rewrite or edit your work, do it. It will be worth the investment and the writer can help you learn the ropes. Once you have accomplished this, it's time to target your market.
Start Small
Submission is the last step in which you have control. Instead of hitting the big mainstream publications, target smaller publications within your trade. For every business there are trade publications, more than likely there are hundreds of them. Print newsletters or online e-zines are also a good bet, as long as the target audience is correct for your article. How do you find the print publications? Go to your nearest university library and ask the reference librarian for a directory of trade publications or newsletters. There are several that will help you find publications in your industry. Be prepared for rejection. Any professional writer will tell you it comes with the business. Don't take it personally. Just keep submitting until you succeed. It will happen.
So why should you go to all this trouble for a little publicity? Because one well placed article will solidify your reputation, make you an expert, and bring you more business. It's really quite fun, once you get the hang of it.
About the author
Anne Marie Baugh is a noted online publicist to rising cyber-stars. She also owns and operates Write-Promotion, an online business that works hands on with businesses looking for promotional avenues to cyber-success.Article reprinted from internet.com's InternetDay.
March 28, 2001
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