THE INSIDE SECRETS OF FREE PUBLICITY 
FOR YOUR BUSINESS 


Product publicity is the "secret pathway" to business success 
everyone wants. In simple terms, product publicity is a kind of 
advertising that costs you nothing, yet brings in the orders for 
you. 

Regardless of what kind of business you are operating, you 
should want, and strive for, as much publicity for your business 
and your products or services, as possible. After all, it's "free 
advertising" that is essential to the growth of your business. 
However, your publicity efforts should be well thought out, and 
pre-planned for maximum results. 

The first, and basic form of obtaining publicity is through 
what is known as the press or news release. This is generally a 
one page story about your business, your product/service or an 
event happening related to your business that is about to, or has 
recently occurred. These publicity stories are generally 
"shotgunned" to all the various media: local newspapers, radio and 
TV, and trade publications. 

Problem number one is getting the people to whom you've sent 
these publicity stories, to use them, publish or broadcast them. 
And this leads us back to the "right way" of writing them and 
sending them in. 

In every case, send a short cover letter addressed to the 
person you want your material to be considered by... This means 
that you send your story to the city editor of the newspapers' the 
news directors of the radio & TV stations: and the managing 
editors of the various trade publications. It will do you no good 
whatsoever, to send your material to the advertising, circulation 
or business managers - describing how you're a longtime advertiser, 
subscriber or listener. The most important thing is that you make 
contact with the person who has the final say as to what is to be 
published or; broadcast, and at the bottom line - this person's use 
of - your material will somehow make him a "hero" to his or her 
readers, viewers or listeners. 

The cover letter should be a short note. Go to a paper 
supplier - tell them you want a hundred or so sheets of good bond 
paper - 8 1/2" by 11" preferably in a pastel color such as blue 
or ivory - and that you want this paper cut into quarters, giving 
you a grand total of 400 sheets of note paper "From the desk 
of..." note sheets are too elaborate until the people you're 
contacting get to know you - first time around, and until they use 
your material, don't use these semi-formal note sheets... 

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On this note sheet, begin with the date across the top - skip 
a couple of spaces and then quickly tell the recipient of the 
note, the attached material is new and should be of real interest 
to his readers, viewers or listeners. If, for example, you had a 
booklet called MONEY MAKING MAGIC - a publication for serious 
wealth builders and extra income seekers - you might send the 
following note to the editors and news directors of the media in 
your area: 

"Here's something that's new, and for a change, truly helpful, 
to people trying to cope with inflation - the soaring costs of 
living - and those engaged in building extra income businesses of 
their own. Should be of real value - interest - to your readers. 
Please take a look - any questions, or if you need more info, give 
me a call at: (555) 123-4567..." Then, of course, you skip about 
four spaces, type your name, your business name, and your address 
- sign your name above where you've typed it, and staple this note 
in the upper right hand corner of your news release. This note 
should be typed and double-spaced. 

So now, you've got a cover letter, and you know who to send it 
to... We type up one such note, and take it to a nearby quick- 
print shop. They xerox the note 4 times, paste these 4 copies 
onto one sheet of paper, print 50 to 100 copies, and cut the paper 
into individual notes, all for less than $10... Do not try to 
save money by photocopying or xeroxing - a photocopy is a 
photocopy is a photocopy, and will not do the job for you... 

Now you need the actual publicity release, which also must be 
"properly" written if you expect it to be used by the media. 
Above all else, there's a proper form or style to use, plus the 
fact that it must be typed, double-spaced, and short - about a 
half page in total length. 

About an inch from the top of the paper, with an inch and a 
half margin on each side of the paper; from the left hand margin, 
type in all capital letters: PRESS RELEASE: Then, underline 
these words. Immediately following the colon, but not in all 
capital letters, put in the date. Always set the date forward by 
at least one day after the day you intend to mail the release. 

On the same line, but on the right hand side of the page, and 
in all capital letters, write the words, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: 
Underline this, and immediately below, but not in all capital 
letters, type - your name - your phone number - and your 
address... 

Skip a couple of spaces, then in all capital letters - centered 
between the margins - type a story headline, and underline it... 
Skip a couple of spaces, and from the left hand margin, all in 
capital letters, type the words, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
From there on, it's the news or publicity story itself. 


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 You can write the headline before the, story, and then a story 
to fit the headline - or the story before the headline, and then a 
headline to fit the story - either way, it's basically the same as 
writing a space ad or a sales letter... You attract attention and 
interest with the headline and fill in the details with your 
story. 

Here's an example of the headlines that could be used on 
publicity blurbs for MONEY MAKING MAGIC: 

HELP IN MAKING ENDS MEET 
NEW PUBLICATION FOR EXTRA INCOME SEEKERS 

Notice how we continue to sell or involve the editor - His 
readers are always looking for better ways to make ends meet, and 
he's specifically interested as to what our promise involves... 
He wants his readers to "think well" of him for enlightening them 
with this source of help, so he reads into the story to find out 
who, what and how... 

Suffice it to say that your headline, and the story you 
present to the editor, must sell him on the benefits of your 
product or service to his readers. Unless it specifically does 
this, he'll not use it. You must sell the first person receiving 
your materials. Keep this fact uppermost in your mind as you 
write it. The person you send your press or publicity release to, 
must quickly see and understand how your product or service will 
benefit his readers - thereby making him a hero to them - and he 
must be assured it will do what you promise in your headline. 

Come right to the point and say your product is lower in 
price, more convenient to use or in what way your product or 
service is useful to the people in general. It's also a good 
idea to include a complimentary sample of your product or an 
opportunity for him to sample your services. 

Remember, the editors receiving your information are fully 
aware of your purposes - Free Advertising! They are not in the 
least interested in you or your credentials - If you've sold them 
on the benefits of your business to the readers, and they want 
background details, they'll call you. That's why you list your 
telephone number and address... 

These people are busy people. They don't have the time nor 
the interest in reading about your trials and tribulations or 
plans for the future. They want only "a flag" that alerts them to 
something new and of probable real interest to their readers. 

Sell the editor first. Convince him that you've found the 
better mousetrap. Show him that your product or service - that 
your business - fills a need and/or will interest a large segment 
of his readers, his viewers or listeners. 

When an editor uses your publicity release, always follow-up 

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with a short thank you note. Never, but never send a publicity 
release to an editor and then call or write demanding to know why 
he didn't use it, use it as you wrote it, or only gave you a quick 
mention. Do this once, and that particular media will "round- 
file" any further material received from you, unopened! If your 
first effort is not used, then you should review the story itself, 
perhaps write it from a different angle ; make sure you're sending 
it to the proper person - and try again! 

As stated earlier, these people are busy, with hundreds of 
publicity releases passing across their desks every day - They 
only have so much space or time - therefore, your material has to 
stand out and in some way, fit in with the information they - the 
editors- want to pass along to their readers, viewers or 
listeners. Regardless of your business, product, or service, you 
must build your press release - write it - around that particular 
angle or feature that makes it beneficial or interesting to the 
readers, viewers or listeners of the media you want to run your 
press release. Without this special ingredient, you're lost 
before you begin. 

The timing of your press release is always important. Try to 
associate your press release with current events in the news. A 
story on job layoffs and increased unemployment carried in the 
newspapers, on TV and radio would prompt us to get a publicity 
release out to all the media on the help and opportunity offered 
by MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Say there's a deluge of chain letters and 
pyramid schemes making the rounds - the media picks up on it and 
attempts to warn the people to beware... Within 5 days, we would 
get a publicity release out, explaining the availability of our 
report on chain letters and pyramid schemes - a report that 
explains everything from A to Z - who are the winners and who are 
the real losers. 

There's another kind of timing also to keep in mind... 
Publication Deadlines... For best results, always try to time it 
so your material reaches the editor in time for the Sunday paper. 
This is because that's when the papers have their greatest 
circulation; the most space is available, and the people, the most 
time to read the paper. 

For articles you'd like to appear in the Sunday paper, you'll 
generally have to get your releases in at least nine days prior to 
the date of publication. If you're in doubt, call and ask about 
the deadline date. 

IN SUMMARY: 

Choose the media most likely to carry your press release. 
Select those that carry similar write-ups on a regular basis. 

Always use a cover letter of some kind. It pays to call ahead 
to find out the name of the person you should be sending your 
press release to. 

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Use the proper press release form, complete with a headline 
that will interest the man deciding whether or not to use your 
item. 

Be sure your press release is letter perfect - no typo's nor 
misspelled words - and don't photo-copy - always have each letter 
or press release individually typed or printed. 

When your item is used, send a thank you note and/or call the 
editor on the phone and thank him for using your press release. 

Never, but never call or write an editor demanding to know why 
he didn't use your press release, why he had it rewritten or cut 
it short - just try, and try again! 
_________________________________________________________________ 
End of Report.