Get Free Publicity by Preventing These Mistakes
Posted by | Posted in Marketing and Advertising | Posted on 02-04-2010
Most business owners, entrepreneurs, authors, musical artists and others who want to get free publicity shoot themselves in the foot when dealing with the media and end up not getting the publicity they might otherwise have had. Here are some mistakes to avoid:
Not coordinating new and traditional media approaches. Many people mistakenly believe that publicity programs should be one or the other, or that traditional media is no longer effective. Both of them can be very effective ways to get free publicity.
Using social media to hard sell. You can use social media to sell, but your primary focus should be on creating relationships, which may then lead to business profits.
Poorly written press release. The press release must be written like a newspapers story, even if it is for broadcast media. It should be in the inverted pyramid style, which means, start with the most important point and proceed to the least important point. It should be written in the 3rd person–she,he, they–not you, I, us. It should be short, somewhere between 400 – 600 words.
A weak press release headline. This is the most important part of the release. It should quickly catch the journalist’s attention and convey the main point of the story.
Writing an ad instead of a press release. The press release should read like news, not a thinly disguised advertisement. Avoid all industry jargon and hype.
Talking too long. Journalists are very busy. When you call them on the phone, be polite but get to the main point fast.
Waiting too long. Many people try to pitch their stories without giving journalists enough lead time. If you have an event you want to get free publicity for, send the pitch at least two weeks ahead of time for newspapers and broadcast outlets. Most magazines have a lead time of several months to a year, so keep that in mind.
Being unavailable on deadline day. Reporters are always on deadline. Make sure that you are available when they on a deadline for the story they are doing about you. They will often have additional questions to ask you. If you are not around for them to talk with you, they might kill the story. So be available if you want to get free publicity.
Danek S. Kaus is a veteran journalist and publicist. He is the author of “You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity. Get Free Publicity Tips at his website and learn how You Can Be Interviewed on Radio Talk Shows
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