10
Ways to Get Publicity Now!
By Susan Young, President, AimFire Marketing
August 2006
Many
of you have expressed a need to gain publicity for your company,
but aren't sure where to start, or how to get the attention of
the media. Well, here are ten ideas for publicity which are sure
to get your brain churning...
1. Capitalize on a trend or event. Think Texas Hold 'Em
poker, Hurricane Katrina or airport security threats. If the
media is already talking about it, and you can somehow relate
your company or product/service to the subject, create a story
idea around it.
2. Hold a contest. The more unusual the better. Don't just
offer a prize giveaway. Relate it to your product or service.
For instance, a hair salon could offer a contest to find the
"Worst hairstyle in town" and ask that entrants
submit photos of their worst hairstyles. Offer the winner the
opportunity to receive a free hair makeover.
3. Host a seminar (online or offline). This works
particularly well for business media, who are always looking for
interesting business events to promote for their monthly
calendars. Make sure you describe your event as educational, not
promotional.
4. Donate to a cause. If your company has donated a
significant amount of money to a nonprofit or is a major sponsor
of a charitable event (such as a walk/run or charity ball),
media will often mention your name as a sponsor.
5. Leverage client successes (case studies). This works
particularly well in trade publications. Talk about your
clients' problem and how your product/service provided a
solution to that problem. Many publications actively seek case
studies as regular feature stories.
6. Partner with a successful organization. This doesn't
always work, but if you have received the endorsement or have
partnered with a large or well-known organization, leverage that
relationship by announcing the partnership.
7. Offer a hard-to-beat promotion or sale. Going out of
business or relocating and need to get rid of inventory? Mention
the sale to the media and you may just get a plug. Try to
position the sale around another news story, such as the
company's relocation or expansion.
8. Do something unusual. Think Halloween stores that send
employees out in the street in costumes to promote the opening
of their seasonal stores. In a small town where something
unusual would help you to stand out, you'll be even more likely
to gain coverage.
9. Educate. Conduct a survey for your industry and offer the
results to a reporter. Write an educational article and offer
the publication permission to print the article. Many trade
publications thrive on contributed articles.
10. Announce a major milestone or innovation. Made it to
your 10th year or even better — 50th year in business? Host a
celebration or simply announce it to the media. Offer to have
them interview your very first client or one that has been with
you that long. Or if you have sold your one millionth tennis
shoe or some other significant milestone, that in itself can be
newsworthy.
The sky is the limit when it comes to ideas for promoting your
business through publicity. All it takes is a little creativity
and soon you'll be standing out from the crowd.
Susan Young is
president of AimFire Marketing, an Indianapolis, Indiana marketing,
public relations and website development firm that works with
growing companies to implement effective marketing
communications programs. You
can contact Susan and learn more about Aim Fire Marketing by
visiting www.aimfiremarketing.com.
Copyright
- Aim Fire Marketing. You can reprint this article on your
website or newsletter by including this and the above paragraph.
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