Press Releases

Press releases, if you make them newsworthy, can lead not only to great free publicity but to valuable reprints you can use in your ad efforts.

For example, a simple story (and perhaps product samples) about the company's background, founders, and products can be written and sent to editors of local newspapers, magazines, TV, and radio stations. If the subject is of sufficient interest to editors, they may call to interview and run a free editorial story reaching thousands or millions of people.

The best places for a small business to get free publicity are in the niche media area — school papers, shoppers, local cable channels, and local radio stations.

Research on names and addresses may be only as far away as the local telephone book Yellow Pages. Or, a list of industry publications and electronic media can be compiled from secondary data research or industry associations and experts. Local, regional, and national news services may also be valuable.