If you have a low budget or no budget your advertising campaign can still be done for free, and a small business owner can get free ads with large publishers. Magazines and other print publications have an ad to content ratio to maintain for legal reasons, and sometimes an issue has a blank space just waiting for an interesting press release (content) to match the size of an ad that they want to squeeze in for maximum revenue. I once developed a free ad campaign for a manufacturing company on a product line that hadn't changed in 30 years. How do you say something new about a dinosaur? Forget features and focus on the benefits. Research and create a directory of publishers in your industry, and then contact them for the proper editor responsible for reviewing press releases for your line. Their web site may have what you need, otherwise these editors will tell you what they want, the format, and requirements for accompanying photos. Make a database from your list, and then get ready to send them a press release every month (forever). Develop a dozen press releases about the benefits of 12 different products with professional quality photos. Divide your database of publishers into 12 groups, and then rotate press releases so all 12 go out to someone every month, and track your system carefully so each editor gets a different release each month for a year. You can start all over a year later with the same press releases or develop new ones if you are introducing new products. What happens next? Eventually you will be published. Most send you bingo cards to report interested readers, and then it's time for followup. My system generated 100+ leads a month, so be prepared with a good followup system and don't let the bingo cards get stale. For most small business owners a single employee can handle the mailing and followup once the press releases, quality photos, and phone routine or form letters are ready. With discipline and patience, it will work! One final note, do not overlook smaller publications. Any printed media remotely associated with what you do is worth the small cost of a monthly press release. |
