9 Cost-Effective Ways To Gain The Media's Attention

Regardless of the type of business you run, you need publicity. Publicity, however, isn’t cheap and it isn’t easy. Don't know the first thing about creating buzz, obtaining publicity, or catching the attention of the media, you say?

Don't worry! By following the nine tips below you could be well on your way to gaining free exposure, obtaining expert status, and making additional sales.

It all starts here:

1. Press Release: Write a press release and distribute it to media outlet’s that target your audience. A press release can be as simple as a one-page article to something more complex as a video.

1. Pitch Letter: Write a pitch letter and deliver it to the appropriate magazine or newsletter editor or radio and television producer. Pitch trends that tie your product or service together. Tie your product or service into recent news reports, hot topics, or holidays.

1. Upload A Video: Design a short skit or live action product review and upload it to services like YouTube.com In your video include a way for viewers to contact the company to order a product or service or journalists to cover your story.

1. Review Copies: Send copies of your product to publications, television shows, or radio stations that would most likely give you free coverage in the form of a review, interview, or both. And don’t be afraid to pitch an upcoming show you believe the product would be fit. In other words, give the media outlet an angle it can use.

1. Publicity Pages: Put a publicity page on your website, include old and new press releases, link to past interviews and articles your service or product has been featured in, and include publicity information for future coverage. Include topics you’d be willing to be interviewed on, a few publicity images, and a set of interview questions and answers that can easily be adapted in peices. And don’t forget to include your contact information.

1. Social Networking Groups: Join groups like LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com, and Twitter.com, then start mingling. Don’t' focus solely on your product or company, however, share tips and actually socialize with your followers.

1. Join PR Leads (http://prleads.com): PR Leads is a little pricey but it allows journalists to come to you whenever they have a topic that matches your company’s products and/or services.

1. Join Help A Reporter Out: HARO (http://www.helpareporter.com/) is a free organization where you can effortlessly pitch your product, service, or company to the right journalist. Sign up today, then only respond to queries that match your area of expertise as no off-topic pitches are allowed.

1. Join Reporter Connection: RC (http://reporterconnection.com/) is a free organization that runs pretty much the same way as HARO.