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Get Free Media Publicity

  By Carol Wadell

Media publicity is terrific FREE advertising if you can get it. Nothing convinces prospects that you, your product, or service is worth their money like an unbiased media endorsement. Although media make their money by selling advertising, you can get free media publicity if you follow these editor needs and pet peeves.

Newspapers, ezines, magazines, tabloids, TV stations, and radio personalities are constantly on the look out for good stories and helpful information **their audience will appreciate**. Those last few words deserve emphasis. Editors aren't interested in giving you a free plug nearly as much as they want to give their audience something valuable. If your information is of interest to the audience, editors don't mind giving you a boost in the process.

There are several do's and don'ts that impress editors.

1. When contacting an editor or publisher, get right to the point with your phone call, email, or letter. Start with the part of your story that will interest them the most. Don't ramble on too long. Their time is valuable. Provide contact information so the editor can get back in touch at a later date. Offer to follow up with more information.

2. Don't call a newspaper editor or reporter after 3pm. That's crunch time at most daily newspapers when the staff is rushing to reach deadlines. It's best not to call a TV station just minutes before the newscast or while the cast in on the air.

3. Make sure your story is "newsworthy." Your message must be of interest to a large part of the audience. Editors hate it when somebody tries to disguise an ad or commercial as news or an article.

4. Make sure your written message has good grammar and correctly spelled words. TV programs are looking for something visual. Offer to supply tape showing your event or product. Ezines and tabloids are interested in helpful information you can share with readers.

5. Don't forget radio which needs a constant supply of interesting stories every day of the year. Call radio DJs when they're on the air or right after their air shift is over. Have something entertaining, funny, interesting, or controversial to say.

Carol Wadell, The WorkShop, provides Media Directories on CD-ROM. Your source for over 10,000 newspapers, 3,000 magazines & 2,000 e-zines. All Magazines and E-zines are categorized, making it easy to target your market. Database directories allowing you to sort and report the information in a way that works best for you. See her website at http://www.WorkShopInc.com
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