How to Generate Free Publicity For Your Business

Story contributed by BNCC member Oryana Angel, Publicity for Profit

If you’re a business owner looking to get more promotion, there are some easy and effective strategies you can employ to generate free media coverage – on TV, radio, online and in newspapers and magazines.

Match your target audience to the media outlet’s target audience

Make a list of the newspapers, magazines, TV shows, radio programs, digital news services and blogs your customers read, watch or listen to. If you’re not sure, ask them. Familiarise yourself with these outlets and determine which segments would be interested in a story about your product. 

For example, if you’re selling a health product find out if your local paper has a regular health section then send your information to the journalist who writes those stories. 

Find a newsworthy angle that is of real interest to the audience.

In general, audiences of mainstream media are most commonly interested in the subjects that help solve a problem in some way. 

For example, if your city is in the grip of winter storms or a summer heat wave, then consumers will naturally be interested in stories that help them deal with these problems.  

If you can tie in with a story that’s already caught the attention of consumers and the media, you have a greater chance of a journalist running with your idea.

Prepare a great press release 

This is a one-page document which demonstrates you have a good story for a journalist. The key to a great press release is to be concise and conversational. Use a headline (like a newspaper does) and short sentences so your press release can easily be skim-read. 

Very few small business owners reach out to the media – but there are many journalists in need of good stories and who would love to hear from you. The key to getting publicity is to take regular and consistent action.

About Oryana Angel

Oryana Angel is a journalist who has spent the last 15 years working across print, magazines and TV in Australia and overseas. She has also worked as a news producer and journalist for The Daily Telegraph, a key contributor for Body & Soul distributed in News Limited’s Sunday newspapers, journalist on the Jerusalem Post, feature writer for Australian Geographic, sub-editor for Qantas The Australian Way, associate producer on Beyond Tomorrow and continues to write for many popular blogs and online news outlets.

She loves nothing more than to motivate and empower others to take their business to the next level by using the power of free publicity. To find out more about an upcoming seminar near you visit www.publicityforprofit.com.au and also download a complimentary copy of the report, The 5 Biggest Secrets to Getting Free Publicity in the Media.