6. ALWAYS keep your promises before an after sale and they will keep relationship. Break it once, yes, usually just once and you're history.

7. Don't brown nose. They smell it a mile away. They will either quickly turn you away or play you for entertainment and then toss you away. Once you get this label you can almost hang it up in their circle unless you fess up to your inappropriate behavior.

8. They don't have word "mistake" in their vocabulary. Everything to them is a "learning lesson" and is connected to a price tag. If you are even harboring some person beliefs of making mistakes, they will sense this as fear. And since fear has a special energy/vibration they have keen senses for it.

9. Their first response to your proposal will always be "how can they do it in house themselves." Expect to be able to demonstrate specialness and if you can particular show how it can be completed in-house, more brownie points you earn. The higher your expertise or specialities less chance they can "create it inhouse." This is because higher paying clients tend to gravitate to specialists.

10. The higher clientele, better their leveraging skills are. If they can figure out how to leverage it better and cheaper, you will lose. This isn't always true, most times if they have too much on their plate already and don't want to spend their focus time away AND they like you, you can get sale.

11. "No" is a test. Don't take anything for granted. Flexibility and diversity are important in riding out storm.

12. Find clients to whom your work is not only valuable, but essential to their goals.

13. Know your worth and stand by it.

14. Remove "underearner" mindset behind.

15. Make it easy for them to work with you. Remove any hoops or extra steps that take up their time.

16. Decide in advance what you're going todo if they don't accept your higher fee.

17. Presentation level needs to be on their level or perceived to be there.

18. Rely more on referrals for this market.

19. Be confident and know you can attract them. Feel and allow possibility without question -- 100%. Remove any doubt.

The laws of economics apply. Reporters, producers, and editors who are still in business have to do more work for less money.

While that's bad news for them, it's good news for you. It opens up some terrific opportunities to get exposure and free publicity.

Here's how:

If you're sending a press release, make sure

1. it has a great headline that offers a benefit to viewers, readers or listeners. It has to be about something they need to know, or would like to know. Focus on THEM, not you.

2. its 'news value' is apparent at a glance. A reporter, producer or editor wants to be able to figure out in seconds what release is about, and why it would be of interest to their audience.

There's never a guarantee that you'll be able to get free publicity you want from media. By if you do things I've mentioned above, you'll certainly increase your chances.

Remember this advice from Joan Stewart, a former newspaper editor. Joan says five most important words you can say to any reporter are 'How can I help you?'

That's always been true.

But in this day and age of shrinking budgets and expanding job descriptions, it's truer than ever.

George McKenzie is a best selling author, speaker, and former news anchor.

George has been a radio and TV reporter for more than 30 years. His work has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and ESPN. He's a three-time-winner of the "Best Sportscast In Texas" Award from the Texas Association of