How To Get $1,000 Worth of Advertising for $60 Sixty dollars doesn't go a long way in buying advertising space. But if you spend it creatively, you can get over ten times that value in newspaper or magazine lineage. And it's easy if you know how. Here's how.
You're familiar with press releases, right? A press release is a single page of information about your product or service that is sent to a magazine or a newspaper. If selected to be published, it's printed as a short story and appears as if
magazine or newspaper wrote it. There is no charge for having your press release published by a magazine or newspaper.
So stick around - find out how you can have your press release published (and your chances are pretty good) even if you can't write worth a hockey puck.
There are certain criteria for having your press release published, no matter who writes it. First, it can't sound like an ad for your product or service. Nope, no adjectives. If it sounds like an ad, it'll be tossed out. While most editors will make minor corrections so a press release will fit their editorial style, few to none will rewrite your release just to get it in. Editors get their choice of press releases every day, and ones that catch their eye for publishing are ones closest to their exact needs - requiring least amount of editing and rewriting. Most editors know a good thing when they see it.
Second, your press release must conform to standard layout style of press releases. This tells editor that you know what you're doing in media relations and shows your everyday business practices follow suit. So when your release is published, editors will be comfortable with knowledge their readers will get good literature and - if they order - a good product. They can assume their readers will deal with a professional company on a professional level. If your press release lands on their desk with lots of typos and misspellings, it'll land in trash next.
Correct layout style means a big header stating "Press Release" at top, followed by a contact name and phone number so editors can call for more information. Next it needs a kill date after which press release shouldn't run. If there is no kill date, state "No kill date" so it doesn't look like you forgot it. Also, don't forget to include a 5" x 7" black-and-white photo for increased interest, better readership, and more credibility.
The headline of your release is centered and in bold. Write your headline with care; it's this line that will make or break your release. If it's a great headline, people will read it and rest of release. If it's a poor headline, people will read it - and other articles in magazine. It's your choice. My recommendation? The Jeff Dobkin 100 to 1 rule: Write 100 headlines, then go back and pick your very best one.
