For hard-core publicity insiders, though, there’s a rhythm to generating coverage, based upon natural ebb and flow of seasons. Such an approach can help you score publicity throughout year, and will help keep your eye on ball from January through December.

Essentially, a yearlong approach consists of two strategies:

* Timing your existing stories (new product introductions, oddball promotions, business page features, etc.) to fit needs of media during particular times of year.

* Crafting new stories to take advantage of events, holidays and seasonal activities.

Before we run through four seasons of publicity, a few words about lead time. In this age of immediacy (only a few seconds separate a Matt Drudge or a CNN from writing a story and putting it before millions), it’s easy to forget that, for many print publications and TV shows, it can be weeks -- and sometimes months -- before a completed story sees light of day.

The phrase lead time simply refers to amount of time needed for a journalist to complete a story for a particular issue of a magazine or episode of a TV news program. For example, a freelancer for an entertainment magazine may need to turn in a story on Christmas movies by September 15. That’s a lead time of three months, time needed for editor to review and change piece, issue to be typeset and printed and distributors to place issues on newsstands before December. Lead time can range from a day (for hard news pieces in newspapers) to a few days (newspaper features) to a few weeks (weekly magazines) to many months.

The longest leads are domain of "women’s books" like Good Housekeeping and Better Homes & Gardens. These publications often have a lead time of up to six months, which means they need information for their Christmas issues as early as May!

Here’s a tip to help you discover lead time of a particular publication you’re targeting: call advertising department of publication and request a media kit. Since advertisers need to know when their ads must be submitted, each issue’s lead time is clearly stated in media kit.

Factor lead time into your planning as you look over following sections. If you have a great story idea for Rolling Stone’s summer issues, you need to be on ball well before Memorial Day.

The Four Seasons of Publicity:

First Quarter: January - March

What Media’s Covering: Early in year, media is looking ahead. It’s a great time to pitch trend stories, marketplace predictions, previews of things to expect in year ahead, etc. If a new President is being inaugurated, you’ll see lots of "Will new administration be good for (textile/film/cattle ranching/Internet/...or any other) industry?" types of pieces. This is a good time to have something provocative, or even controversial, to say about your industry.

Using technology to gain and sustain an advantage to your business is crucial in today's highly competitive environment. The Internet is creating a powerful marketing medium, virtually leveling advertising playing field for any business wishing to get acquainted with its potential. Understanding power of web and tools available that cost-effectively leverage basics tenants of advertising -- frequency and reach -- is important to growth of your business. And should be an active part of any savvy marketing plan.

Creating a strong e-presence will expand your business, enhance your customer service level and beat out your sleepy, non Internet-savvy competitors. Having an effective website begins process, but Internet related tools emerge daily. Exposing these tools that give competitive options to vigilant business owner and senior executive is part of Global Marketing's mission.

One such emerging e-tool is called weblog or more commonly a "blog".

In a moment I'll explain marketing advantage and advertising power of ‘blog', but first let me explain what it is -- A blog is basically a "what's new page" or journal that is available on your website. Think of it as a place on your website for real-time exchange of ideas or information for customers, and prospects. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily using software, which allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in chronological order with most recent additions featured most prominently

Getting a blog up and running is a simple process. Should you wish to try one out to become more aquatinted with process go to Blogger owned by Google and in short order you will clearly understand mechanics and ease-of-use. Global Marketing suggests that you create your own blog as an integral part of your e-presence prominently displayed on your web site. Creating a blog particular to your business is easily accomplished through readily available software such as MovableType or Greymatter. Most of blogging software firms offer free blog templates, which can then be customized and designed to your specific business needs.

So why is a weblog important to your e-marketing activities, and how will it help expand business?

Search Engines love Blogs Driving traffic to your web site is key in creating sales opportunity and making your e-presence more than just a marketing expense. Attracting new traffic and motivating previous visitors to return is an on-going and sometimes daunting process. A weblog provides stimulus to drive traffic to your site, if done right.

Let me explain.

Currently, blogs tend to get great rankings in search engines. Why? Content and linking - key search engine criteria in crawling vast Internet for requested information. The more links your web site has and more frequently your content is updated causes search engine to capture your site, and normally at a higher ranking.