As I’ve mentioned before, submitting the right press release to the right source can lead to sudden success. For example, one of my Shop Kit Plus clients submitted a press release to a local TV station. The next thing she knew, a reporter was on her doorstep wanting to do a story.

Since then, her products have appeared on CBS’ The Early Show and HGTV, both national TV networks. Wow! Talk about getting your name out there.

Some people might say she was lucky — but we know better. She did her homework, which included sending out press releases. I know my client’s case, she had someone else write a press release. Which is fine — except for new business owners or those who are still paying off the cost of the initial inventory investment, paying $75 or more for a writer to write one good press release just isn’t realistic.

And writing a press release yourself isn’t such a hot idea either, even if you’re a writer, because press releases require a certain style. As a busy mom and jack-of-all-trades in your business, you don’t have time learn how to write press releases.

My friends, Alice Seba, Mila Sidman and Shannon Cherry understand this. So they put together several very inexpensive press release packs that you can download, customize and send out to your media list. Not only have they made it very easy to edit the press releases, they’ve included written instructions — and recommendations on where to submit the releases.

I just downloaded six packs tonight and they are awesome! Trust me — I used to be a reporter and editor. I had control over which releases went into the trash can. These press releases are attention getters.

So, if you want to save money while still taking advantage of your very own publicity campaign, head over to All Press Content.

Update: Alice just contacted me to let me know that she is offering a 40% discount for you! Just enter this coupon code when you order: A40CE

Thank you, Alice!

Popularity: 50% [?]

Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community. You may not realize it, but it is also an effective way to grow your business. There are many ways to increase your business through volunteering; the following are some tips on how to go about it.

When people think of volunteering, they tend to think of volunteering in person, picking up trash on the side of the road or serving food in a soup kitchen. There are many other forms of volunteering that can actually show off your business skills. If you are trying to break into a field that you don’t have a lot of experience in, volunteering can help you gain experience.

Many types of organizations depend on volunteers to help them with every day office functions, and many more require volunteer help for special events. Perhaps you can volunteer your marketing services for a local non-profit group’s charity auction. If you sell baby slings, you can volunteer your time with a non-profit mom organization teaching new mothers how to use baby carriers.

Volunteer work can be done via cyberspace, as well. You can organize a virtual expo, for instance. You can also do lots of sales and marketing work online. Don’t forget about writing articles for an organization or handling some other type of administrative work.

One of the best things about volunteer work is that it gets you in front of a lot of people who may not have met you otherwise. A fellow volunteer may be in need of the type of services you offer; once they meet you and see what kind of work you can do, they may decide to hire you. In fact, the organization that you are volunteering for may ask you to take on some paid work for them.

Many charity events and volunteer organization receive a lot of publicity. If you are volunteering some of your services, your name may be mentioned in the press. If someone looking for the type of services you offer reads about you in the paper or hears your name mentioned on the radio, that exposure may spur them into checking out your website.

Don’t be afraid to ask the organization you are helping for referrals of people who may be willing to hire you. The person you report to at the charity may have several friends in other companies that routinely need your services. You can also ask your fellow volunteers and other people you meet while volunteering.

You may also start to receive phone calls from people, letting you know that you were recommended to them. The organization you volunteered for may pass your name onto many other people.

Popularity: 20% [?]

More powerful and profitable than any advertising you can buy at any price.

Learn how to quickly attract radio, TV, newspaper, magazine and Internet publicity that creates more traffic, more prospects, more sales and more profits in less time at little or no cost…

Admit it. You thought it was going to be simple. Just get a list of newspaper contacts, write a few words about your product or service, click send then sit back and wait for all the reporters clamoring to interview you.

But it didn’t happen.

Why? Because you were told by some so-called guru that it was that easy.

But it can be easy, and I want to share with you a great new resource that will help you get the free publicity you want, without paying a fortune.

It’s called Penny Pinching Publicity and it’s from Shannon Cherry, someone I really trust who is truly a public relations professional. What I like about Shannon is that she tells it like it is (It must be something from her old reporter days as a TV news anchor)… and she gives practical publicity advice that you can easily do yourself.

This is not an audio program or manual that all too often leaves you with more questions than answers. Penny Pinching Publicity is limited to members-only, allowing you learn tactics and skills to get you and your business noticed by journalists in your own backyard - and across the country. Designed for anyone who wants to manage their publicity and reputation without paying the cost of a public relations firm, Penny Pinching Publicity is a one-stop shop.

Subscribe by going to Penny Pinching Publicity now!

By subscribing to the Penny Pinching Publicity, you’ll get:

• “Penny Pinching Publicity”, the monthly newsletter chock full of publicity articles, media contacts, resources and expert advice that will help you craft your own PR to get noticed by the media. Think of it as an extended version of her popular free eZine, Be Heard! With more PR & free publicity tips, more media contacts, and special features only seen in this publication.

This alone is worth the low subscription price, but there’s even more with your membership:

• A members-only online forum where there’s addition information on publicity topics. It’s also a place to ask questions and have me- and other members - help you.
• A special section in the forum where Shannon will post the “Hot Lead of the Week” - where you’ll be put in touch with a reporter who is looking for an expert like you for a story that he or she is working on. You’ll get their names and email addresses and their story angles so you can contact them directly. We’re talking big name publications and media outlets like The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Newsweek, as well as Parents and Ladies Home Journal.
• Fill-in-the-blank press releases for you to customize and send out. Each month, you’ll get an easy-to-use, press release ready for you to use to get more publicity. But more than that, included is a simple checklist for you to use to get it to the right reporter, each and every time.
• The latest comings and goings of reporters, exclusive insider media information and much more!

Subscribe by going to Penny Pinching Publicity now!

You would spend literally thousands of dollars compiling this information into a usable format yourself and that’s BEFORE even having a chance to use any of it to get free publicity. And do you know how much publicists cost? You can easily pay a $5,000.00 per month retainer and you will most likely be their lowest price client and get the least amount of attention.

But today Shannon’s offering her exclusive tips and techniques to get media coverage for only one penny the first month, then $19.95 every month thereafter. Imagine getting access to thousands of dollars worth of f^ree publicity ideas and media lists for only one cent!

Subscribe today at Penny Pinching Publicity now!

Needless to say, this information is jam packed with the jealously guarded secrets to get you free publicity. Truth is, you’ll never find this in-depth information in any book or manual. But even with that said, just to sweeten the pot a bit you’ll also get three special bonuses to reward you for taking action immediately.

Bonus #1: A media list of the top 100 business publications in the country, with contact details (a $100 value)

Bonus #2: A media list of the top 250 daily newspapers by circulation (a $300 value)

Bonus #3: Master the Media audio presentation, which shares the techniques to get your own PR campaign started (a $37 value)

If you’re not making the most of PR, you’re losing sales. Penny Pinching Publicity puts all the resources of a PR agency at your fingertips, and gives you all the tools you need to get free and credible exposure for your products, services, or company… fast!

Get it all now by signing up today at Penny Pinching Publicity. For the cost of few lattes, each month you’ll get all the information and ideas to help you to:

• get more prospects because they’ll recognize you as an expert in the media, giving you more customers without more costs
• gain instant credibility and celebrity by appearing in newspapers, magazines and on the radio and TV
• grab an advantage over your competition by becoming a media darling

Subscribe today at Penny Pinching Publicity!

Popularity: 25% [?]

People love the prospect of winning a prize and that is why contests are a great way to gain publicity. Another reason that contests are great for publicity is that you can create buzz for your business before, during, and after the contest. You can use a contest to gain exposure for a product or service that you offer, or to create general traffic to your website.

When deciding what type of contest to have, take a look at the type of business you have and who your target market is. If your goal is to create traffic for a website devoted to cooking, you can hold a “worst cooking disaster” contest where entrants can write in about their biggest kitchen mishap. If you have a website selling baby slings, hold a “pretty attached baby contest” where contestants can send in a picture of their infant riding in one of your baby slings.

You can also do a search on the internet for unknown holidays or other events that are taking place that may have something to do with your business. For instance, June is National Iced Tea Month. In using the above example of a cooking-related website, you could hold an Iced Tea Recipe Contest. June 18 is National Splurge Day. You could create a contest that asked the contestants to name their favorite “food splurge,” such as ice cream, cake, etc. Or you could create a contest asking entrants to describe the biggest splurge they made on a cooking appliance, such as a Panini Press.

You do not have to offer an expensive prize for the winner. If you are creating the contest to gain publicity for an information product that you have created, perhaps you can give a free copy to the winner.

Another option is to find sponsors to help contribute prizes to the contest. Find some websites that offer complimentary products or services to what you are promoting. For instance, if you have a website that provides sells jewelry making products, such as beads, you can find a polymer clay or jewelry findings supplier, etc. who may wish to donate their products as a prize to the person who creates the best bracelet with your beads. In exchange for their donation, make sure you give them lots of publicity on your contest page and in your communications with the media.

Send in press releases to the media several weeks before the contest will begin. Follow up with a press release while the contest is in full swing. Then send in another release after the contest is over and the winner has been announced. You can also ask your sponsors to send in press releases to their local media and to the winners’ local media.

Don’t forget to follow up with the people that entered the contest but did not win. Send them an email and let them know you appreciate their efforts. You can make them feel like a winner by offering them a special discount on one of your information products, for instance.

Popularity: 25% [?]

When it comes to your business, befriending the media can have a huge impact on your growth. The term “media” is quite large, and it covers the various types of communication that reach or influence people. This can take the form of:

• internet
• radio
• television
• newspapers
• magazines
• podcasts
• …and more

The following are some tips on how to befriend the media, and how this can help your business.

You will want to start building relationships with people that are associated with various types of media. You can use a program such as Excel or Access to organize a list of website owners, bloggers, podcasters, writers, local news anchors, local radio deejays, etc. Collect all the relevant information you will need to communicate with them, such as their names, titles, email addresses, the types of stories that they usually cover, etc.

When you send a press release, be clear, concise and to the point. Keep your press release to a maximum of two pages. Make sure you include your contact information, as well as information on how your product or service will help your target market.

Create a publicity campaign for your business. Don’t just send out one press release and wait for people to come to you. Instead, send out a press release to several media outlets once per week. The more media outlets that know about your business, the higher your chances are for receiving publicity.

You may follow-up with the people you have submitted press releases to, but don’t harass them or contact them too soon. They are busy and receive press releases on a daily basis. Give them a chance to look at yours and decide if it is something their viewers, listeners, or readers would be interested in.

When someone from the media calls you, be upbeat, enthusiastic, and honest. Have your information ready because they don’t want to wait for you to call them back with your answers.

Instead of just trying to “plug” your business, establish yourself as an expert in your field. When the media needs someone to comment on a news item that relates to your type of business, they may call on you. Your business may not be the focus of the interview, but your information will be displayed for the public to see, hear, or read.

In exchange for the media promoting you, offer to promote the media. Of course, national news and radio programs, huge newspapers, etc. may not need your promotional services, but smaller media outlets do. Let them know that if someone features you on their website, in their blog, or through their podcast, you will send a link to the information to your mailing list.

Once you have established a few contacts in various media outlets, stay friendly with them and let them know when something new is happening with your business.

Popularity: 35% [?]

Michelle’s Note: This article is written by Alice Seba, my friend who knows everything there is to know about leveraging press releases.

Starting a press release or publicity campaign can seem overwhelming. How are you going to get yourself into a national magazine or how will you finally get Oprah’s attention?

Well honestly, it’s not necessary to work that hard in order to get beneficial publicity for your business . So, the short answer is – No, you don’t need a publicist to generate worthwhile publicity for your business.

Personally, I’m not into being famous, but instead I choose to generate lots of low-key publicity that helps build my business. I am asked for interviews, quoted in articles, etc. and those things bring in new subscribers and customers steadily, but I’m certainly not famous. Nor do I have any desire to be.

If you position yourself as an expert in your market, you can receive plenty of worthwhile publicity. Becoming an expert isn’t always from sending out press releases either, but also from having plenty of quality content out there, being visible in search engines and networking with others who will refer media to you.

Also, keep in mind that fame comes at a price. Talk to just about any book author that knocks herself out on a publicity tour. Ask her what a difference it made in book sales. It’s a huge investment of time and expense and doesn’t always give back a great return.

The low-key approach works well and you won’t burn yourself out!

Michelle’s Recommendation: Start generating plenty of exposure for your business with minimal expense and time investment. Join my friend Alice Seba, a former professional press release writer as a Press Release Profits student. Click here to get started instantly.

Popularity: 22% [?]

It seems like almost every online marketer is completely focused on search engine rankings, distributing articles and working their rear ends off for traffic. One thing they forget about is what so many traditional brick-and-mortar businesses already know and practice because it’s very effective.

You can buy all the ads you want for your business and you can experience some great results, but if you’d like some more almost no-cost promotion that helps you build word-of-mouth and great reputation for your online business…you really should be developing your own publicity campaign through press releases.

When a media outlet talks about you, portrays you as an expert or mentions
your business…that is more priceless than any advertising. It’s like an actual endorsement of you and your business. Who wouldn’t want that?

Well, it’s easier to do than you might think.

You may already know that Alice Seba has a complete system that shows you exactly how to write and distribute a press release to get noticed by the media….potentially saving your hundreds or thousands of dollars in advertising costs.

She has just added a new and unique piece of software called Press Release Profits Builder. It allows you to choose from HTML or plain text formatted releases and takes you step-by-step through the whole press release writing process. When you’re done, the software will produce a perfectly formatted release for you.

Here’s a note from Alice about the software:

Now…let me be clear. This isn’t some magical software that allows you to click your mouse a few times and your release will be ready. Anybody who tries to sell you something like that is doing you an injustice. If you want the media’s attention, you’ve
got to be unique and have something they want to share with their readers and viewers. This software helps you put together a release designed to get noticed.

Alice has kindly added the software to her already complete Press Release Profits course at no extra charge, but only until May 8, 2007.

Learn more about the course and software - and start getting results.

Popularity: 32% [?]

Finding people to interview for your podcast is very easy. Everyone is looking for publicity and media savvy people know that podcasts are a great way to connect with potential customers. You will probably find yourself with more people who want to be interviewed than time to interview all of them. Here are some tips on how to find guests:

Your Inspiration
Who gave you the inspiration to start your podcast or website? Ask them to be your guest and share their story with your listeners. What inspired you may inspire others, too.

Google News
This is a great source for finding news stories of all kinds. Do a keyword search that is relevant to the topic of your podcast or website. Contact the people that were interviewed in the news story; they may agree to be interviewed by you, as well.

Local and National News Stories
Again, pay attention to the clips you see on your local news as well as news shows such as Good Morning America and news channels such as CNN. If you see something that relates to the topics you cover on your podcast or website, make a note of the subject matter and name(s) of the interviewee(s). Contact them and ask if they would like to be a guest on your podcast.

Magazines
Pick up a magazine that has the same type of content as your podcast or website. Your readers and listeners are more than likely going to be interested in the same type of stories that are featured in the magazine. This a great way to get ideas for upcoming features (as well as the names of possible guests).

Ask Your Listeners
People love to talk about themselves; ask your listeners to share their stories. You can tell your listeners that you want to feature a story about a certain subject and ask anyone who has a story about that topic to email you. You can then call the people who submitted stories and choose a few to interview for your show.

Popularity: 22% [?]

I’ve discovered an awesome opportunity to generate media interest in our businesses with the fifth annual “Doing Business In Your Bathrobe Day.”

Send a press release to your local media, with your information, letting them know that you are celebrating this international holiday on February 12, 2007. According to WAHM Talk Radio, one home-based entrepreneur has already received calls from three local media outlets, including a TV station, print publication and online resource, after sending out her press release.

Doing Business in Your Bathrobe Day recognizes the hard work and dedication it takes to be an entrepreneur. It’s a national holiday to call attention to the millions of home business owners who have waved goodbye to the corporate rat race and settled into a better quality of life. We felt it was high time to recognize the efforts and dreams of entrepreneurs. “It’s a national day to support entrepreneurs everywhere who are taking their work and paychecks into their own hands,” says Kristie Tamsevicius.

Ready to start celebrating?

Download your press release from:

http://www.webmomz.com/bizinbathrobe-local.shtml

Enter to win prizes in the Doing Business in Your Bathrobe drawing:

http://www.webmomz.com/bizinbathrobe2007.shtml

Popularity: 20% [?]