Get Your FREE Pub Here

Free publicity is not difficult.... you just have to think outside of the box!

I'm not sure why I'm going to pull out the trick bag and divulge some of my inside information.... but I've always been a humanitarian. Yep.... a publicity pro with a heart, we do exist!

Whether you're selling a widget, have a service or want people to know that you or your business exists.... the key is finding what makes you newsworthy! Is your widget an economical widget that can help people in a tough economy? Is there a segment to your "service" that can be beneficial to the general public?

As a former TV pro.... I saw just about every bad pitch out there. When I got an author/ book pitch in the mail with pages and pages of information to decipher (book included or not) I would NEVER read all that waste of a tree nonsense!

All this useless information was almost ALWAYS sent to me via a PR pro or Firm.... and the saddest part.... The client is paying these people to disseminate this purposeless publicity.
If you want to get on TV, you absolutely can. It's all in how you present you, your service or your product.

A great example. A small business owner called me up one day and asked me for a minute of my time. I said sure... despite the fact I had very little time for these kinds of phone calls. He told me he had a new business.... a document shredding business. Well, as you might be thinking.... I was thinking.... okay... and I care because?

He outlined to me exactly what he thought would make a great segment for my morning show. He broke it down for me.... He told me how important his service was because of the amount of identity theft that occurs everyday. He said he thought we should go LIVE from his business and he would shred 1 bag or box of documents FREE for anyone who came through the door that morning during our live broadcast. As we like to say in news, big "viewer benefit." He then told me that he would be happy to also offer coupons for people who mentioned the segment for a limited time.

This gentleman did what every producer, assignment editor or booking producer pray for everyday.... Do the work for me!

Producers, assignment editors and planning producers have to make "something" out of nothing everyday and usually multiple times a day! This gentleman had everything done for me. He captured the newsworthiness of his service.... he gave me viewer benefit and I knew he would be engaging TV personality because he was genuinely excited about his service.

Business owners don't typically think they can call up the newsroom and ask for who is in charge of making these decisions. Believe me... if you only knew the type of phones newsrooms get!
News people don't know you exist unless you tell them. They don't have the time to dig on stories like say the typical newspaper reporter. They work under very tight deadlines "same day" typically and are so busy trying to put those stories together... they can't go out and find you... so, when in doubt, go to them!

Be bold.... be prepared and do the work for media professionals. You will be amazed at how willing they are to scoop your story up. You will get even get more attention if you say, "I'll give you guys the story first...."

Get on local TV like this:
1. Define your message.
2. Write your pitch out.
3. Find the newsworthiness to your business/product!
4. Identify if this message can be told in a LIVE or TAPED story.
5. Can the TV station go LIVE from your location?
6. Offer yourself LIVE in studio with visuals!
7. Identify who you need to speak with in the newsroom, start with the Assignment Editor.
8. Pitch your idea quickly and with excitement.
9. Ask what might happen next.
10. Follow up!

There you go..... Now, go get your free pub!