How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 1

Would you like to expand the volume of your business? You can let thousands know about your service, your store, or your new product without spending a penny. Whether you want to make more sales or get an offer on television, you can broaden the scope of your clients by free publicity.

You don't have to climb a flagpole or hire a dancing bear to get attention. In fact, with just a telephone, flyers, and some follow up letters, you can be making much more money than you are now.

What product or what business are you involved with that needs more customers? You might have a neighborhood store or you may have invented something that is difficult to market. Maybe you've launched a new web site.

How are you presently getting customers? Maybe you're advertising in trade journals, magazines, or newspapers. Perhaps you're doing banner swaps or participating in co-op programs with other ezine publishers.

Perhaps you're an author, trying to market his or her new book. Or maybe you're a young comic or an actor trying to establish his/her career.

Regardless of your business or enterprise, whether it is an online or an offline business, free publicity is available for you. Furthermore, you don't need any special training to do it. Take a look at the variety of options available to you.

What is Publicity? Before we get into the different types of publicity out there, it would help if we knew what we were talking about. Publicity is making something known to the public, spreading information to the general, local, or national market. It is information with a news value used to attract popular opinion or support. Everybody uses publicity. Politicians, manufacturers, celebrities all use publicity to gain attention and further their causes. Publicity isn't limited to large organizations. Small committees and enterprises use the local newspapers to publicize events and endeavors.

Publicity differs from advertising because it is free. Although some organizations trade tickets or services for mention in a particular publication, generally publicity is newsworthy information that a publication produces. Good publicity is one of the best ways of letting people know you have a worthwhile business.

Do your research. Before you begin a publicity campaign, you should know the answer to the following questions:

What is the product or service I am promoting? What is the radius of the market (local, city, state, country, and world)? What do the customers want? Where do the customers go to buy my product? Are my buyers mostly online or offline?

Where to publicize Depending on your product or service, you have a full gamut of possibilities for advertising without paying. Deciding on the type of media is as important as knowing about your product and your customers.

If you want to publicize directly to the general public national publications, metropolitan newspapers and Sunday supplements are the way to tap into the market. For a local enterprise ? a profitable business, a charity, or community service- the local paper is the best source of free advertising. Don't go for the big fish first. Start with the local press and then work your way up.

Make it newsworthy In order to qualify for publication, your story must be newsworthy. Anything published in the newspapers, magazines, and trade journals must be of importance to its readers. You may have a new product or product line that can be featured in the magazines. If not, you need to come up with a unique angle. For example, you may have to come up with fresh ideas for your service. Or maybe an unusual piece of information in the inventor or business owner's biography might make an interesting twist.

Formatting tips Keep the press release to one page. It should be brief and informative. Write the words For Release in full capital letters at the right. Make sure you include your daytime phone number, address, email address, and website address if you have one. Write a personal letter to the editor. Be cordial, but keep it short. If you have a product that you can mail, send the editor a sample if he or she agrees to that. Watch the publication and clip the press release when it is published.

These are just a few ways of getting free publicity for your business. Watch for my next article, More Ways to Free Publicity For your business

or you can send an email to dspencer@pnewsletter.com with the subject line more ways to free publicity.

DeAnna Spencer publishes the weekly ezine Prospecting and Presents. All subscribers get one free ad per week. Subscribe today by visiting dspencer@pnewsletter.com

bathroom cleaning service Northbrook ..
In The News:

Data removal from brokers protects against AI-powered scams and deepfake threats in 2026. Learn how data brokers sell your personal information to scammers.
Learn how to act against cybercriminals in 2026 with essential security steps like two-factor authentication, software updates and credit freezing.
Choose between OpenAI releasing Sora text-to-video model, the AI race heating up, or Waymo driverless cars launching in cities across the country
Learn how to set up Google Maps and Apple Maps on your phone to automatically remember where you parked. Step-by-step instructions for enabling location services and parking detection.
Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.
OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.
A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.
Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.
ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.
ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.
Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.
DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.
Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.
The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.
New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.
Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.
New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.
Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.
Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.
New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.
The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.
San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.
FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Media Relations: Should You Pay For News Coverage, Part II

Last month, we told you about "pay for play," a... Read More

Public Relations: Why it Works

The short answer is, it works best when its fundamental... Read More

Custom Reasons for Custom Publishing

Once considered the stepchild of the publishing industry, custom publishing... Read More

Not Getting the PR Results You Want?

The reason might be this simple: as a business, non-profit... Read More

The Ratings are Coming

Small businesses have always known the importance of word of... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners: Put Extra Content in an E-Zine

As you start getting more media-savvy, you'll find yourself coming... Read More

5 Critical Tests Every Press Release Must Pass

You've heard "them" say it, haven't you?By "them" I mean... Read More

Austin?s Annual Charity Event with KVET

In my travels around the country while building my business... Read More

Media Training: How to Tell a More Interesting Story

PRESIDENT BUSH TELLS A STORYOn March 18, 2005, President Bush... Read More

PR Power: How to Write a Killer Press Release

I'm what we in the business (the "business" being journalism)... Read More

How to Write a Press Release

Why You Should Write Press Releases: A press release is... Read More

What You Dont Know About PR Can Hurt You

And hurt bad if you are a business, non-profit or... Read More

Publicity Wont Thrive on Press Releases Alone

Press releases are a useful tool for announcing news and... Read More

Are There Secrets to Gaining Media Coverage?

Are there secrets to gaining media coverage or is it... Read More

How to Form a Relationship with a Newspaper

How do you make a good relationship with a newspaper... Read More

Dealing With Reporters in Your Small Business

It behooves you to know and remember the names of... Read More

Its the Little Details that Can Make or Break a News Story

Have you ever heard of the saying, "One person's trash... Read More

The Non-business Business

Think for a moment! If you were to do a... Read More

Hispanic Media Training: How It Can Benefit You

How can media training help you create a successful Hispanic... Read More

How to Stay Composed During Contentious TV Interviews

NOTE: Brad Phillips was a Producer for CNN's The Capital... Read More

Etymology- How Words Change Over Time

Etymology is the study of the origins of words.As languages... Read More

Get Write To It

The toughest thing about writing a news release is getting... Read More

How PR Makes a Managers Life Easier

Things are pleasant for many business, non-profit or association managers... Read More

Press Kit Elements That Work

Considering how fundamental they are to the publicist's trade,it's always... Read More

Three Publicity Tips for Marketing-Minded Financial Planners

Financial planners, the first thing to know about reporters is... Read More

insured cleaning company Wilmette ..