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The Problem With Free Publicity

Written by: Michael Zipursky

Article Overview: The truth about free publicity and what you need to know to make it work for your business.

The Problem With Free Publicity

Many business owners talk about the value of free publicity like it's the best thing since sliced bread. They get all worked up and excited about having the name of their company 'out there' and the thought that everyone is going to know about them and their business makes them grin from cheek to cheek.

These same folks then dream up these fantasies about how they're one step closer to that oceanfront cabin and 60' yacht.

There's no denying that free publicity has value, but it's the form that value takes that really counts.

WHERE'S THE REAL VALUE AT?

You see it doesn't matter how much free publicity you're getting if all that press doesn't translate into a measurable action.

Sending out a press release that results in a local paper writing about your business is fine, pat yourself on the back, but get return to reality quickly. Because if that article about your business doesn't generate new leads, website visitors or sales, what's the point?

Okay, so you now know what publicity really needs to achieve. But how do you get there.

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS

The starting point has nothing to do with publicity. In fact, that's often the last consideration. Before you start punching out that release that will make you famous, you need to make sure every other part of your business is sufficiently prepared.

Entrepreneurs and business owners alike have a problem with patience. We're visionaries with big ideas and we want action taken not next month or next week, not even tomorrow, we want action NOW. But this rush to make things happen often blurs our true priorities.

The key here is to think through what happens when people start to find your website, or hear about your business and even what happens after they make that first purchase.

It's astounding to think how many businesses, in every imaginable industry, are guilty of this. They're so focused on rounding up the herd and creating traffic that they completely forgot to give this some thought.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS DON'T JUST COUNT, THEY ARE CRITICAL

You see, it's critical to consider what people will see on your website when they come after hearing about you in that local paper or on that radio station. But when they’ve arrived, what actions do you want them to take? Is everything set up to support and guide those actions? And if someone is coming to your physical store, do you have the proper presentation and image ready to greet them?

If we consider the case that you're honored enough to receive a sale, do you have a system ready to keep in touch with your customers, provide them with the support they require and ensure that they keep coming back to you?

If you're ready for all of this, then you're ready to start getting free publicity. While there are many ways that you can achieve free publicity one thing you must always keep in mind is to make your pitch about the audience and not yourself or your business - craft a story that will grab your target market's attention and emotions - and include a clear call to action so that people know how to contact you, find you and do business with you.

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  Budgeting for publicity and keeping within limits

Article Tags: best thing since sliced bread, business owners, cheek to cheek, fantasies, first impression, free publicity, herd, imaginable industry, measurable action, new leads, oceanfront cabin, patience, press release, priorities, return to reality, rush, traffic, visionaries, yacht



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