URL: http://www.entrepreneur.com/homebasedbiz/homebasedbasics/marketing/article72726.html

I've got great news for homebased entrepreneurs who've ever thought the following: "Money's tight. How can I get my name in front of potential customers without breaking the bank?"

As a former journalist and now PR consultant who helps small businesses get desirable publicity, I've discovered that few entrepreneurs understand what it takes to get publicity—a powerful, fun and free source of new customers. In fact, publicity is incredible for a variety of reasons:

1. It's free.
2. It helps to persuade prospective customers who need your product or service.
3. It's often more powerful than any brochure you could create.
4. You can refer to it on your website, further adding to your credibility.
5. It doesn't go out of print. As long as search engines can still point to it, you can get calls even years after it was first published.

You can create your own media-savvy strategy by following these steps:

• Make contacting the media part of your overall marketing strategy, not an occasional activity where you send out a press release and hope it hits.
• Enlist the help of the media by never regarding them as your enemy. Realize that, for the most part, reporters are overworked and underpaid people who want to do an accurate article or interview. Support their efforts by e-mailing solid information they can use.
• Dedicate some time to your media contacts. Call them with ideas for stories that have nothing to do with you. Offer praise when it's truly due. You want them to regard your name as one they recognize positively and look forward to hearing.
• Initiate contacts with the media by saying, "I read an article you wrote and thought you might like to know about...." This kind of soft-sell approach will work far better than trying to pitch yourself.
• Spot opportunities by actively reading magazines and newspapers. Don't just skim for what you need to know and then toss the publication. Instead, actively look for topics that can connect you with writers and editors.
• Save your articles and radio/TV interviews. Getting booked for radio and TV interviews often depends on proving you've been interviewed successfully before. Providing examples of these clips will help to show journalists that you're media-savvy. What if you've never been interviewed? Start locally, such as with cable shows in your community. This will help you get practice in the art of communicating succinctly and with poise—the key ingredients to successful interviews.
• Always be ready to give the media what they want—fast. They want your photo? It should be readily available for download on your website. They need an interview after hours? They should have your cell phone and home phone numbers. Often, after a reporter does a story, an editor will call to fact-check, and he or she must be able to reach you in person.
• Volunteer your opinions as a columnist, in letters to the editor and every other way you feel comfortable so that journalists and readers know of your expertise.
• Verify that all your contact information is correct in the variety of directories used by the media.

It pays to be featured at Yearbook.com, a resource used by national and international journalists to find sources. It's formally known as the Yearbook of Experts, and in addition to the links to journalists, you'll also find its pull with Google will add to your ranking. You can get more information by calling (800) YEARBOOK.

Once you successfully obtain some publicity, you can use those articles and interviews to get more. Publicity is worth its weight in gold—and you'll have customers flocking to do business with you!

Keep an eye out for next month's column, where I'll share my time-tested list of creative and cost-effective tactics sure to help you win more customers.

Note: The information in this column is provided by the author, not Entrepreneur.com. All answers are general in nature, not legal advice and not warranted or guaranteed. Readers are cautioned not to rely on this information. Because laws change over time and in different jurisdictions, it is imperative that you consult an attorney in your area regarding legal matters and an accountant regarding tax matters.

---

Pete Silver is a homebased entrepreneur who's launched several successful businesses from his home over the past 20 years. He's also a creative marketing specialist and author who travels widely as a speaker and seminar leader. To find out more about Pete or his coaching service, log on to www.MarketYourBusiness.com.