10 Secrets for Free Media Placement

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10 Secrets for Free Media Placement

10 Secrets for Free Media Placement

Why pay a high priced PR agent when you can get free media placement to promote your product, service, or book?

Follow these top ten tips for 2005 and it will be your most profitable year yet!

1. Write an attention grabbing headline.

Realize that your headline must immediately "hook" a busy producer or editor at first glance. If your headline doesn't hook them, they won't read further.

2. Be certain that your book is appropriate for the target audience.

Do not send a media release about your romance novel to a radio show that interviews only nonfiction authors. Wishful thinking is well and good, but realize that shows KNOW their target market.

3. Realize that there is a difference in format when sending a release by email and by fax.

A faxed release and release sent by mail can be identical. However, an email release requires careful crafting to get right and is an art onto itself. The key concept to remember is twofold. First, the subject line spells the difference between the release being opened or deleted. Second, you must target delivery of the email release carefully, or you risk being banned forever to the recipient's "bozo" file.

4. Be certain to include key information in a book release such as your ISBN number, publication date, page count and binding, and if you like a small .jpeg of the cover.

5. You can increase your chances of being booked on a radio station if you offer to give away books on the show in your release.

6. For media releases aimed at reviewers, include information on how they can get a book to review by email or fax.

7. Do not follow up to see if the recipient received the release. If this is a show or publication you are keenly interested in, call them with "new information" designed to create more excitement in featuring you.

8. Keep a notebook with you and jot down names of appropriate media contacts as you read publications and hear radio interviews.

9. Journalists and producers need you and your news, but will lose respect if you hammer them with releases that don't apply to their market or beat. Discriminate.

10. Keep a "swipe file" of clever advertisements or headlines you can refer to when you need a creative boost.

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Publishing Guidelines: You can publish this article in your print or electronic ezine as long as you include the resource box/signature line below. If you are using this for your web based ezine, please hyperlink to http://www.BuildingBuzz.com and send a courtesy link to mailto:mdvari@deg.com

Marisa D'Vari is author of the new book Building Buzz: How to Reach and Impress Your Target Audience (Career Press, 2005 . Access a complimentary 76 page reports on free media placement, as well as additional articles, at http://www.BuildingBuzz.com and can be reached at mdvari@deg.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Jobless claims jump unexpectedly to 16-year high (AP)

AP - New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to a 16-year high, the Labor Department said Thursday, providing more evidence of a rapidly weakening job market expected to get even worse next year.

Dems: Napolitano emerges for Homeland Security job (AP)

AP - Democratic officials say that Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano is a leading contender for the job of secretary of homeland security in President-elect Barack Obama's administration.

Stocks point lower after jobless claims jump (AP)

AP - Investors list of worries is growing following a government report that weekly unemployment claims have unexpectedly increased.

Detroit automakers' rescue stalls in Senate (AP)

AP - A plan to give troubled U.S. automakers billions of dollars in government-backed loans is on life support, leaving the fate of hundreds of thousands of workers and Detroit's once-venerable car companies hanging in the balance.

GMAC files with Fed for bank holding status (AP)

AP - GMAC Financial Services has applied to the Federal Reserve to become a bank holding company, which would allow General Motors' financing arm to be eligible for aid under the Treasury's $700 billion bank rescue plan.

Astronauts vow remaining tool bag won't drift away (AP)

AP - Astronauts vowed to double-check, even triple-check, to make sure a bag of tools is properly tied down during a spacewalk Thursday so it doesn't float away like one did earlier this week.

Dems look to stop endangered species rule changes (AP)

AP - With the Bush administration on the verge of relaxing regulations protecting endangered species, Democratic leaders are looking at ways to overturn any last-minute rule changes.

Teen lives 4 months with no heart, leaves hospital (AP)

AP - D'Zhana Simmons says she felt like a "fake person" for 118 days when she had no heart beating in her chest. "But I know that I really was here," the 14-year-old said, "and I did live without a heart."

Ben Affleck visits refugee camps in eastern Congo (AP)

AP - Ben Affleck is visiting refugee camps in war-torn eastern Congo, where at least 250,000 people have been displaced by recent fighting, and says more aid money is needed.

NFL says Cowboys' Pacman Jones can return Dec. 7 (AP)

AP - The NFL is giving Adam "Pacman" Jones another chance. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday the suspended cornerback has been reinstated by league commissioner Roger Goodell, but he must miss two more games this Sunday and the following game on Thanksgiving. He'll be back Dec. 7 at Pittsburgh.

Weekly jobless claims surge to 16-year high (Reuters)

Reuters - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose by a larger than expected 27,000 last week to their highest level in 16 years, Labor Department data showed on Thursday, as a harsh economic environment forces employers to cut back on hiring.

Global job losses rise as recession plays on (Reuters)

Reuters - World economic misery spread on Thursday with forecasts of a global recession running well into 2009, Japan's exports to Asia falling for the first time in six years and job losses mounting.

Obama taps Arizona governor for homeland security: report (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's top choice to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, CNN reported on Wednesday, citing multiple sources.

Global stocks at 5-1/2 year lows (Reuters)

Reuters - World stocks dropped to 5-1/2 year lows and oil hit 22-month troughs as investors reacted to dire Federal Reserve warnings on the economy and fears about the viability of major U.S. auto makers and bank giant Citigroup.

Prospect for auto bailout dims (Reuters)

Reuters - Chances dimmed that a last-minute plan being crafted by Republican senators, with White House support, to provide $25 billion to bail out U.S. automakers would receive enough backing from Democrats to pass before the end of this week.

U.S. pact can pass Iraqi parliament: minister (Reuters)

Reuters - A pact allowing U.S. troops to stay in Iraq for three more years has a chance of being approved by parliament despite some heated opposition, Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said on Thursday.

California court to hear gay marriage ban case (Reuters)

Reuters - California's Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a legal challenge against the state's voter-approved ban on gay marriage and let the ban stand in the meantime.

Woman posed as teen online in suicide case: attorney (Reuters)

Reuters - A Missouri woman established a fake identity online to torment a vulnerable teenage girl who later committed suicide, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday in a trial that is being closely watched by the burgeoning social networking industry.

Governments scramble to protect jobs as losses mount (AFP)

AFP - Governments scrambled to cushion the impact of the finance crisis Thursday with France launching a sovereign wealth fund and China unveiling a jobs protection plan as the car industry made huge new cuts.

Russia to send more warships to battle Somali pirates (AFP)

AFP - Russia announced Thursday it would send more warships to combat piracy in the waters around Somalia, as the Saudi owners of the Sirius Star negotiated with the pirates holding their oil tanker.

10 Secrets for Free Media Placement

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