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Author: Katrina Sawa

5 Questions to Consider for FREE or Low-Cost Publicity

1. Where do you go to get publicity?
- Media, all local newspapers, magazines, trade magazines, business publications and local radio and television stations if you are doing something that involves a non-profit or charity as they normally only care about publicizing public service announcements.
- Your chamber of commerce or other organizations you belong to.
- Your clients and referral sources - Visitor's centers, Community centers, Senior centers, Neighborhood or Merchant Association

2. Who specifically do you talk to?
- Publication editors or assistant editors, television and radio producers of specific shows.
- Chamber membership coordinators, newsletter staff or editors, managers, etc.

3. How can you co-promote for more exposure and reduced costs?
- Go in with other small businesses that compliment your business on advertising, chamber inserts, ads or inserts in papers, direct mail pieces, door to door flyers, etc.
- Send recommendation letters for each other to your individual databases
- Collaborate on someone else's monthly newsletter (mailed or emailed)
- Offer discounts or free gift certificates to each others customers
- Display your brochures at their office and vice versa
- Offer to give your services to businesses for them to promote as gifts to their clients
- Offer referral fees and/or discounts an promote them to your referral sources and make sure to pay them promptly and/or give gifts to those who refer to you 'be creative
- Use reciprocal website links and have an "I recommend these businesses" page - Create ways for referral sources to use your products/services in their promotions as trade for exposure

4. What can you donate to whom for added exposure?
- When giving a gift for raffle or donation, DO NOT GIVE A DISCOUNT OFF YOUR SERVICES, it needs to be a FREE, no strings gift or it isn't a gift
- Donate your product and/or services to raffles, charity event auctions, giveaways, etc. Include your card, brochure, etc. Try to follow up with the winners if available
- Write articles about a subject matter you are knowledgeable in and offer them free to other people's electronic newsletters and online publications, in return for an identifier paragraph that links to your own website.

5. Where can you volunteer or sponsor for more exposure?
- Volunteer for events that can get you free exposure by receiving in exchange booths, advertising, free publicity, sponsor rights, exposure, etc. and then build relationships with other volunteers in hopes for them becoming referral sources
- Offer to speak at chamber and other organization events and meetings, especially those that have members in your target market. Build outlines and topics that are relevant.

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