Debbie LaChusa

Public Relations, sometimes referred to as PR or publicity is a great way to generate awareness of your business, product or service, or even you as an industry expert. It's an extremely cost effective small business marketing tool and it provides a third-party credibility factor.

Consider this. When you see an advertisement for a product or service, you know that company paid to put that message there.

However, with public relations, your marketing message becomes part of the editorial content of the magazine, newspaper, website, radio or television station it runs in. The public perceives it as objective "news" provided by the news outlet.

What many people don't realize is that much of what we see and hear in the news is generated by PR folks, or businesses with a marketing agenda. Granted, reputable media won't run a blatant promotional story - they do make sure there is a solid news hook.

However, with the introduction of PR on the Internet, the boundaries are blurring a bit. When pitching the media directly you definitely need to have a strong news hook, and you must avoid promotional language.

However, you can post press releases online, on paid and free publicity outlet websites and they are not quite as strict. I still recommend you only issue press releases with newsworthy hooks to maintain credibility with the media and your audience, but with online PR you can post press releases more frequently and generate lots of great exposure for your business.

While for the most part PR is not a direct response medium and tracking sales directly to a press release may be difficult, PR is a great way to generate awareness and to position yourself as an expert in your industry.

PR is a big part of my marketing plan. In fact, I try to issue a press release every month. You can review the releases I've issued over the past couple of years, and some of the press these releases have generated on the News page of my website.

How about you? Have you used PR to promote your business? If so, post a comment and share your results.

So you've decided you want to give Public Relations a try. You like the idea of positioning yourself as an expert, generating awareness of your business, the third party credibility factor that publicity provides, and the fact that for the most part PR is free marketing.

That's great! In fact, I love PR as a small business marketing tool so much, I include steps for getting started using PR in Step 9 of my 10stepmarketing System.

I've been using PR for years and even though I'm not a PR pro by any means, I've had pretty good luck getting my news picked up. For example, a few years ago, my daughter's softball team did very well in the equivalent of the Little League World Series.

However, when we returned home from this big tournament to see the local Little League team plastered all over the news merely for participating in the Little League World Series, I couldn't help but feel the girls deserved equal coverage.

I asked a local PR firm that I used to work for if they'd pitch the story to the media for me, on a pro bono basis (meaning at no charge). Because they were friends they agreed. Unfortunately after two weeks of pitching, they could not get any of the local media to bite on the story.

Determined to get the girls equal coverage to the boys, I gave it a try myself. And within a few days I was able to get coverage of our girl’s team on the 5pm news - a reporter and camera crew even came out to a team practice to film and interview the girls. From that point on I realized that one of the major keys to getting media coverage is being passionate about what you are pitching.

Plus, I used the hook of the Little League World Series to get their attention and tie into a story they were already covering every single day.

Consider how you can use your passion for your business or industry, or a current media story or trend to get your business media coverage. And, if you'd like to educate yourself a bit more about using publicity to market your business, my Step of the Month Club topic for September is "How to Use Public Relations to Market Your Business For Free." This call is happening on Tuesday, September 11th and is free for all Step of the Month Club members.

And if you can't make the live call, it will be recorded and made available as an mp3 download. If you're not currently a member, you can join today and get one month free (new members only please). Click here now to learn more and join today!

The Publicity Hound is another PR resource I recommend. You can get free PR tips every week and register for a free 89-day publicity e-course here.

Weekly Marketing Success Podcast: "How to Market to Thousands of People ... Absolutely Free!"

Did you know there are easy ways to market your business, and reach thousands of your prospects at no cost to you? Business owners are doing it every single day ... and now you can take advantage of this small business marketing tool, too.

Listen as I share how I used an often overlooking marketing tool to reach thousands of my ideal clients, with just a few hours of time invested, and at zero cost.

Click Here to Download MP3/Audio

(length 5:10 minutes)

If you are using PR as a small business marketing tool, you need to know where to distribute your press releases for maximum effect. Online press release distribution offers a variety of free and paid outlets - I'll share more of these on Wednesday. But don't forget about offline distribution.

Your first task is to figure out what media your ideal clients are reading, watching, or listening to, because your goal is to get your news into that media. You want your ideal clients reading about your business, product or service where they are most likely to get information in your product or service category.

So, if your market is stay at home moms, you want to identify the parenting magazines they read and put them on your distribution list. If your market is small business owners, find out the websites they visit looking for small business advice, or the magazines they read to learn more about effectively managing their business.

You job is to build a list of media, and then find out who the editor or appropriate reporter or writer is, to pitch your story ideas to, and to send your press releases to. This way, you can get your news in front of your ideal clients and start to generate awareness of your business, product or service. Yes, it does take a little legwork, but it doesn't cost a thing!

Don't miss my teleclass on Tuesday, September 11th, titled "How to Use PR to Market Your Business for Free ... in 10 Simple Steps!". The call is free for all Step of the Month Club Members. Not yet a member? Join today and get one month free here.

You can post your press releases online for a fee, or for free. My favorite place to post press releases is PRWeb. For between $80 and $120 per press release, you can get distribution all across the web, to all the major search engines and social media networks.

There are also lots of places to post your press releases online for free. In fact, in my 10stepmarketing Resource Center I share 13 of these free sites.

You can also go direct to the media, and mail, fax or email your press releases to the magazines, newspapers, radio and television stations in the markets you want to target. Media Post is a great, free online resource with listings of media by medium, category or industry, and featuring contact information.

Spend a little time and you can build your own custom press release distribution list using this free service.

Weekly Marketing Success Podcast: "How to Avoid Analysis Paralysis"

I used to plan things to death. In fact, I wouldn't make a move until all of my "i's" were dotted and "t's" crossed. Until I realized this way of thinking and acting was holding me back. And, until I realized that taking action, even if I made some mistakes along the way, was the quickest path to success.

Listen as I share how to avoid analysis paralysis, and tips to move your business forward faster than you thought possible. But beware, it may challenge your accepted ways of thinking!

Click Here to Download MP3/Audio

(length 6:01 minutes)

Positioning yourself as an expert in your industry is a great way to set yourself apart from your competitors. I have an exercise for you. Start paying attention to the articles in your local newspaper. Notice in many of the articles there are quotes from experts in that particular industry.

For example, I have clients in the real estate industry and I am a real estate investor. So I monitor the news pretty closely for news about real estate and housing trends.

If you follow real estate at all, or even if you just pay attention to the media, the real estate industry is hurting. So at least once a week there is an article in the local newspaper about foreclosures, home prices, declining sales, "the bubble bursting," you name it.

And, in every article there are quotes from principals from the two same local companies that track the real estate market. Occasionally, there is a real estate agent quoted, and I've seen the same agent quoted repeatedly. These folks are the "go to" experts on real estate for the local media. If they want an expert opinion, they call these guys. And these guys get their name, title and company included in every article. That's free marketing. And, it establishes these guys as THE real estate experts in my market.

You can do the same for your industry. Forge a relationship with your local or industry reporters. Help them out by providing them information or trends for stories. Let them know you are available if they ever need research or comments in your area of expertise.

You can also write articles about your area of expertise and post them in online article directories, or pitch them to offline media.

These marketing activities will help position you as the expert, and can help generate more awareness of your business, product or service - for free - and can give you a leg up on your competitors.

Have you established yourself as an expert in your industry? If so, post a comment and share.

Another way to position yourself as an expert is to put yourself in the Yearbook of Experts. I personally have not chosen to do this yet - it is a bit pricey ($995 for a simple reference listing) - however it could be an effective way to establish yourself as an expert and get the media calling YOU.

Unfortunately the 2007 edition has already closed, but you can learn more about The Yearbook of Experts, and decide if you want to budget for it in next year's marketing plan at www.expertclick.com

Yesterday I attended the Women's Business Center of California 2007 Expo and Awards Luncheon as the guest of my gracious client Kyoko Tanaka of Tanaka Graphics. It was wonderful to see a room FULL of women entrepreneurs!

But the highlight of my day was hearing keynote speaker Ingrid Croce speak. Ingrid Croce is the wife of late singer-songwriter Jim Croce, and she is also an accomplished businesswoman and restaurateur here in San Diego. In fact, she is credited with leading the development of our local downtown. When she opened her restaurant 20 years ago there was really no reason to go to downtown San Diego. Now, it is a destination!

THAT is not what impressed me however. What got me was Ingrid's story. She has faced more obstacles in her life than seems fair and she has never given up. She perservered through it all, following her heart and doing what she loved and felt convicted to do. Today she is a successful businesswoman, published author and admired community leader.

A wonderful reminder that following your purpose and your passion is not always easy, but it is rewarded if you stick with it! That is something I will definitely hold onto as I continue to build 10stepmarketing and 6FigureWorkAtHomeMom, especially when I am feeling like nothing is going my way!

You can read about Ingrid Croce's inspiring story here.

I just published a new ebook titled “Do You Have What It Takes To Be A 6-Figure Work At Home Mom?” and it is available for free at www.6FigureWorkAtHomeMom.com, my website committed to helping mothers successfully balance career and family.

The ebook includes a checklist women can use to gauge where they are with regard to work and family, including their desires and motivations, so they can determine if becoming a 6-figure work at home mom is a reasonable goal.

In the past four months since I introduced 6FigureWorkAtHomeMom I have received over 80 questions from women about becoming a 6-figure work at home mom. Most of those questions are about how to do it and if it is really possible. Of course it is possible, I have done it and so have other women, but it is not for every mother. This eEbook will help women discover if it is right for them.

To get your free copy, please visit www.6figureworkathomemom.com

And be sure to check back tomorrow for news about a brand new teleclass series designed to help you become a 6-figure work at home mom!

Weekly Marketing Success Podcast: "How to Market Yourself Using Stats"

Baseball players use stats to tell the story of every season and their career. They keep track of every at bat, every hit, every strike out, every run scored, every RBI, and every stolen base.

Those of us in business could learn a thing or two from baseball players about using stats to size-up our careers and experience, and how to use these stats to successfully market by positioning ourselves as experts.

Listen as I share 10 tips you can use to compile your own stats, so you can claim your title as expert, along with all of the marketing benefits that provides.

Click Here to Download MP3/Audio

(length 4:44 minutes)

For all of those moms out there who are tired of sacrificing time with their children because of their jobs, I just want to say, "It doesn't have to be that way!" I was in your shoes 18 years ago when my daughter Brianna was born. After spending the last 18 years figuring out how to have a financially rewarding home-based business that allows me to better balance my work and family, I am now teaching other moms how to do the same.

On October 16, 2007 I will be launching my second “6 Steps to Becoming a 6-Figure Work At Home Mom” teleclass series. This five-week teleclass series is designed to teach women how to create a work at home business that will earn them a six-figure income. And all participants get a free copy of my 10stepmarketing System!

The early bird registration fee (by October 1, 2007) for the five-week teleclass series is $107. After October 1st, the registration fee is $127. Full details and online registration are available at www.6FigureWorkAtHomeMom.com/6stepclassearly.html

Info-marketing is alive and well and a very cost-effective way to market your small business. If you are a service professional, chances are you have a lot of training and knowledge that you can share with others - that they can benefit from.

Just think about the most common questions you hear from your prospects and clients every day. What if you could package the answers to all of those questions into a special report and give it to every person who visited your website? What might that do for your client attraction system? How might that begin the sales process in a no-pressure way? How could that
pre-qualify your prospects? Might it get them excited and energized about how you can help them? Or, help them begin to see you as the expert?

Yes, all of this is possible. And, it's so easy to do! So, if you do not already have an opt-in/email list building system on your website, now's the time to get one. Then spend some time drafting a special report that you can offer to each and every person who visits your website. And watch what starts to happen!

PR, also referred to as public relations or publicity is one of my favorite small business marketing tools. Not only is it cheap (and very often free), it is also easy to do, and can generate great exposure for your business. And that exposure includes the implied third-party endorsement of the media your press release is picked up in.

But many small business owners and solo-professionals have questions about how to use PR to market their business. What format should their press release be in? Who should they send it to? Should they post it online, or just send it to offline media? Should they follow up, or will that put them in danger of irritating the very media they are trying to woo?

So many questions. And I will be answering all of them, along with any other marketing questions, in my monthly Step of the Month Q&A Call on Thursday, September 27th at 5:00pm Pacific Time (8:00pm Eastern Time).

This call is free for all Step of the Month Club members. If you are not yet a member and you have questions you'd like answered, you can join for 30 days free. To get your one free month membership, please visit www.10stepmarketing.com/SOMCmembership.htm

So you've decided to offer a free special report or Ebook to entice your website visitors to give you their email address. This is a great way to begin creating a following ... to begin building a list of people who are interested in what you do so that you can start building a relationship with them.

But what do you do once you've written the report or ebook? What format should it be in? What about the cover? Does it need a fancy design? What if you're not very creative?

Here are a couple of tips to creating a special report or ebook that will represent your business well and will serve as an effective marketing tool. First, you want to publish your free report or ebook in PDF format. This is the format that users can open and read using free Adobe Acrobat Reader software.

The good news is, there is a free tool you can use to create PDFs, so you don't have to fork over several hundred dollars to purchase the paid version of Adobe software. Just check out PDF995.com to download this free software.

Secondly, you want your special report or ebook to look professional and to have a cover that effectively markets itself on your website (read: makes people want to sign up for it!). I just discovered a great design service that provides affordable, professional-looking e-covers. I encourage you to check out divalish Media for fresh e-cover designs for your ebooks, special reports and other digital products.

Weekly Marketing Success Podcast: "10 Tips to Help You Create A Special Report"

Special Reports, Free Reports, Ebooks ... they're all great small business marketing tools. And, best of all, you can create and distribute them for free. But what if you don't know what to write about?

Listen as I share 10 ideas you can use to create digital products your clients will clamor for.

Click Here to Download MP3/Audio

(length 4:15 minutes)