Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

10.7. Generating Free Publicity and Positive Press

Although you can certainly spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on professionally produced multimedia marketing campaigns, you can also generate a great deal of free publicity and positive press by investing only your time and expertise. In the following sections, I show you how by providing tips on making yourself available to reporters and creating a high profile in your market through community service.

10.7.1. Make Yourself Available to Reporters

Every single day, reporters need to produce stories. They need ideas for stories, background information, facts and figures, witnesses, and expert insights. They can gather much of this material through researching documents and actually witnessing newsworthy events, but they often rely on industry insiders to provide background information and insight. By positioning yourself as one of the top experts in your industry, you can begin to attract a great deal of free, positive press.

Contact reporters and news producers in your area and let them know that you're available on short notice for interviews. Send over a marketing packet that includes your business card, your photo, your resume or curriculum vitae, and clippings from any articles you have written or other interviews you have given.

To make yourself a more attractive interviewee for the press, keep the following important points in mind:

• Be accessible. Reporters cannot afford to wait around for return phone calls. Many ...