Thursday, February 16, 2006

Affordable PR for Smart Businesses

How do you get the PR you need? You select your target media and then write articles that they want to run.

Well, it’s a little more complex than that, but not by much. As a content marketing specialist, I believe many companies are missing the boat by not submitting more articles to the media on appropriate issues that would interest (and impress) their customers and prospects.

Earlier this week I spoke on article writing at my local chapter meeting of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. I also handed out a one-page tipsheet, “Key Elements of Article Writing,” featuring story ideas, media suggestions and guidelines for better writing.

The handout is a little too long to reprint in this blog, but if you’re interested in the subject, I’d be happy to send you a free copy. (It's just a one-page Word document, nothing fancy.)

Just e-mail me at rick(at)rickspence.ca and put “article handout” in the subject line. (Use the @ instead of the “(at)”, of course.)
(If you also want to add a comment on this blog, I’d be happy to receive your feedback.)

Here’s a quick sample from the handout to whet your appetite.

Questions to ask yourself:
1. Who is my market? Who am I trying to reach with my writing?
2. What media (newspapers, Internet, magazines, radio, podcasts, etc.) best help me reach my market?
3. What kind of content are the editors of those media looking for? How can I pass their screen?

It’s just a primer. But if you have any questions after reading the handout, leave a comment here, and I will respond as best as I can.

Now get writing!

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