CeliaSue Hecht provides 88 tips for obtaining free publicity and promoting a business. Some key tips include writing press releases, creating a media-friendly website and social media pages, writing articles and blog posts, networking by joining organizations, speaking at events, and offering to be a resource for media by providing story ideas and expert commentary. The document emphasizes that publicity from articles and interviews is more credible than paid advertising and provides many low or no-cost strategies business owners can implement to promote themselves.

1. CeliaSue Hecht, The Writing Wiz, Key Communications Ink http://celiasue.hecht.googlepages.com/writingservices Voice 702-225-8206 Email
celiasue.hecht@gmail.com
88 Write on a Dime Tips to Obtain Free Publicity and Promote Your Business
By CeliaSue Hecht
Every entrepreneur wants to promote their business and many opt to spend a ton of money on advertising, everything from Yellow Page ads to buying
specialty items (promotional pens). Hold onto your dollars. Consider how you can spend those sawbucks wisely and obtain Free Publicity, worth
millions. One ad placed in the New York Times costs about $150,000. A feature article in the same publication costs zero. And the difference is
credibility. When you buy ads, everyone knows you paid for it. If you are interviewed and quoted in a newspaper or magazine (as well as on radio and
TV), people think you are an expert and want to buy your products and services.
An important component is budgeting. Be sure to allot money for your promotion campaign, be it $500 or $25,000 a month or year. Make promoting
your business a priority and back it up with cash so that you can implement your plan. You don't have to do all of these, just pick and choose a few,
maybe the top three or five or ten. And if you don't have the time or energy, you can always hire an experienced and published writer and publicity
expert, The Writing Wiz.
Think of it this way:
Imagine going to a mall and walking over to a store. The name of the store
does not really tell you what they sell.The window display is chaotic. You walk
inside and see shelves that are cluttered. No other customers are inside. You
walk over to a bin and scoop up a bunch of taffy. The candy looks old, outdated,
or even smells bad. Plus, the staff are unfriendly, unavailable and/or downright rude.
You walk outside and breathe in some fresh air. You are sooooo glad to get out of there!
Now just a few doors down there is another store. This one looks inviting, has a FUN
name and people are milling around excitedly talking about the clown at 2 p.m.
Their neighbors and friends told them to visit this store, what a Great Show. A line
has formed with people looking at their watches, anxious to get inside. The kids
are getting antsy. The store manager comes outside and gives everyone Free Samples.
And the candy tastes fresh, homemade and delicious. The Best Candy Ever!
There is music and when you Finally Get Inside, it was Worth the Wait.
There are exciting displays and unique products. The clown makes everyone laugh.
And a great time is had by All. Even the grumps. There is a line at the sales register
and the staff keep it moving. Everyone buys a memento to take home.
What a difference a Store makes !
Winning Ingredients... A clown, fun, clean atmosphere, for young and old, Fresh products, Music, Friendly Staff, and Free Samples !
Below is a short list of how you can promote your business and obtain Free Publicity.
1. Write newsworthy press releases that get published and distribute them free to sites like 24/7, PR Compass and others and to your customized
media contact list.
30 reasons to write a press release
http://www.entrepreneur.com/interstitial/Ent_Interstitial.aspx?URL=/marketing/publicrelations/gettingpress/article46476.html
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/youve-got-the-power-to-write-press-releases-that-get-published-by-undoing-the-snooze-factory-of-
boring-hype-40585.php
2. Establish a schedule to send news releases out on a regular basis (once a week, once a month, or quarterly).
3. Sponsor a charity for a year.
4. Create a website, make it media friendly and flaunt it. Keep it simple, eye catching (graphics) and compelling (content) and elegant.
Examples of media friendly sites:
http://www.stevespangler.com/
http://news.bestfriends.org/latestnews/
5. Write a blog about your business. Blog daily and keep the posts short, timely and relevant. Include links, graphics and videos and make it
entertaining. Do product reviews of related or complementary products to your products or services. For instance, if you are a massage
therapist, review massage tables, essential oils, and/or massage chairs and gadgets.
http://celiasue.hecht.googlepages.com/home
6. Write articles with tips to share your expertise. Put articles on your website and published at Ezinearticles.com and other sites.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Youve-Got-the-Power-to-Write-Press-Releases-that-Get-Published&id=977808
7. Sign up for Twitter, Ning, and other Social Networking sites and get involved in pertinent communities.
8. Write 10-50 Hub pages.
9. Write 10-50 Squidoo pages.
http://www.squidoo.com/writepressreleasesgetpublished
10. Create a MySpace, Facebook, and other Social Media pages.

2. http://www.facebook.com/people/CeliaSue_Hecht/662454288
11. Write how to, tips galore articles and press releases that are friendly to search engines with key words.
12. Send sample products to TV shows as giveaways for their studio audience (The View, Rachael Ray etc).
13. Write an ezine to offer as a giveaway on your website.
14. Write Special Reports to giveaway free to subscribers.
15. Exchange links with other website owners and network, network, network.
16. Highlight your credentials, awards, and successes.
17. Hold a Grand Opening event and invite famous local celebrities and personalities (the Mayor, Governor, and other candidates as well as known
movers and shakers within the community)
18. Create an online media/press room including a press kit (in pdf format). Include photos.
19. Hold a news conference and get to know and build relationships with the media.
20. Put fun short and appropriate audio (music) and YouTube videos on your website.
21. Deck your office/website out with a memorable trademark such as a Big Moose, large Shoe, or something that Stands Out and Attracts
customers.
22. Offer to do an Ask the Expert (Doctor, Lawyer, CPA, Cat/Word Whisperer) segment or column... Have samples on hand to send.
23. Design an entertaining and interactive company brochure.
24. Join local service organizations, like Kiwanis and Rotary International, hand out business cards and network.
25. Join the local chamber of commerce and other business groups including a referral group.
26. Attend and speak at conferences. Educate, entertain and inspire with Insider Tips.
27. Write and speak up for your business. Speak at the meetings of the local chamber of commerce and other business groups.
28. Send a postcard a month to prospective and ongoing clients.
29. Donate some of your products or services to charities.
30. Write a book and several ebooks. Do book signings and speak at your local bookstores.
31. Develop a monthly tips electronic newsletter and send out once a month (include graphics and photos).
32. Hold a contest for your new logo and tell the world.
• Copyright © 2008 by CeliaSue Hecht. http://celiasue.hecht.googlepages.com/writingservices All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited without
permission.
33. Hold a once a month open house party and invite the media.
34. Join the National Speakers Association.
35. Become a Keynote Speaker at conferences, colleges, seminars and meetings. Offer free tips, advice and quotes.
36. Give regularly scheduled free informational workshops and seminars.
37. Captivate audiences with historical, hysterical and homegrown facts
38. Feed a CPA, florist or other busy professional lunch for the day (CPA before April 15, florist before feb. 14).
http://celiasue.hecht.googlepages.com/mediaplacementcampaigns
39. Feed the homeless, adopt homeless pets and get involved with building homes, adobes, yurts for abused women and children and others less
fortunate.
40. Become a Board of Director serving on the board of your favorite non-profit organization
41. Create your tagline/elevator pitch (one sentence, 30 seconds).
42. Adopt a soldier.
43. Sing, dance or do something unique at a special event, conference or trade show.
44. Develop a new product and announce it to the media, your customers and prospects.
45. Start your own charity.
46. Serve as the chair of highly recognized fundraising events.
47. Send comments and questions to bloggers and news groups.

3. 48. Write letters to the editor.
49. Institute a Fun day at work such as invite the press Fridays, bring your pet to work day, give your boss the day off day or use your imagination
and let the media know.
50. Write bios and profiles of your company's unique individuals and community leaders that the media can feature and quote in articles.
51. Host your own Internet talk radio show.
52. Strange bedfellows. Have unlikely allies come together with shared goals related to your business? Let the media know.
53. Host your own cable TV show.
54. Got a dramatic human interest or inspiring story related to your business to tell the world? Spill it.
55. Develop a new use for your product or service and let the media know about it.
56. Join the church, synagogue, chorus. Bake cookies or treats for children or pets.
57. Gift List media: send samples for product reviews in blogs, newspapers and magazines and to be included in holiday gift giving guides
58. Create a day, week or utilize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Black History or Women's History month to spark story ideas about your
business that you can pitch to the media.
59. Learn from your competitors, how are they promoting their business?
60. Create a unique signature for your emails with your web address and tagline.
61. Select a mascot or animal spokesperson for your business.
62. Capitalize upon holidays for special events. Become a Secret Santa and contribute Toys for Tots to needy children.
63. Do something never done before in your industry.
64. Develop a signature product or service that everyone can easily recognize, and offer freebies like the signature fresh-baked chocolate chip
cookies that Doubletree hotel gives its guests. They hand out over 29,000 chocolate chip cookies every day. Have a Count the marbles,
cookies, or whatever contest about how many freebies you give out and let the media know.
65. Do events and promotions with other like-minded companies.
66. Drive your message around town with your company name, phone and website address painted or plastered in a banner on your vehicle.
67. Be the host or speak at teleseminars and invite others to attend.
68. Announce a media friendly zone at your business.
69. Ask a celebrity spokesperson to lunch and/or ask them to sign / autograph your product, or sample and wear your product
70. Have your product shown in a TV show or movie.
71. Invite luminaries to Anniversaries and milestones
72. Spread the word about your new free giveaway holiday campaign
73. Read, Listen and learn what the media are talking about and join the conversation.
74. Contribute to others in the community, volunteer for projects no one else wants to do. Clean up like Bette Midler, organize a community garden,
or hold a swap meet, car wash or bake sale for underprivileged high school kids to go to college.
75. Create a Real Fortune Cookie with money inside, a really expensive item that only millionaires can buy or an item that can be bought for a
penny or a nickel or a dime or a quarter. Or maybe one of each.
76, Collect testimonials, referrals, endorsements to sprinkle lavishly on your promotional materials.
77. Shine a light on a particular subject, community controversy, or health issue or topic and offer solutions to the problem and tell the media.
78. Localize a national news story and pitch this perspective to your local media.
79. Become a Trendsetter... Highlight, suggest and point out a new trend in your industry.
80. Become a resource who freely assists the media with story ideas, quotes and info they need for stories, not only about your business.
81. Find something unusual like a piece of the Golden Gate bridge (sell you a bridge, wooden nickels, or some such) and sell it to the public for
pennies and let the media know.
82. Become a columnist online and/or for your local newspaper.
83. Advise your TV station producer of any upcoming photo opportunities (children, animals/pets, unusual visuals, awards, grand openings, etc)...
84. Become friends with the Calendar Editor... List your events, seminars, workshops, classes, book signings, 2-4 weeks ahead of time
85. Design a hat, or company T-shirt with your company’s name and logo on it and wear it everywhere.
86. Have a booth in various tradeshows.

4. 87. Feed the media news on a regular basis. Write letters to reporters and editors, introducing yourself and identifying your areas of expertise.
88. Institute an award, national holiday or other event, then broacast it.
# # #
Raised in an entrepreneurial family, her father and uncles were self-employed in the buy and sell machinery industry, CeliaSue Hecht has followed in
their footsteps since 1980, She is a professional and published writer, The Writing Wiz, and owner of Key Communications Ink, a writing services and
publicity consulting firm that develops imaginative and strategic plans to assist entrepreneurs to get the words out about your business. She works with
small business owners, lone professionals and authors.
If you would like to discuss your writing, editing and/or publicity needs and projects, please contact CeliaSue Hecht at 702-225-8206 or Email at
celiasue.hecht@gmail.com.
Find out more at the website:.http://celiasue.hecht.googlepages.com/writingservices. Access oodles of information, including FREE articles, insider tips,
and ebooks.