I love to read books by authors who make complex topics easy and understandable. One terrific author who meets that description is Marcia Yudkin. For example, I'd be hard pressed to think of any business person who couldn't benefit from reading Ms Yudkin's book, 6 Steps To Free Publicity.
Even if you are totally ignorant about how to build a publicity campaign for your cause, business or organization, Marcia takes you by the hand and leads you step by step through the process. The ideas in this book can be used by corporations and solo professionals, with each reader finding a great number of techniques that can be used immediately.
The crucial take away from this book is to think like a journalist. The media is not so much interested in what we want to tell them. Without exception, they will ask, "Why would our readers (or listeners or viewers) be interested in this story now?" Unless your idea passes this test, it will not get publicity.
Ms. Yudkin's 6 steps for creating a newsworthy press release are:
- Step One: Find a news angle for your headline.
- Step Two: Present the basic facts for the angle of your headline in the first paragraph.
- Step Three: Gather or create a lively quote that elaborates on the basic facts for paragraph two.
- Step Four: In paragraph three, elaborate on the basic facts.
- Step Five: End with the nitty-gritty details.
- Step Six: Send your press release to the individual most likely to see the newsworthiness of your idea.
Along the way, Ms. Yudkin offers a truckload of advice on how to make your idea timely and how to come up with creative angles to get the media to sit up and take notice of you. Among these, she includes ideas for creating tip sheets that journalists and prospective clients will want to keep in their files; how to write your own news articles that can promote your business or organization; and how to perform on radio and TV like a seasoned professional.
Once you get a mention, don't let the benefits fade away. Ms. Yudkin advices that reprints of articles be included in your publicity kits and posted on your website to create lasting exposure from a single article.
I have yet to read anything written by Marcia Yudkin that fails to deliver the goods. If you are in business or in charge of promoting a cause or organization, 6 Steps To Free Publicity belongs on your bookshelf.
COPYRIGHT(C)2006, Charles Brown. All rights reserved.
Download your free copy of 99 Ideas For Writing Irresistible Web Content, written by Charles Brown, a Dallas, Texas based freelance copywriter who writes web copy, advertisements, white papers and direct mail. Subscribe to his "Freelance Copywriter Secrets" at http://dynamiccopywriting.blogspot.com or contact him at 817.715.3852 or **charbrow@gmail.com**.
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