The first step to getting loads of free publicity for your business is to ask yourself - what's newsworthy?

What's newsworthy may depend on the particular media you are targeting. Metropolitan daily newspapers and television networks will be interested in a different type of news story to one that might interest a local radio station or suburban newspaper. Sometimes the same news story can be pitched differently to suit the different news organizations.

Here are some opportunities to get media coverage:

Staff news If you employ an important new person, tell the press. Have any employees being given awards? Have you had record-breaking orders or have you promoted someone for excellence?

Customer's news Have you had any celebrity customers? Have you helped any customers out of a tricky situation? Business changes Are you increasing (or decreasing) the size of your business? Have you captured a big export order. Are you bringing in a new product range, or providing new services? Location Is there anything newsworthy about the building you occupy? What is its history? Unusual services Do you have a strange occupation, or have you been asked to do (or make something) that's unusual?

You What have you done that could be seen as newsworthy? Any awards, sporting achievements, seminars, guest speaker roles etc.?

Start making a list of how you could generate a newsworthy story for your business.

If you are still stumped, then the following 7 questions may give you some ideas to get some free publicity: 1. Do you offer something that is not available anywhere else?

2. Are you a new business in the community or have you recently renovated?

3. Are you celebrating an opening, an expansion or some anniversary?

4. Are you the last or only type of your business in the area?

5. Have you or your staff recently completed any specialist training?

6. Do you do charitable work or do you sponsor a club?

7. Could you host special events like free demonstrations, free lessons, free seminars?

These are all media opportunities that have the potential to make you and your business famous... well, for a short time anyway.

I'll give you a couple of examples from my own experience.

When I first started in business I had a craft store and regularly had various experts give demonstrations on glass blowing, pottery making and china painting etc. I also held art exhibitions for well-known artists. The amount of free publicity my business got would have run into many tens of thousands of dollars. The publicity cost me nothing, apart from a little time and organization. It resulted in hundreds of new customers and thousands of extra dollars in the cash register.

Also, back in my days in the toy trade, the media were always interested in what children wanted for Christmas. They had a fixation to know "what's hot and what's not!" So, every Christmas I would tell the media what kids wanted Santa to give them for Christmas. Or, to put it another way... "what parents should buy their kids for Christmas." I knew, because demand was driven by television advertising and by what I had on my shelves. Every year without fail I got thousands of dollars worth of free publicity. It was that easy.

The really good part of all this, is that a news story is worth far more in terms of credibility than advertising. There are opportunities for any and every business to get free media coverage. You just have to hunt them out.

© Noel Peebles. Market Leaders Limited. http://www.instantsellbusiness.com http://www.instantsellhome.com