By: Kenny Love

How would you like to not only promote your business on television and radio, but also become a local, regional, or even national celebrity at the same time?

Think it can't be done? Think again. I will show you exactly how to do just that, as I have done quite a number of television interviews, and far too many radio interviews to count.

Now, no matter what you do, promote, or sell, there is probably a television or radio program that will interview you for it.

However, most people tend to think that television and radio are only for established celebrities, or that they must find an "inside" connection, or must spend exorbitant amounts of money on a professional publicity firm in order to crack these media.

Well, nothing could be further from the truth, as I am living proof of it. I suppose I have always been a bit of a media ham/hound, take your pick of the terms, for I have been doing television and radio interviews for almost ten years. And, it is a very simple process, and one that I thoroughly enjoy.

Following, is a layout of the steps for you to begin approaching this invaluable level of media for bringing dramatically more attention to your venture(s).

* One point of note that should be stressed, is that you will experience greater results and success IF you can put a "news" or "public benefit" spin on what you have to offer, and not simply convey that your sole intent is to "sell" a product or service.

You should also consider incorporating special discounts or even "freebie" offers for viewers and listeners to further entice prospects to your offer. So, let's begin with the "how to" process.

Television

1. Pick up you local television guide, or even better, search online, and carefully review any locally or regionally produced programs such as morning shows or news programs. You want to list each of these down on paper.

2. Next, get the station telephone numbers, call them up, and inquire the name of each show's producer, and/or the news director for newscasts. You will probably find there is more than one newscast, with each newscast hour having a different director. The more, the merrier.

3. Inform the producer or news director of the offer you have that you feel would be newsworthy and something the viewers or listeners would be interested in.

4. The producer/news director will, at that point, ask you to send more information, generally, in the form of a news release or, more appropriately, a media kit. Make sure yours is top-notch. If for any reason you cannot reach the producer or news director personally, ask the receptionist or an assistant to provide you with their name, as well as the station contact address.

5. Next, be patient. By all means, don't repeatedly hound them in the interest of getting an interview. This will only serve to alienate any future possibility. If they are interested, and you have done a good job of convincing them, they WILL call you. Also, keep in mind that the time frames of them contacting you can vary from 1 week to 1 year, as they are required to produce segments ahead of time.

Radio

Basically, ditto for radio, except whereas the average person is, generally, financially restricted to local television (regional at best), you can (and should) approach radio, literally, on a worldwide basis. How?

Well, radio has as much, if not more, of an advantage because most interviews today, can (and are) conducted via telephone, thus, eliminating your need to travel and incur expense. I, personally, have done almost 100 radio interviews promoting one particular product, or another.

Following up your initial contact, the same way as you do with television, once your radio interview is scheduled, you wait by the phone on the date scheduled. By all means, if you have small children in your home, try to arrange for them to be in a different location during your interview. Also, try to eliminate as much noise as possible within your own environment, outside and inside your home.

Another thing, is that the station pays for the phone call. The producer/news director will call you approximately 10-15 minutes ahead of time and have you wait while they "set-up" the show. During this time, you will be able to hear the outgoing program, as well as hearing the incoming program you are to be a guest on. You will also hear them introduce you to their listenership.

If it is your first time being interviewed, whether on radio or television, the chance is good that you will be nervous. But, don't let this hold you back because once the virgin interview is done, you are generally comfortable from that point forward.

Again, I have an incredible amount of fun doing both radio and television interviews. My interviews via radio have been as far away as South Africa to date, while I sit in the comfort of my own home in Texas.

Below are several web sites where you can have access to radio stations, followed by a research of their programs. The web site addresses listed at numbers 3 and 4, also contain television contacts. What you want to locate, are radio stations with the formats of "Talk" and/or "Interview." With the television stations, simply review their online schedules, much as you would a local television guide.

1. http://www.radiodirectory.com

2. http://www.radio-directory.com

3. http://ajrnewslink.org

4. http://www.gebbieinc.com

If you are not utilizing the television and radio mediums to bring attention to your business, products, or services, you are, indeed, doing yourself a tremendous injustice.

So, there you go. Knock yourself out and have an abundance of fun with the media that most people are unfamiliar with or unaware of how to take complete advantage of.

Kenny Love, of Kenny Love Enterprises. Provider of diversified information, products, and resources. See the extensive web site at http://www.kennylove.net.

By: Phil Sasso

There are many effective on-line promotion techniques. Everyone s using them. In fact, they are being used so much some are becoming less effective. It s getting more difficult to break through all the on-line advertising clutter and build your business.

The solution?

Direct mail advertising. Direct mail combines the targeting of on-line marketing with the longevity of off-line marketing. Your mailing list can be targeted to your prospect s demographics, geographics and interests. And because mailers are tangible they demand attention and can be kept as a reminder.

Our client s have had the most success with postcard mailings. These mailings have a big impact for a smaller price tag. There s no envelope to print, stuff or open. The message is immediately there to capture the reader s attention.

Your mailing can be a one-time event or a series of mailings. In our experience a long-term direct mail campaign is the most effective. Each successive postcard generates more results because your name and message becomes recognized and remembered.

Here s a checklist for developing your next mailing. Read the whole list before you begin a direct mail campaign. There are a lot of details to manage, and you don t want to miss an important one:

1. Selecting A List Be sure to choose a reliable source that guarantees the list.

o Is it targeted to your exact audience by income, gender, location, or interest?

o Will the list broker/source reimburse you for bad addresses?

o How often can you use the list? Is it time or use limited?

o What is the source of this list? Magazine? Database? Phonebook? Membership?

o What format can you get it in? DB? ASCII? Labels? Tape? Diskette? CD?

2. Designing A Postcard Choose a firm that understands postcard design. Avoid cramming too much in. If you have a lot to say, break it out over a series of mailers.

o Does it meet postal requirements?

o Are you using color and graphics effectively?

o Does your headline capture the reader?

o Do you tell them what you want them to do? (visit your site!)

o Is your message simple and clear?

3. Printing A Postcard Choose a printer that can show you postcard samples. These can both serve to show the quality of their work and give you ideas for your card.

o Is you printer familiar with postcard printing?

o Is it mailable weight? Is the thickness correct?

o Are the dimension right? Does it meet postal codes?

o Can the printer meet your deadline?

o Should you print extra for future use? What s the cost?

4. Bulk Mailing - I suggest you use a lettershop to do your mailing preparation. A lettershop can save you enough money on bulk mailing postage to pay for their services and save you hours of labeling and stamping.

o Will you use your permit or your lettershop s?

o Are you using labels or imprinting the cards?

o What is the bulk rate for this postcard? What s first class? What will you do?

o When will the postal drop be? When will it arrive in your customer s hands?

o Does the piece meet postal code? Is the permit number correct?

This is not an exhaustive list, but a fairly thorough one. It should guide you along the general route and help you avoid the major potholes you could hit.

Remember the old adage: Failing to plan is like planning to fail. There s a lot of planning in a direct mail campaign. The better prepared you are, the better your results will be.

When planning a mailing work backwards from the date you want the card to arrive. Add in the time for design, printing, labeling and mailing. Be sure to have a buffer in case any complications arise. You can always as a lettershop to hold a mailing a few days. That s a lot less stressful than rushing the job and paying for the resulting mistakes.

I suggest you choose suppliers that have experience doing postcard mailings. They can help you with all the details. Or better yet, choose one source to manage the entire mailing.

Track the results of your mailing. You ll probably find hits will jump suddenly, and then trail off over a few days. Try to space your mailing out so that the peaks and trail-offs overlap slightly for maximum results.

Phil Sasso, president of Sasso Marketing, provides marketing consulting & creative services both in print & e-media. | www.sassomarketing.com. | phil@xmark.com

By: Wild Bill Montgomery

1. Answering Machine 2. Address labels 3. Billboards

4. Brochures

5. Business Cards 6. Catalogs

7. CD ROM Presentations 8. Christmas Cards 9. Classifieds

10. Company/Personal Cars 11. Coupons

12. Co-Workers

13. Checks

14. Envelopes

15. Existing customers 16. Fax sheets

17. Flyers

18. Freebies & Giveaways 19. Friends

20. Interviews

21. Invoices

22. Leaflets

23. Media Kits

24. Newsletters 25. Newspaper Ads 26. On Hold Messages 27. Packaging

28. Personal Mail 29. PhoneBook Listings 30. Postcards

31. Posters

32. Press Releases 33. Print Ads

34. Products

35. Promotional Materials 36. Radio Ads

37. Receipts

38. Reorder Forms 39. Sales Letters 40. Stationery

41. Storefront

42. Television Ads 43. Trade Shows 44. Uniforms & Hats 45. Your Home

Here's a couple of Bonus Tips and Ideas!

A. Contact Radio & TV Stations and offer to write a

Free "advice or tips" column.

B. Join Your Local Chamber of Commerce and other

Commerce related organizations.

C. Schedule free offline classes and teach people how

to use their computer, software or navigate the

Internet.

D. Write a tips booklet and offer to mention each

business in the booklet for letting you drop them off

for counter or bagging distribution.

E. Offer to speak for free at conferences, meetings, or

seminars, then make sure your hand outs include details

about your website, ezine, and subscription

instructions.

F. Add an insert with your URL into every piece of mail

that goes out of your house or business.

G. Donate products or services to raffles with your URL

mentioned with/instead of your company or name.

H. Webdecals are a new, inexpensive and fun way to

attract attention to your website. People absolutely

love them, and they are very simple to use. Webdecals

are made of high quality vinyl and printed with state

of the art digital equipment. Display your website

address and more in bold white or black & white

letters. People stick them everywhere. In your car

windows, store, office and home windows, any place with

glass!

I. ID-It Plates: These Elegant mini-Billboards promote

YOU 365 days a year, enhance the appearance of your

vehicles, last for years and most important, give you

literally Millions of Impressions over their lifetime.

Wild Bill Montgomery We've Featured Over 110 Articles in only one issue

of our newsletter. How many do you get in yours?

Why Play With Puppies, When The Big Dog Rules!

The Best In Online Marketing & Business Information!

Subscribe Now!

By: Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea? Ask

Many Internet businesses fall into the common trap of limiting themselves to Internet advertising. In fact, the companies that succeed are usually the ones that can cross boundaries and create a presence both ON and AWAY from the computer terminal.

One way that successful companies integrate Internet- and non- Internet advertising is to come up with creative ways of having their name seen by potential customers. The key here is that if your customers see your name away from the computer, they will remember it when they sit down and start using their search engines.

There are countless ways that you can create name recognition for your company. Here are three techniques that I've seen work really well:

* Wear Your Advertising: Try having customers WEAR your ads. Logos and slogans printed on shirts, hats, even underwear is a hot trend in advertising. People in the ad biz call them "wearables."

There is a big increase in the number of companies that allow casual dress days. That is a great opportunity to get your wearable message in front of lots of people in a particular industry. Prospects are much more likely to consider and purchase business services and products if they get your ad message while they are at work.

Check your local yellow pages under "advertising specialties." It is not unusual to find a small home-based shop producing top notch T-shirts and jackets. If there isn't a supplier near you, check any search engine with the terms-advertising, wearable. Dozens of links will pop up.

* Put a Sign On Your Car: As our cities sprawl with growth each year, many of us find ourselves commuting ever longer distances to work. Long commutes in slow traffic are making signs on automobiles an effective low-cost way to advertise.

You can use magnetic signs, window stickers, or have your message painted on the side of your car, van, or tuck. Check the Yellow Pages for a printer, sign company, or banner maker who can provide your signs.

Online check:

http://www.signsquick.com

http://www.4allsigns.com

Because we tend to drive along with the same clump of cars for significant distances, people can see your sign for 15 to20 minutes. Your signs can work as a prolonged highway infomercial.

* Take Advantage of Billboards: Billboards are a classic way of reaching customers in a specific neighborhood. You can target certain routes to work, residential communities, even workers at particular plants.

Not all states and communities allow billboards. You may have to use posters or small signs. These are even more effective in areas that don't have billboards.

Keep your billboard message simple. There is no way people will understand detailed copy at 70 miles per hour. Instead, let a photo help tell your story. A headline, graphic, and two bullets are generally the most your can effectively use.

Major corporations are always interested in creating "Brand Recognition" for their products. That's why you see so many commercials that don't seem to be selling much of anything -- they are simply trying to get you to remember the NAME so that it will come to mind when you make your next purchase. As a small- businessperson, you can do the same thing by being creative with your advertising and thinking outside the computer "box."

Looking for ways to market your product, service, or idea? Ask Kevin! He'll give you fresh promotion ideas free--no obligation. Reach c and his staff of marketing experts at kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006. See the promotion packages that are working best for his customers at http://DrNunley.com

By: June Campbell

If you're in business, especially if you are doing business on the Internet,

the day will come when you are invited to do a media interview. Perhaps

someone has read your online articles and is impressed, or perhaps your

local newspaper or television station is profiling interesting Internet

entrepreneurs in their community. Whatever the reason, you are being given

an excellent opportunity to promote your business. To get the most mileage

from your interview, consider the following tips:

1. Before the interview, practice your answers to the typical questions of

Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. That is, be prepared to state your

name, your business, where you are located, what you do, when you started,

why you started your business, and how you do things. Prepare and practice

so your statements will flow smoothly.

2. Before the interview takes place, consider the main message that you want

the audience to receive. Make a list of three major points, and practice

saying these three points to yourself until you can speak them smoothly and

confidently, without stumbling.

3. During the interview, try to include these three main points as much as

possible. Your interview is likely to be edited prior to publishing or

broadcasting. By repeating your main points, you reduce the possibility that

your preferred message will be edited out.

4. Be prepared to tell brief anecdotes and short stories. Think of a time

when you solved a problem for a customer, or relate a success story or two.

Find a way to mix one or more of your three main marketing messages into

each anecdote.

5. Use humor with caution. If you are telling a humorous anecdote, be sure

that "the joke is on yourself" and explain what you learned from the

experience. Avoid giving people the idea that you laugh at your customers

behind their backs.

6. Similarly, resist the temptations to tell negative stories. If your

interviewer asks you to explain "the dumbest question you were ever asked,"

for example, be very careful to portray your customers in a positive light.

You might answer something like, "There really are no dumb questions. Our

clients have business needs and we do all we can do address those needs."

7. Consider writing a list of suggested questions or topics to cover. Send

this list to the journalist prior to the interview. If used, your list will

direct the interview in the way you hope. Naturally, prepare your answers to

these questions in advance, and be prepared to speak easily on each topic.

8. Be prepared to offer your audience some sort of report, gift or other

item -- on autoresponder, faxback or web site. Remember, the simpler the

instructions, the more likely your audience will be to remember it.

9. If your interview will be televised, ask in advance for tips regarding

clothing, makeup and accessories. As a rule of thumb, dress appropriately

for the type of business you are operating. Remember that solid colors are

preferred over prints, geometrics, plaids or florals. Accessories that

dangle, move, glitter, shine or create noise are inadvisable. If you wear

eyeglasses, ask the camera operator what you can do to reduce the glare.

Ready? Break a Leg!

June Campbell, "How-to" Booklets, Guides, Templates, & eBooks

-Business proposals

-Business plans,

-Joint Venture Contracts... More!

Visit to Claim Your FREE GIFT!

(http://www.nightcats.com)

By: June Campbell

You know how difficult it is to drive traffic to your site. The sheer

numbers of websites make it all too easy to get lost in the crowd. Search

engines are becoming less effective at keyword searches, banner advertising

has a lower clickthrough rate than it once had .....

One solution to the traffic problem is offline advertising. Big names like

Beyond.com are already promoting their site through commercial ads on

national television networks

Those of us without deep pockets might do well to look for more affordable

methods of offline advertising -- such as postcards containing a picture of

your web site and a custom message. Let's call them "Netposts."

Here are just some of the ways that you might use Netposts.

* Mail them to clients in thanks for business.

* Send them business contacts in lieu of Christmas or other seasonal cards.

* Distribute them at networking groups and trade shows.

* Leave them in selected locations instead of brochures. For example, if

your site is selling pet care products, publish some articles on pet care on

your web site, then ask animal hospitals and veterinarian clinics if they

will display your netposts.

* Send them out to potential customers before you make that cold call.

Since the cards are colourful, attractive and easy to handle, they are more

likely to be kept on display than a letter or even a brochure.

* Mail them to your customers to announce special deals, sales or other

corporate news.

You can make your own netposts if you have the equipment, software and skill

to use both effectively.

You will need a graphics software program (i.e. PaintShop Pro, PhotoShop),

a desktop publishing program (i.e. PageMaker, CorelDraw, MS Word), and

sheets of blank postcards such as those sold by Avery (www.avery.com). You

will also need access to a good quality color printer. Desktop bubble jets

can work quite well when budgets are tight, but do not expect the same

quality printing as you would from an offset printer.

Here is what you do:

1. Take a screen capture of your Web site. PC users, press the Print

Screen button on your keyboard. Mac users, your instruction manual will tell

you a keyboard command to use. A screen capture will save an image of your

screen on the clipboard if you are using Windows, and on the desktop if you

are using the Mac.

2. Open your graphics software application. Mac users, open the image that

appeared on your desktop when you did the screen capture. PC users, open a

new file then paste your clipboard contents onto the new file. (To paste, PC

users use the keyboard command of Control V). Voila! You now have a graphic

image of your home page. Edit and resize as desired.

3. Using a sheet of Avery postcards as your guide, lay out a postcard page

in your desktop publishing program. Use your creativity to add text or other

images if wanted.

4. Design a back page for your postcards, including your return address and

any other message you require. You can also add recipients' addresses.

5. Print your front page onto your Avery postcards, using any good quality

printer.

Then, turn the postcards over, being careful to match upsides; and print

the back page

There you have it. Your own do-it-yourself netposts!

June Campbell, "How-to" Booklets, Guides, Templates, & eBooks

-Business proposals

-Business plans,

-Joint Venture Contracts... More!

Visit to Claim Your FREE GIFT!

(http://www.nightcats.com

By: Kahlia Hannah

Finding a great way to market that is surely going to bring in

some profits from new customers is tough predicament. That's

where marketing in magazines comes into play.

Advertising in well known magazines has a lot of advantages.

First, if people trust the magazine, they will be more likely to

trust the businesses represented there. Time Magazine, for

example, is highly respected publication; putting an

advertisement into their pages is sure to grab some interest and

give your company a good name.

It might seem a little frivolous to run an ad in a national

magazine for a small company or one that can only do local

business. But there is a little known secret-- most of those well

known magazines run regional editions that are only distributed

throughout certain areas.

Running an ad in a regional edition is cheaper than showcasing it

to an entire nation. It also has greater advantages over other

media sources such as newspapers. The color used in the glossy

pages of a nice magazine grabs attention and really gives the

product a better focus on detail than would a newspaper

advertisement.

One smart thing to do when advertising in a magazine for the

first time is to do a split run test. Think up two or three

different headlines for your ad that you think will bring in

responses. Ask the magazine to split the ads, meaning that one

headline will go into half the issues printed while the other

headline goes into the rest. You can code responses with numbers,

coupons, or a verbal phrase in order to find out which headline

received the most attention. The next time you run the ad, you

will know which headline works the best.

Persistance is key. If you run your ad in a magazine once or

twice, don't expect an influx of business. People will begin to

recognize and trust your name the more they see it. Try running

ads over a longer perid of time. Many magazines have special

deals where the lengthier period of ad space you purchase the

cheaper the ads become.

Tell your customer in the ad to call or write or email for free

information. Any time you get a response, you can send a

motivating sales letter and brochure to them to really grab their

attention.

Kahlia Hannah provides marketing advice and popular promotion

packages. See her low-cost direct marketing and PR deals at

http://MarketingHelp.NET Reach Kahlia at

mailto:kahlia@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.

By: Judy Cullins

A good, inexpensive way to promote your books is a flyer. What makes one

flyer so much better than another? Use these tips to make yours stand out

from the crowd.

1. Include your front cover. People want to see what your book looks like.

Color is great, but not necessary. Make sure your colored book cover copies

well in black and white. It's far cheaper to print in black and white.

2. Hook your prospective buyers in the top line. For instance, read about SEX

as it really is! Give your audience a reason to buy--Show those benefits!

3. Include some juicy excerpts. Buyers want to see a sample of your writing.

4. Include your picture with a brief biography near it. People want to see

what the author looks like. Place it on the right side if possible.

5. Add praise from others. This is the most important way to market. The

praise doesn't have to be from famous people. One author added a testimonial

from a convict!

6. Put ordering information on a coupon at the flyer's bottom. Include ISBN

number, Web site URL, and discount information.

7. Make it easy to buy. Say you accept credit cards, checks or money orders.

Include your 800 number.

8. Give your buyers all the ways to stay in touch with you-street address,

e-mail, Web Site, local phone and fax number, and 800 number.

9. Carry at least 25 flyers with you in a folder. Give one to every person

you meet. Remember the "law of seven." After seven exposures, you have a

buyer!

10. Use the backside of the flyer. Multiply buying results with more

testimonials on the back. Include a longer excerpt from your book.

Your flyer is an extension of your book, and one of the least expensive ways

to market with print. Print hundreds, even thousands so your book buying

public can easily purchase your book.

Judy Cullins: author, publisher, book coach

_Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online_

_Write Your eBook or Other Short Book-Fast!_

http://www.bookcoaching.com/products.shtml

Subscribe to FREE ezine "The Book Coach Says..."

Email: Judy@bookcoaching.com

By: Terri Seymour

Having an online business entails neverending online

promotion, but do not forget to promote offline as well.

There are many ways to spread the word offline about

your business. Try a few of these affordable and easy

ideas. These ideas are simple, yet can bring your

site many visitors.

Flyers - Design and print flyers right from your

computer. Post them on bulletin boards at grocery

stores, churches, malls, post offices, banks, etc.

Use brightly colored paper to get people's attention.

Make the message interesting enough so they want to

visit your site.

WebDecals - Purchase a WebDecal for your car. Promote

while running errands, shopping or wherever you have

to go. They are easy to use and inexpensive.

Local Papers - Run your ads in local newspapers. You

can usually get these at very reasonable rates. Ask

your local paper if they would consider doing a story

about your business. Local papers frequently do a

write up for local business owners.

Business Cards - Always have business cards on hand.

Stick one in your monthly bills when you mail them out,

leave one on the table with the tip when you leave

the restaurant, stick them on bulletin boards, leave

one whenever the opportunity arises.

Letterheads - You should have your url and logo on

all printed materials that leave your home/office.

Have your url stamped on all envelopes and letters

and anything else you mail out.

Coupons - Print out coupons that offer discounts or

freebies for anyone who visits your site from that

coupon. Post these on bulletin boards, put them in

all your outgoing mail, etc.

Freebies - Offer freebies from your site that have

your url printed on them, such as ink pens, coffee

mugs, matchbooks, calendars, etc. Lots of these

items get seen by many people.

Find out more about offline promotion:

http://www.web-sitepromotion.com/offline.htm

http://www.digital-women.com/unique.htm

http://www.bjweb.com/mktg_guide6.htm

There are tons of ways to promote your online business

offline. Expand on the ideas I have listed and really

use your creative imagination. Bring more traffic to

your site by going offline!

Terri Seymour owns and operates MyOwnEzine.com

MyOwnEzine.com is a website, ezine and service which

provides the resources, tools, guidance and more to help

you start, publish and promote your own ezine. You can

contact Terri at mailto:ter02@newnorth.net Subscribe

at mailto:subscribe@myownezine.com or visit

http://www.myownezine.com for lots more info.

By: Richard Lowe

Many of us spend an incredible amount of time advertising our site all over the internet. We spend weeks trying to get our sites listed properly in the search engines, submit to directories, pay for clicks and get advertisements in ezines. As with everything in life, some of this is successful and some of it is not.

Well, remember that a very important component of your internet promotional scheme is off-internet advertising. Why is this important? Most people actually spend some of their life away from their computers. I know that sounds fantastic, but it's true! There is more to life than email, browsing and newsgroups, after all!

Be sure and coordinate your on-line and off-line advertising efforts. Include your web site address and email address in all of your printed materials. This includes the following, among others.

Business cards - Business cards are very inexpensive. In fact, some internet companies have recently offered packs of 100 business cards for free to promote their printing services.

Stationery - If you write letters and send them through the mails, remember to include your web site address on your letterhead.

Envelopes - Printing your internet contact information on the back of envelops is a great idea.

Post it notes - Post it notes are a little more expensive to print, but they make great give-aways at conventions and other similar places.

Brochures - A printed brochure which you can distribute might be a great idea.

T-Shirts - If you are looking for something to give away which advertises your site, try t-shirts. Anyone who wears the shirt is advertising your site for free.

Print up a nice, cheap, good-looking flyer and hand it out whenever possible. When you can afford it, print up some brochures which tie back into your web site or internet business. Keep these handy for opportune moments.

Your advertising campaign can include many other areas.

- You can take out classifieds in magazines (tends to be expensive), newspapers or tabloids.

- Flyers are cheap and easy to hand out.

- Direct mail tends to be expensive, but if you have the right mailing lists the payoff can be very high.

- Go to conventions and other special events and pass out your business card and flyers.

- Make up refrigerator magnets, pencils or other small items with your credentials and pass them out.

- Get another business to include your flyer or promotional material in their packages.

- Teach a class and pass out your materials.

- Get mouse pads made up and give them away.

Be creative. There are hundreds and hundreds of other ways to advertise your business off the internet. And these can be extremely effective at building traffic and generating sales.

Conventions which pertain to your industry or group can be an exceptionally rich source of leads and new advertising. If you go to those events, remember your goal is to make contacts and spread the word about your site, products or services. Mill around, talk to people, and make sure they leave with your printed materials. In other words, network, network, network.

Small classified advertisements in magazines and newspapers can also be great sources of traffic to your site. Remember, however, to be very cautious and not spend much money on this form of promotion until you find a formula that works. In other words, place small, experimental ads here and there until you find the ones that produce the desired results.

Nothing beats getting a mention on a newspaper or magazine. In fact, the traffic created by a brief mention in a good-sized newspaper can be huge enough (although of very short duration) to overwhelm a site for a time.

In summary, remember there is more to life than the internet. Believe it or note, most people actually don't spend every waking moment in front of a computer screen. By cautiously taking advantage of this, you can get more people to your site than you might think.

Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secrets. This website includes over 1,000 free articles to improve your internet profits, enjoyment and knowledge. Web Site Address: http://www.internet-tips.net Weekly newsletter: http://www.internet-tips.net/joinlist.htm Daily Tips: mailto:internet-tips@GetResponse.com

By: Kenny Love

In the Music industry, whenever most independent musicians release a new recording today, a certain aspect of their promotion entails their distribution and giveaway of FREE samples of their music on a separate promotional compact disc. This serves as a 'teaser' in enticing prospects to then go to record stores to buy the full-length recording.

As 'writeable' promo discs can be purchased inexpensively at stores such as Wal-Mart, after which the music samples are copied from the hard drive to the CD, or by using what is known as a CD burner (high-speed duplicator), it should come as no surprise that even the most financially challenged musicians are now embracing this invaluable and well proven promotional aspect for bringing immediate attention to their music.

And, as this method has proven unanimously beneficial in terms of ease of finance, promotion and time, there is absolutely no reason that a similar process cannot also work for your own business, albeit, a few elements properly customized (be sure your computer's compact disc is a "writeable" type, and not simply a "readable" one).

As such, I am providing a "from start to finish" outline that you should find very effective, almost immediately, whether you wish to reach out to your prospects locally, regionally or nationally.

Hypothetically, let's say you are in the field of Cosmetology, and own and operate a hair salon. Though your industry has a ready-made market, with women repeatedly visiting on a regular basis, naturally, there is also a fair degree of competition from other salons in your area as well.

And, as such, you've noticed that your business sales and clients, have either begun to level off, stagnate or, possibly, even diminish. What can you quickly do to maintain and increase your clientele and, accordingly, your salon's income?

1. Why not take all of the elements of your business, such as your weekly specials, information about your salon such as its history, your web site address, email address, regular prices, business hours, contact information, along with the various products and services you offer, then format them into attractive files and place them on compact discs for distribution?

Your prospects are certain to be pleasantly surprised with this new out-of-the-norm promotion method and anxious to see what surprise awaits them on the CD.

2. Next, consider all the businesses women might patronize, such as women's shoe stores, women's clothing stores, jewelry stores, supermarkets, mall stores, cosmetic stores, etc. Your goal is to consider businesses that are complementary to your own services, yet, are not in competition in any way.

3. Now, contact the store managers and/or owners, informing them that you are a fellow local business owner, and request to know if they will consider handing out your CD of information to their customers and/or clients who have computers and, hopefully, have Internet service. You might even request to enter into a barter agreement with these businesses, whereby, you distribute their sales information as well.

While all contacts you make might not be receptive to this idea, undeniably, you will acquire more than a few who will be interested, if for no other reason than the opportunities to offer their customers a little something extra and/or to get their own business information into the hands of new prospects (your customers) as well.

4. Also, be sure to not only consider distributing your CDs hand-to-hand on your own, always having them available on your person ready to hand out, but also having them available at your salon to give to your existing and new customers.

5. Another avenue, is to consider doing a local or regional mail-out campaign. You could simply contact prospects via telephone and attempt to qualify them by simply asking if they own a computer and, if so, that you would like to send them a CD of info regarding your hair salon and its services.

6. If your budget allows, yet, another method is to contact an area print publication that specifically targets women and request if you can pay to have your CD attached to one of their issues, or included as an insert.

7. To backtrack for a moment, be sure that your web site contains a form readily viewable on it so that when prospects with online service access your site, your form can readily capture their email address, as well as their mailing address.

This is vital information that you need in order to provide your customers with any updates to your products, services, prices or any other changes that might occur. And, speaking of the provision of updates, you should also consider starting a newsletter for this purpose as well if you have not yet done so.

Again, you also want to be sure your CD contains as much vital information for people who don't have online access although, practically anyone with a computer these days, also has access.

This aspect of promotion could serve to either offset and eliminate any print, radio or television advertisement costs you currently have, or serve to complement them. Your overall production costs (bulk rate price and time spent copying files) on the compact disc will probably be between $.30 and $.40 per unit.

If you distribute, say, 1000 info CDs at a cost of $400, and gain merely 10% (100) new customers, I believe you will find that the $400 will be a very wise and worthwhile investment, not to mention that you can continue and/or repeat the process as often as you wished.

And, if you happen to reside in a small rural area, you could also experience great results by simply distributing your CD information county-wide, or regionally.

Again, this promotional analogy is applicable to, virtually, any business. Further examples include:

1. Auto dealerships working with car parts suppliers, or vice versa.

2. Lawn services working with lawn mower repair shops, or vice versa.

3. How about photography services including their CD of info in their yearly school/student packages?

4. Even in an agricultural community, feed stores could include a CD of their info in farmers' purchases.

5. Why not even go a couple of steps farther by placing audio files or, perhaps, even video files on the CD as well?

Your audio could include your voiceover giving a welcome to the prospect at the beginning, and also serve as a direction to the various business elements on your disc. Likewise, your video could integrate animated video for an even more pleasing experience for your prospective client.

As I stated previously, virtually, everyone, in all areas of your community has a computer and/or the availability of online access through friends, relatives, area schools, libraries, etc. And, the creativity of any part of the promotional CD is only limited by your imagination.

So, why not truly give some serious thought to bringing the marketing and promotion of your business into the 21st Century? At the very least, your promotion via CD should certainly get you noticed far above your area competition.

Kenny Love is a business marketer, promoter and also authors inexpensive handbooks on unique but highly-profitable businesses that many people are unaware of, or simply overlook. His web site is located at http://www.kennylove.net.

By: Kevin Nunley

The media and public love certain kinds of personalities. Although few of us really have those personalities, all of us can cultivate the public image that we have one of them.

This can make you a favorite of the public and a darling of the media. I don't have to tell you how good that can be for your sales.

Here are some examples of personality types the public jumps for:

The Expert People Can Talk To. Everyone wants to have their problems solved by an expert. Write articles, get interviewed on talk radio, put your expert tips on your site. Then invite everyone to call your expert line or send an email.

The Techno Whiz Kid. Everyone knows computers and techno gadgets can make life easier and earn lots of money. Yet most of us are still a bit befuddled by computers and know little about how most technology works. If electronics, programming, or even using technology is one of your strengths, stress it to the media and public.

The Pioneer. If you are the first to do something, make sure you publicize it.

Your personality can have a lot to do with how much you sell, but your profession can as well. Consider this- most teachers have an incredible network of people they know in all walks of life and business. When you spend a semester working with the same 30 people each week, you get to know all about them and the industries they work in.

Many people who teach find the experience enriches their business. Some find a consulting business automatically grows out of it.

Teaching a class is a fine way to become known throughout the community for your knowledge and skill.

Most colleges and universities hire part-time teachers. You can teach an evening class about almost any subject. Many times the only requirement for teaching a community enrichment course is you have experience in the subject you are teaching.

While it isn't a good idea to sell directly to students, many will be happy to introduce you to managers and specialists they know or work with.

Also look for opportunities to appear on instructional TV programs and contribute to book and journals. The number of these instructional radio and TV talk programs has exploded in recent years. Just about every station has a talk show and many air nothing but talk.

Be ready to do your interview. You will want to be informed and energetic. Most interviews are short. Watch interviews on CNN these days. They rarely last more than 60 seconds.

Breath deeply. Do a few deep knee bends. You want to be warmed up and ready to go when you hit the microphone.

Have a sheet of questions and answers you can give the host or producer. The host will work from your sheet. This gives you a great shot at being asked the right questions--questions you already know the answer to. Ever wonder how experts instantly know an answer to a question during interviews? The expert gave the host the questions to ask.

Use plenty of expression in your voice. Talking the way you do in everyday life will come off as a monotone on air. Speak crisply. Get to the point quickly.

Remember that if you do decide to market yourself through an instructional program that people flick to certain kinds of personalities. Play it off, and you could really up your business.

Kevin Nunley provides marketing advice, business writing, and popular promotion packages. See his 10,000 free marketing ideas at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.

By: Barry Forward

For many of us, getting on a radio talkshow can be a great tactical move as part of our overall publicity effort. Pitching an appearance on a talkshow begins with much of the same groundwork as preparing for a news release or other media pitch, you need to have a story idea or an angle to present to the prospective radio show. Here are ten basic tips to use if you are considering presenting yourself as a talkshow guest.

1. Prepare a Backgrounder/Fact Sheet: This is particularly important if this is your first venture out into the media. Radio talkshow hosts and their producers need to be assured that they are talking with a credible source. Just saying you are an expert in a particular field is not enough especially if you are somewhat of an unknown quantity.

2. Research the Talkshow: Nothing kills your chances better than approaching a talkshow producer with a topic idea that in no way resembles the style and content discussions normally aired on the show. If you know what type of topics or pet projects the talkshow host usually focuses on you should be able to tailor your pitch to be more in line with their subject matter, and raise the chances of getting on the show.

3. Capitalize on your Experience: Nothing scares a talkshow producer more than the possibility of scheduling a guest with a great topic who once the microphones are open has little or nothing to say. If you can demonstrate any past experience in anything that resembles the talkshow experience such as speaking engagements or lecturing, the producer is more apt to take a shot a your appearance.

4. Find out the best time to call: Selling yourself as a guest on a talkshow is like any other sales call you don't want to call a potential prospect at their busiest time. Unless you are pitching an extremely high budget program you should avoid calling them while the talkshow is on the air. If you can find out when they normally field calls all the better.

5. Ride a News Wave: If the subject area you are considering pitching relates to a topic that is currently in the news your interest to a talk show program is heightened. For example, if you are high tech company that is making money despite the downturn in the economy each time the tech sector is attacked in the media there is an opportunity for you to pitch yourself as a potential guest.

6. Third Party Validation: You might think you'd make a great talk show guest, but is there anyone of your customers or your contacts who will provide a testimonial that supports that notion. "John Smith delivered a speech to our annual general meeting that was both entertaining and informative. We are looking forward to his appearance at our team building sessions coming up in June."

7. Test your Pitch: Once you've decided on how you are going to present your pitch try it out with one of your friends or associates. If you can't get their interest, there is a good chance your idea will fall flat with the talkshow as well.

8. Call first, then FAX: Some PR experts recommend sending a pitch letter first and then following up a day or two after. This works well, but I have found that if you can speak to the show's producer directly, you will be able to sell them on the idea right then and there, as well as demonstrate your ability to engage an audience. Voice mail has made these "cold pitches" more difficult to arrange but it is worth the effort to make the call. If you can't talk to a real person, leave a voice message and then send a follow- up fax.

9. Love your idea: If you don't buy your goods nobody will. Talkshows need content and are constantly looking for compelling people to tell compelling stories. The more excited you are about your project the more likely someone else will be sold on it.

10. Go for it. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Many a good talkshow guest has gone the way of the shower singer. Great idea, good ability to talk, but no one knows they exist. Take a chance, look up the phone number and call them. What can they say? No, or maybe even, yes!

Barry Forward is the Executive Vice-President of Reputations Inc. (http://www.reputations.com) and has an extensive background in public relations. He has also launched several campanies, including high tech ventures and products.. You can read similar articles to this on the Reputations Inc website PRMadeEasy.com. http://www.prmadeeasy.com/freeforall/freeINK.asp.

By: Jackie Ulmer

You've taken your business to the Internet, developed a web site that SELLS and you've automated your sales process. So, where is all of the traffic? How come your hit counter isn't going through the roof, and where are the sales?

Now, it's time to really focus on attracting traffic. And, the key here is "targeted traffic."

You are going to get a crash course in attracting that target market where they spend most of their time.... offline. That's right, no matter how many people are online, they still spend the majority of their time offline, and part of your marketing campaign should be spent finding that offline traffic and getting them to your web site!

The Internet is hot, getting hotter, and the same person that may not pick up the phone to call you about your business, can't wait to check out your web site and see what you are offering.

Here are some proven offline ways to spread the word -

Word of Mouth - This is still the best form of advertising. Tell everyone you know about your new website and ask them to take a look and give you feedback. Over the holidays, when you send out greeting cards, gifts, etc., include a blurb about your new web site and your new Internet business. Have some postcards printed and send them to everyone.

Flyers - This is a low cost way to get traffic to your site and to test the effectiveness of your advertising. Play around with the content on flyers, and then pass these out everywhere. Check on the cost to run a flyer insert in a local, neighborhood paper. Make sure you have a proven, effective flyer first, though.

Networking Events - Check with your local Chamber of Commerce and your newspaper for regular Networking events where business professionals come together. This is a great way to meet some people, advertise your business and get some other ideas. The people that attend these meetings come with a business mindset. Have a thirty second "elevator speech" prepared, designed to tell people what you do, and bring plenty of business cards and flyers.

Business Cards - A well designed business card can spread the news like wild fire, if you get the word out. Develop some "sizzle cards" that contain very little information. Just your web site address, and a catch phrase or slogan, and maybe an appealing graphic. In this case remember, less is definitely more! When you are out and about, hand one to everyone you meet.

Press Releases/Offline Articles - Another very effective, no-cost method of advertising your business and web site. Most newspapers are looking for small "filler" articles that can fit into the white spaces of their newspaper. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Give it a shot. Remember, if the paper prints your release or article, it's almost an implied endorsement in the readers mind!

Advertising - Let's not forget the power of offline advertising for getting those business prospects online! Shop around for specials on running your ad more than once. In advertising, the customer must see your ad as many as 9 times before they will buy.

I hope that gives you some ideas on ways to get the word out while you are Offline. Think about where your business prospects work, play, go to relax, etc. Then, target an offline campaign that will find them and compel them to "Dial Up" and check you out!

Jackie Ulmer, a veteran Home Based Business Owner, has coached and trained thousands of representatives both inside and outside of her sales organization. One of her primary goals is to help others succeed. She can be reached through her web site at http://www.streetsmartwealth.com/ Subscribe to her FREE newsletter by email to mailto:streetsmartwealth@quicktell.net

By: Barry Forward

The Internet has quickly become the default launch point for many

media pitch campaigns. Business owners have quickly grasped the ease

at which they can blast their news out through online newsletters,

email campaigns and online wire services. Essentially the Internet

has made getting your name in the media seem a whole lot easier. BUT

just because your news release happens to appear on a website

somewhere, does that mean it's actually being read?

A new survey has found that news consumption, our daily helpings of

local, national and international news, still comes predominantly

from the daily newspaper. Yes, despite the obvious increase in

Internet use, most of us still look to the daily printed tabloids and

broadsheets for our news fixes. 52 percent of us say the newspaper is

still number one and something that we are not going to part with

easily, despite the prognostications of many a digital futurist.

So just what does this mean if you are in business and trying to

generate some publicity for your company - start with the newspaper

first. Or that the very least when you are developing your priority

list make sure the local newspaper is at the top of your hit list and

that you write a version of your news release specifically for the

traditional print press.

It appears to come down to perception - when we see our company name

appear on the newswire, or on a website we are artificially comforted

in the belief that we have achieved some tangible results from our

news campaign. Our local customers may tell us otherwise,

specifically due to the fact that given their news reading habits

they probably missed our news announcement, even though it appeared

on www.lookhereformynews.com.

While newspapers still appear to be the logical first choice for news

coverage, the survey did find that the Internet has passed television

in the minds of business owners looking to get their news stories

covered. There could be several reasons for this including the fact

that most of us find it increasingly difficult to find time to sit in

front of our television sets for the evening news and the

introduction of instant news alerts and online news centers which are

making the currency of television news less attractive.

The newspaper appears to have remained king purely due to its

physical nature - it slams into our door in the morning, greets us at

the bus stop, fills our bird cages and reminds us we are part of a

bigger world as we carry out the recycling.

Barry Forward is the Executive Vice-President of Reputations Inc and

has an extensive background in public relations. He has also launched

several companies, including high tech ventures and products. You can

read more PR related articles like this one at

http://www.prmadeeasy.com/freeforall/freeINK.asp.