How do you get some magazine press for your business?

Press Attention?
Small businesses are likely not to have a lot of money for magazine ads. I would therefore start with Press releases to local papers.

Hints for Press releases, which are often used as fillers.

1) You may want to make a table of newspapers distributed in your area. Note name, editor’s name, time line for press releases, phone number, address, e-mail address, fax number. Always send in your press releases ahead of the time line, may be a week ahead. Ask what is preferred: mail, e-mail, fax, and if you may send pictures. Make a note of the name of the contact person to be able to address the right person later. You may want to get their phone extension number. When you send in your press release, make some personal statements to the contact person, such as “thanks for the info you gave me, it was a great help.” Become the editor’s friend.

2) You may want to have “news” all the time. Be creative (but what you say has to match reality, has to be honest). E.g.
Event 1:
Elegant Wedding Photography Studio such and such has open house from 4-8PM, on Saturday, July 28, 2007. Enjoy trying out your wedding postures for your professional pictures. Learn about your photogenic side. Location: such and such, phone such and such. For questions please contact (name).

Event 2:
Fabulous Picture Party at the Wedding Studio Such and Such: Friday, August 3, 2007, from 6-8PM. Get ideas for your wedding party. Location such and such, phone such and such.

Event 3:
Say Cheese Party at the glamorous wedding studio such and such. (Same general info follows as in 1 and 2).

3) Place all the main info in the first paragraph similar to the examples above, since the newspaper may cut out the second paragraph for space reasons.

4) Add another paragraph if you like with the history of your studio, personal info about yourself, your education, about famous people who came in there, about special skills or services etc. Make it about 5-10 lines. Every submission should have some new info. These second paragraphs may be left out or shortened by the newspaper for lack of space in the issue.

5) Always make the text somewhat different in wording for each newspaper. Newspapers do not like to have the exactly same text as their competition. Just changing words around helps, the contents can be the same. Also use different pictures for each newspaper and make careful notes which photograph and what text you have sent to what paper and when, and what has been actually published. Collect the clippings in an album, show them to your customers, may be as copies. May be you want to make notes how many calls and customers your release got. When you get calls, ask how they heard about you. You may want to ask for their needs and think of some benefits for your customer to tell them about. Find out what the best press release style and newspapers are for you.

6) Add pictures to your press releases only after confirming with each newspaper that this is OK. The pictures may not always be printed, it depends on the space the newspaper has left for that issue. Inquire if paper photographs are preferred or digitals via e-mail and what type of transmission is to be used.

7) Keep doing it “forever” since people often need to read an add many times before they act. Furthermore, they may want to hire you as their wedding photographer but have not saved the newspaper with your press release they saw. Then they keep looking in newspapers and may find your new release.
Later, when you have a budget for adds, you may send articles and pictures to magazines or invite them to write a picture story on your studio with an exciting sounding letter, getting their attention in the first sentence! Think about innovative ideas to make the magazines want to print an article on your studio. You got the picture.

Wishing you good luck, you are on the right picture track!
Cordially, India.Magica