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You’d think with all the communication going on these days that we’d be getting tired of reading more material – but it seems in this “information era” we can’t get enough knowledge whether it’s through social media, newspapers, books or magazines. The media is such a powerful tool and when used well can really help profile you and your brand. So how can you tap into this valuable resource to build some buzz for your business? Two ways you can use the media to profile your business and brand is through a media publicity campaign or writing articles for magazines.

Recently a colleague had an article about her appear in a magazine and wondered how she could maximise this opportunity for some publicity. A participant at a recent seminar of mine wondered if writing articles and submitting them to magazines was a good publicity idea. Yes! Anytime you have something written about you it creates awareness of you and your product or service.  

Media profiling can help position you as the expert and authority in your area. The first person people contact when it comes to your particular subject. People notice. Okay they might not immediately pick up the phone and buy from you, but consistently being seen says, "You're in business, you mean business and I'm here when you're ready to buy".

Here are a few tips to capture attention.

     USP. The main thing you need to be aware of when writing an article or media release is that you need to have something interesting to say. You need to be unique, differentiate yourself from the others in your field. What is you point of difference? What sets you apart? Once you work that out, that can be your "hook" to gain media attention. 

      WIFT.  What does it mean to others? Will this information be of benefit or help people in any way? Great to be different but what relevance does it have? Will it have an impact on my customers or general public? Can that point of difference help them? 

      CREDIBILITY.  Do I walk my talk? Am I believable? Do I have the history or skills to back up my claims? Can I give real life examples in my stories? What research or statistics have I discovered? Am I a leader in my field?

      BACK UP.  Do other people back up those claims? Do I have testimonials or awards or the $$ to say I'm successful at what I do? Can you include quotes from others endorsing what you do? Will they say great things about you? 

      EXPERT.  Am I truly an expert? Have I invested in gaining knowledge about my industry, my customers and the competition? Do I have articles on my website on my subject, white papers, special reports or written a book that demonstrates my expertise?

I do write a number of regular articles for online websites and other consumer publications and find it to be great PR. As an example, I wrote an article for a business magazine. Someone from an industry association saw the piece I wrote, ran it in their online magazine and from that I secured speaking and consulting work and presented at their annual conference. 

Take a look at my media room. 

Want some public relations coaching? Contact Us. 

Read last week’s blog. Speak Up For Personal Brand Success 

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Sue Currie is a business consultant and speaker on personal branding through corporate image, personal PR and media. She is the creator of the Shine Personal Branding System™ a process she uses to guide managers, executives and entrepreneurs to progress in their careers. With her consulting, coaching, corporate workshops, and conference speaking, Sue helps organisations and individuals to stand out and shine.

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