Nearly Everyone Uses It, and So What?
BY Marcia Yudkin
Occasionally a prospective client comes to me very
gungho about getting publicity and declares that they
envision coverage in every major newspaper in the
country and on every network broadcast. After all,
their logic runs, our product is something everyone
uses -- we have close to 150 million customers a year
in the U.S. alone.
"Whoa!" I reply. "That's not enough of a reason for
the media to do a story. Nearly everyone uses a
toothbrush and a wallet of one sort or another, but
how often do you see stories about either of those
items in the papers or on the nightly news? Prevalent
doesn't mean interesting or timely. So let's
brainstorm about what would entice the media to
consider something about your item newsworthy."
By putting a spin on something ordinary, or
identifying some unusual aspect of something ordinary,
you have a good chance of getting major media hits.
For instance:
* Create a controversy. E.g., claim that 90% of
Americans use each toothbrush far too long.
* Give an award. E.g., a prize for the world's
rattiest wallet.
* Offer surprising facts about your product. E.g., how
long ago people were using toothbrushes surprising
similar to today's.
* Show an unexpected clientele using your product.
E.g., wallets for toddlers or for nudists.
* Piggyback on the news. E.g., play up the connection
if there's a toothbrush scene in a new feature film or
a popular sit-com.
* Do a survey. E.g., what percentage of people never
leave the house for any purpose without bringing their
wallet.
* Compile a set of useful tips. E.g., ten ways you
should never use a toothbrush.
* Donate your product or a gift certificate to a good
cause. E.g., a new wallet for every high school
graduate in your home town.
* Offer a freebie. E.g., a free call-in line for
questions about dental hygiene.
* Invent a new use for your product. E.g., wallets
designed for efficiency at security checkpoints.
* Tie your product to economic trends. E.g., what
toothbrush sales reveal about recessions and economic
booms.
* Do something anachronistic. E.g., create wallet
carriers, which a butler can hold out for the man in
the house when he comes home from work.
* Sponsor a charity event. E.g., the Toothbrush Ball.
* Do something about your environmental impact. E.g.,
recyclable wallets.
* Celebrate an anniversary. E.g., your 10 millionth
toothbrush sold.
* Create regional variations. E.g., the Tall Texan
wallet, the Seattle Surprise, the Plains Packer.
* Get offbeat endorsements. E.g., from a punk rocker,
a bartender, a has-been politician for your
toothbrushes.
* Feature employees with stories. E.g., an over-80
wallet designer, marketing vice-presidents who are
twins.
* Run an event for kids. E.g., develop a show that
travels to day-care centers on how to brush teeth.
Once you have a newsworthy angle, then the ambition to
get your story into every household in the country
makes more sense!
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More Great Articles by Marcia Yudkin
Marcia Yudkin marcia@yudkin.com is the author of the newly updated classic guide, 6 Steps to Free Publicity
(Career Press), and 10 other books. She has helped
clients achieve publicity everywhere from the Wall
Street Journal to the National Enquirer, from the
Today Show to local news broadcasts, and she herself
has been featured in Success Magazine, Entrepreneur,
Home Office Computing, Working Woman, scores of major
newspapers all over the U.S. and four times in the
Sunday Boston Globe. She performs press release
makeovers and other publicity services through
http://www.pressreleasehelp.com
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