Small Business Media Relations - Product Launch
How to Mount a Publicity Campaign for Maximum Exposure in Magazines
Mar 9, 2009
A small business can maximize coverage in the media -- especially business, technical, professional and trade magazines -- by using all the opportunities created by a new product or service.
Here is the outline of a media-relations campaign for a new product that you can follow yourself or instruct a professional business communicator or a public/media relations consultant to follow.
Create a 'Buzz' before the Launch
If your product is a significant invention or advance on technology, the first step is to write by-lined articles for specialist magazines about the science, technology, demographics, professional practice or other background to the product. This establishes you and your company as an authority on the subject.
The articles inform magazine readers of the uses and benefits of the product, which you will have researched early in product development. They draw attention, generate interest and instill desire for the product.
Timing is important. Don't issue articles so early prior to launch that competitors have time to copy. A patent protects your design, but you don't want give competitors your idea.
Your pre-launch articles will establish you as the inventor or owner of the new category of product. Attach your company’s name to the product so that it becomes generic terminology.
Develop an article outline. Call the editor of the best-read, most influential magazine in the industry where you wish to sell the product. Offer the editor an industry-exclusive article, discuss the outline and write it to his or her requirements.
Make sure the editor realizes the article is industry-exclusive; it will appear in only that magazine for the industry the magazine covers. Different versions could appear in different magazines for other industries.
Product Launch
Call the editor in each target industry and offer a "semi-exclusive" story on the product at launch time. A semi-exclusive has more information than for other magazines. Send it to the selected editor close to the magazine deadline.
Then send short news releases to all other magazines covering the target industries. Do this before the semi-exclusive appears in the selected magazines but too late for any other magazine to publish it before the selected industry-specific magazines.
This ensures coverage in the selected magazines while creating opportunities for publication elsewhere.
Marketing Material
If you produce a brochure, specification sheet or other printed material on the product, send a copy to all editors with a brief news release describing the leaflet, its content and number of pages. Some magazines publish notices of product literature.
Significant Orders
When you make a significant sale to a customer, issue a brief news release. Make sure you have the customer's permission.
Case Histories
With the customers' approval, write articles about the benefits customer are achieving with your product. Take or get photographs.
You can use these:
- As exclusives for magazines in target industries; discuss outlines with the editors;
- As news releases to all relevant publications; keep it short -- 700 to 1000 words maximum.
White Papers
A white paper is a longer article than for a magazine. It describes the product, technology, benefits, existing and potential applications -- everything relevant.
Inform editors it is available.
Website and Press Kit
Journalists turn constantly to websites and press kits for information.
Include the material in a press kit and post it on your website. Post exclusive and semi-exclusive articles after they have been published.
Include your website address on all printed material and a link on all material you send out via email or on CDROMs or memory sticks.
On-Going Publicity Campaign
The campaign takes advantage of all opportunities for publicity around a product launch, before, during and for a long time after.
See also: Small Business Profit Management; Five Keys To Cold Call Selling
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