Publicity: Write a Letter to the Editor for Free Publicity

Ever wonder why papers devote a page or more to letters to the editor? Because subscribers love to read them!

Letters
to the editor are among a paper’s most popular features, so getting
your name underneath a letter can be even more valuable that being
quoted in a news article.

Letters to the editor can't just be
about anything—they have to be related to the news. The ones most
likely to get published bring a personal perspective to a topic of
national or intense local interest. Anytime one of your topics is even
vaguely in the news, try writing a letter about it.

Letters to
the editor should be short—no more than 200 words—so they shouldn't
take long to write. Type it up on your computer and e-mail it over to
the editor. Look for your letter in the newspaper in the next few
weeks, and if it appears, let your clients and colleagues know about it.

There
are some newspapers that now put letters to the editor that didn't make
the newspaper on their web sites. Soon, a letter to the editor may be
guaranteed publicity.

Longer, signed articles called “op-eds” run on the same page and are spectacular showcases. Try one.

Ned Steele
works with people in professional services who want to build their
practice and accelerate their growth. The president of Ned Steele's
MediaImpact, he is the author of 102 Publicity Tips To Grow a Business or Practice. To learn more visit http://www.MediaImpact.biz or call 212-243-8383.