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Most business owners, entrepreneurs, authors, musical artists and others who want to get free publicity shoot themselves in the foot when dealing with the media and end up not getting the publicity they might otherwise have had. Here are some mistakes to avoid:

Most business owners, entrepreneurs, authors, musical artists and others who want to get free publicity shoot themselves in the foot when dealing with the media and end up not getting the publicity they might otherwise have had. Here are some mistakes to avoid:

Not coordinating new and traditional media campaigns. Many people believe that publicity programs should be one or the other, or that traditional media is dead. Both of them are very effective ways to get free publicity.

Using social media to sell. Yes, you can use social media to sell, but the primary emphasis should be on developing and nurturing relationships, which may then lead to business profits.

Poorly written press release. The press release must be written like a newspapers story, even if it is for broadcast media. It should be in the inverted pyramid style, which means, start with the most important point and proceed to the least important point. It should be written in the 3rd person--she,he, they--not you, I, us. It should be short, somewhere between 400 - 600 words.

A weak press release headline. This is the most important part of the release. It should quickly catch the journalist's attention and convey the main point of the story.

Advertising. The press release should read like news, not a thinly disguised advertisement. Avoid hype and industry jargon.

Talking too long. Journalists are very busy. When you call them on the phone, be polite but get to the main point fast.

Waiting too long. Many people try to pitch their stories without giving journalists enough lead time. If you have an event you want to get free publicity for, send the pitch at least two weeks ahead of time for newspapers and broadcast outlets. Most magazines have a lead time of several months to a year, so keep that in mind.

Being unavailable. Reporters are always on deadline. Make sure that you are available when they on a deadline for the story they are doing about you. They will often have additional questions about the story. So if you want free publicity, be there when they need you.

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