Not sure your business “needs” publicity? Does your business need new customers or clients? Getting free publicity is one of the easiest ways to drive new business in the door.

The one thing I hear all the time from business owners with regards to doing their own publicity is that they don’t have time. What if I told you that you could implement a successful publicity campaign for your business in minutes a day?

All that is involved is a plan.

I recently held my first PR to Profit workshop and in just three hours, attendees put together an annual plan that they can now implement in minutes a day. It was such a huge success that I’ll be doing this workshop regularly. Learn more HERE.

I’ve put together 10 easy steps to follow to help you get publicity in just minutes a day.

STEP 1 – Sign up for HARO

Responding to HARO queries is one of the easiest ways to get exposure for your business. Three times a day, you receive an email with queries from journalists looking for story ideas, sources, quotes, or guests. Respond to queries to get your business listed in major media outlets. Wondering whether or not it works? Personally I have had national television appearances and magazine placements as a result of HARO, www.helpareporter.com.

My best HARO tips – answer promptly and keep it short and sweet.

STEP 2 – Set Alerts for Your Industry

You need to be on the pulse of what’s happening in your industry. To do that, make sure you are alerted when anything new happens.

Set Google Alerts with key words and phrases, www.google.com/alerts.

Other alert resources are Talkwalker, www.Talkwalker.com, and Mention, https://en/mention.net. I use all three.

STEP 3 – Sign Up for Muck Rack

PR Tip of the Year – Journalists are hanging out on Twitter! Join the free community, Muck Rack, http://muckrack.com and see what journalists are talking about what. It’s a great way to see who is writing about your industry and who you need to connect with and start connecting with and building relationships.

STEP 4 – Find the Right Journalists

Don’t send your business story idea to the food editor! It will never find it’s way to the right place. Journalists are busy, busy people. You have to make their job easy for them. The first step is sending your story idea to the right contact person. Not sure who that is? Check the magazine masthead (inside front cover listing all the editors). Google the magazine and topic. Search Twitter or LinkedIn for the right journalist.

STEP 5 – Engage

Show journalists the love by engaging with them on social media. Share their work, re-tweet it, comment on it and like it. You want to start building relationships with journalists and this is a great way to do that by giving to them first.

STEP 6 – Make an Annual Plan

Take a few hours out of a weekend or evening and plan out your year of publicity. Doing this initial legwork will make the entire pitching process a piece of cake. Plan out one pitch per month using seasonality, trending topics, holidays, etc. Write down at least one idea per month, January through December.

STEP 7 – Create Hooks

Take the ideas from Step 6 and write creative hooks for each of the monthly ideas that will get the journalist’s attention. You’ve got to “lure” the journalist into reading your email and a great hook is the best way. Look at magazine covers you have in your house right now and see what they used to get you to open the magazine. Use those as examples of hooks you can create for your story ideas.

Here are some examples:

“5 Great Getaways One Tank of Gas”
“Wake Up Prettier”
“Memory Tricks that Really Work”

You want the journalist wondering “what?” “how?” Spark their curiosity so they open your email.

Use numbers and tips as well for a good hook.

STEP 8 – Execute

I’ve heard executing can be the hardest part. You’ve done the work, now execute! Just do it!

STEP 9 – Follow up

Don’t forget to follow up. In 3-5 days send a follow-up email. If it’s timely or breaking news, pick up the phone and call the journalist.

STEP 10 – Automate

Consider using an email program to automate your pitching. You can pre-program a year’s worth of emails and personalize them using an email system.

There are no more time excuses. Create and implement a plan and see the results with new customers and more revenue.

Let me know how things go.

To Your PR Success in 2015,

www.PRforAnyone.com