Top 5 Topics to Get More Publicity

When one of my clients says to me, “Ford… I’m not sure what to write about.  Aren’t press releases just for big news?” I tell them that kind of assumption just isn’t true. You can create press releases for a wide variety of topics, as long as you keep a few key elements in mind.

One of the most important ones to always follow is to adapt your “story”(or theme) to a favorite media topic in the news. That will make it more interesting to your media contact, as well as to their readers. To help you get started, here are my TOP 5 topics that I use to increase the chances of getting publicity through traditional sources like newspapers, magazines, and newsletters.

HEALTH is one of the most popular topics covered in the media. Can you find a way to tie your product, service, or media promotion to a current, health-related topic? One of my clients runs a successful pilates studio and even though it’s a local studio, her press releases and articles have been published in several national publications and on tons of sites.

Even if you’re not in the Health industry, who cares? You can still be creative and find a way to tie your media release to a health-related topic. Once you’ve found that connection… exploit it and editors and prosects will want to read about it.

HOLIDAYS are another great way to tie into your press releases. The media are always looking for stories related to holidays. Connect your product or service to a holiday–as a gift, a thank you, a recognition for a job well done–whatever–and you are halfway there.

A great publicity resource I’ve used for finding holiday-related topics (and one of my favorite marketing “secret weapons”) is called “CHASE’S Calendar of Events,” and it’s available as a book or CD-Rom.  For over 50 years, CHASE’S Calendar of Events has been the most trusted and comprehensive reference to what’s going on today. Be it an important historical anniversary, the phases of the moon, a sports event, the birthday of a favorite celebrity, a festival, CHASE’S has it all–and you can use it to come up with a ton of innovative publicity ideas.

CONTROVERSY sells, no matter what side of the fence you are on. Since this is an election year, you have multiple opportunities to tie your releases to controversial current events. You can take sides, give your opinion and show how your expertise on a subject matter can help.

One of my clients, Randy Gage, recently published his new book entitled “Why You’re Dumb, Sick & Broke… and How to Get Smart, Healthy & Rich.” We created a media release with the headline “Millionaire Messiah Debunks Politics, Religion and Society as Impediments and Reveals How Prosperity Begins in the Mind,” and that one release helped us get on the best-sellers list of the New York Times, USA Today and Amazon.

Now I’m not suggesting you copy the style we used for Randy–that worked for us, but it may not be congruent with your company and target audience. So think about current events and how you can create a bit of controversy.

MONEY is one of the few topics in life that never fails to grab a prospect’s attention. Do you know anyone who isn’t interested in anything relating to money? I don’t.

Does your product or service offer a unique way to save your customers money? Can you help them be more productive or profitable? Do you offer free training, special reports, or a resources section on your site that can help them make more/save more money. If you do, I guarantee you’ll get their attention. Write a release about it and publish and distribute it.

TRENDS are everywhere–and are the topic of discussion over dinner tables and around water coolers everywhere. Watch the media TV, or read newspapers and magazines to stay abreast of the latest emerging trends, and then see how you might tie your product or service into a particular trend.

Just by watching the news, reading popular magazines, or surfing websites you’ll be bombarded with the “topic of the week” or month.  Look for ways to leverage a particular trend through your press releases. You can do this with events, movies, or any topic on the “pop culture radar” of your prospects.

Develop a unique and interesting story angle and then pitch it to a media representative (editor, writer, etc.) and with a little luck you’ll watch your release go viral through the news distribution services.

Remember, the secret is to make your press release relevant. Tie it to a current topic and use emotion to make it entertaining. See how you (or your product/service) solve problems, meet a need, or fill a void… tell your prospects something that they don’t already know, or give your release a unique angle.

Good luck, and let me know how these topics work for you.

Unlock the secrets to writing powerful and intriguing press releases that hook editors’ interest with million-dollar copywriting advice from marketing guru Randy Gage here.