Page 243 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

101 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

115 Write letters to the editor

I always scan through the ‘letters to the editor’ section in
the newspaper and I often notice the same people write in
time and time again. One day it dawned on me that these
people are getting great exposure for absolutely no cost at
all. By taking the time to write a letter on their company
letterhead they have voiced their opinion in a very public
place. It can show that they are an authority in a particular
field and that they care enough to take the time to voice
their opinions.

There are a few simple steps to take that will increase
your chances of having the letter published. There are also
a few guidelines to follow to ensure that you don’t write the
wrong thing, resulting in bad publicity for your business.

• Keep you letter brief and to the point.
• If you quote facts and figures say where this informa-

tion comes from.
• Don’t be emotive. Write in a simple, clear manner that

shows you know what you are talking about.
• Remember that your letter may be edited so write it in

a way that will make it hard for sentences to be cut,
resulting in a change to the meaning of what you are
trying to say.
• Be topical. If you are writing in response to an article
that was published in the paper, do it quickly. It loses
all relevance if you send a letter in three months after
the event.
• Always make sure you include your company name at
the end of the letter.

This is one of those ideas that doesn’t cost any money
but can produce results. You don’t have to stop at news-
papers. Most magazines welcome letters from readers as do
many websites. There has never been a better time to lock

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