Page 139 - Social Media Marketing

Building a Brand through Shameless Self-Promotion 123

peers. With social merchandising (or social media marketing),
you can nurture a community of consumers who eagerly pro-
mote you and whatever you selL For more about social mer-
chandising, see Chapter 12, "Tapping the Power of Social Me-
dia Marketing."

Generating Free Publicity and Positive Press

Although you can certainly spend hundreds of thousands of dollars
on professionally produced multimedia marketing campaigns, you
can also generate a great deal of free publicity and positive press by
investing only your time and expertise. In the following sections,
I show you how by providing tips on making yourself available
to reporters and creating a high profile in your market through
community service.

Make Yourself Available to Reporters

Every single day, reporters need to produce stories. They need
ideas for stories, background information, facts and figures, wit-
nesses, and expert insights. They can gather much of this material
through researching documents and actually witnessing newswor-
thy events, but they often rely on industry insiders to provide back-
ground information and insight. By positioning yourself as one of
the top experts in your industry, you can begin to attract a great
deal of free, positive press.

Contact reporters and news producers in your area and let them
know that you're available on short notice for interviews. Send over
a marketing packet that includes your business card, your photo,
your resume or curriculum vitae, and clippings from any articles
you have written or other interviews you have given.

To make yourself a more attractive interviewee for the press, keep
the following important points in mind:

• Be accessible. Reporters cannot afford to wait around for re-
turn phone calls. Many expect you to be available within