Build Your Credibility and Reach More People on a Shoestring Budget

One of the most effective ways and low-cost ways to receive publicity for your website is to establish a relationship with the media.  Get to know your local news people (both online and offline!).  Find niche sites that cater to your target market and make yourself available to them as a resource for expert help (quotes, articles, etc.).  And get a media room setup on your website with press releases to share any big news about your business. Your business is more newsworthy than you probably realize!

Having a story published about you, being quoted as an expert source, or being referenced in an article, magazine or book is like a free endorsement of you, your website and your product.

Think about it.  We’re constantly bombarded with advertisements and promotions.  Do you believe everything you see on TV?  No, neither do my kids (it’s pretty interesting to hear my boys critique advertisements and their two cents on whether something would deliver on what’s shown in the ad).

That’s what our potential clients and buyers are thinking when they see our advertising and pitches — does it really work?  Sure, we can work on copywriting, improve our trust factor, and all that’s great, but there’s still that skepticism with paid advertising.

But what about what we read in the newspaper?  Are we more likely to trust it?  Well, maybe not all media, and it might depend on the media source… I’ll admit I’m much more likely to trust certain websites than I am certain TV media, but think of the ones that you DO trust.  You’re far more likely to trust that it’s objective and reliable, right?

Again, our potential clients feel the same way.  They’ve got trust sources they go to for their news and education.  That’s where you and I need to be to get their attention in a way that builds our credibility.  If we are quoted as an expert in an article that appears in a publication they trust, we’ve scored some major credibility points!

Remember that media includes more than just newspapers in print — magazines, books, online magazines, ebooks, news websites, niche news websites, online newsletters, television news, talk shows, radio, online radio, online streaming video, and so many more opportunities to get out there and be found in the media.

So planning a media campaign doesn’t mean you have to go for a spot on the Oprah Winfrey show. Although it would be excellent exposure… you don’t need to aim that high to start building quality publicity for your website!

The great thing about it is that anyone can get their business into the media, with a bit of time and effort.  Press releases are a great way to begin a media campaign.  You can write a press release and submit it yourself.  You can also put together a targeted list of news sites to submit to that reach your target market.  For a free 15 day ecourse that will help you get started on these tasks, click here: http://thesmallbusinessmuse.com/courses/press-releases/press-release-power

Another good way to start getting in the media is to sign up for the free alerts from http://www.helpareporter.com and respond to media requests for experts to quote on all sorts of subjects.