A well-written media release is a powerful tool that can give your business the free publicity money can’t buy.

Publicity is the most effective way to gain customers. It differs from advertising, as you can’t control the message or the timing, but the benefit is great. A news story in a local or national publication can give more details about your business in a way that allows your expertise to show through. People skim through the advertisement sections but are more apt to read informative articles.

And how do you get an article written about you? Start with a media release (also known as a press release or news release).

What is a Media Release?
A media release is a prepared news story that you write and send to the media. If it contains the type of useful information an editor needs, your chance of publication is greater. An editor may reprint all or a section of your release as an article. Or it may be used as background information for an article already in the works. And if you’re lucky, a journalist may be sent out on assignment to interview you for a comprehensive story about your business. A photographer is sometimes used, which will maximize your exposure.

Choosing an Editor
A media release must be submitted to the appropriate editor if you hope to see your name in print. If your business is technical in background, don’t submit a media release to a publication that is geared to family entertainment. It’s not only a waste of the editor’s time; it’s a waste of your time and efforts.

You must know your target market and what they read then submit to the appropriate editor. It will take some research on your part but it will pay off.

Writing your Media Release…As more businesses are opting for free publicity, it’s imperative that you make your media release stand apart.

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CompuChild recently announced plans to expand its brand across the United States. As a result, they are looking for interested individuals to join their franchise. You would have access to full training and support as a franchisee within a company that is 100% committed to success, so request additional information after reading the outline below to make sure you are one of the lucky ones.

About CompuChild
CompuChild is a growing company that serves an incredible function in society today. The company is actually part of the education industry, providing a niche service that encourages children to enjoy learning from a very young age. Over the years, this process is designed to prepare them for their school days and careers beyond that. The company offers technological education for children not yet old enough to attend pre-school, whether those are public or private entities. With the high level of competition for spots in the best schools, and with technology playing an increasingly large part in everyday life, parents see the CompuChild system as a way to give their children an important inside advantage.

CompuChild specializes in small classes of comprehensive curriculum that show learning can be fun while being very extensive. Parents pay no up-front registration fees, and classes are affordable despite their structure. In essence, the children get the same benefits from learning as they would from attending nursery school. You could derive many great benefits for years to come by providing this service, while enjoying running your own business.

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Bounce U is an innovative and dynamic business that is currently seeking franchisees. If you are an enterprising and aspiring entrepreneur, then this opportunity may well prove to be the right one for earning incredible profits under a well-established brand. There is full training and support available, along with third party financing assistance. And that’s just the tip beginning. See below for more details.

About Bounce U
Bounce U offers enticing facilities for children to play, allowing them to have a lot of fun and enjoy their childhoods. There are numerous Bounce U facilities across the United States and they all have the same tantalizing appeal to children. Each facility is located indoors and has a whole host of amusements such as:

•    Giant inflatable play structures
•    Video arcade games
•    Ball pens
•    Other play equipment

All of these amusements are incredibly popular and prove to be a big hit with children. Bounce U facilities also offer open bounce sessions for all children, birthday parties, special occasions and events, and booked sessions. The demand for these facilities is high because parents want their children to have an enjoyable experience while spending quality time with them. Why not make the most of this opportunity and use the business system to your own advantage?

Bounce Up In The Business World!
Bounce U offers a smart and solid opportunity because the demand for child-friendly facilities has increased in recent years and will remain the high as long as there are children to enjoy them. As a franchisee, you can provide a rewarding service and enjoy financial benefits, including:

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As a PR and digital marketing firm we often get calls and emails from friends and family after they have done a DIY attempt at a web site.

But as with every question asked of us, we have more questions. It starts with the goals of the site. Is it just to have an online business card that has a few more details where you can send prospects (not a good idea).

Or do they see it as a channel to help generate leads, with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media and Banner or Google ads as part of the digital strategy (better).

Sometimes folks think, build it and they will come… Not today… Build it properly and then market the crap out of it is more the strategy.

But the latter requires investment of time and money.

Finally a good site should reflect a personality, a brand, a differentiator. A blog, use of video, and good quality photos (all properly optimized for search) should be part of the plan.

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Bear Creek Coffee is currently seeking to expand the company in all states and is accepting applications from individuals who desire to become a part of the business. With comprehensive training and support available and third party financing assistance, starting a Bear Creek Coffee business is too good an opportunity to let pass you by. In fact, it is the perfect first step on the ladder to success in the coffee industry.

About Bear Creek Coffee
Bear Creek Coffee is a staple in the coffee industry. Founded as a result of the massive boom that the industry has experienced in recent years, the brand emerged on the café scene at exactly the right time to take its slice of the billions of dollars that are spent in coffee houses and cafes every year. Primarily a coffee roaster, Bear Creek Coffee offers a huge range of beverages for every customer to choose from so they can enjoy their favorite drink on the go, sitting in the outlet, or even at home via the bean packages that are offered!

Bear Creek Coffee has actually earned a formidable reputation as a result of its flexibility and versatility. This has emerged from the range of venues and drink options offered under the one brand. Not only can you find sit down venues under the trademark but also carts, kiosks, and drive thru services as well so you can always grab a coffee in a convenient way and enjoy it at your leisure!

Your Investment In The Coffee Industry
Investing in Bear Creek Coffee may be one of the best decisions a potential entrepreneur could ever make because the earning potential and range of options are literally limitless. You will have no franchise or royalty fee to worry about and the following benefits are attractive as well:

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ClosetMaid is a growing company that has business opportunities for individuals looking to own and run their own business. With extensive training and support available, you can take full advantage of becoming an authorized dealer of their fantastic closet products.

About ClosetMaid
ClosetMaid is a huge brand in the United States, mostly as a result of the growth in the home improvement industry. Over the last few years, it seems that everyone has been looking to improve the overall look and feel of their homes, which is why unique and innovative products have been literally flying off the shelves. ClosetMaid has carved out a perfect niche for itself by providing high quality laminate and wire custom closets and similar products, thereby establishing a reputation for superiority and reliability within the industry.

As an authorized dealer, you would do what many already do – visit the homes of potential customers and close sales. By performing a wide range of services including measuring and designing closets, you would provide homeowners with great customer service and benefit financially. This is why many authorized ClosetMaid dealers are so successful. There is nothing that motivates potential entrepreneurs more than having something to show for all that hard work, including a bigger bank balance and a more comfortable lifestyle.

Your ClosetMaid Benefits
ClosetMaid proves to be a big attraction for those seeking to run their own business, purely and simply because of the profitability of the venture and the vast array of benefits that come with it. For example:

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“We don’t need no badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges.” – Gold Hat (Alfonso Bedoya), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Warner Bros – 1948)

Conventions/conferences are events that challenge a man’s (and woman’s) stamina. They push you to the limits of creativity and performance. Companies spend hundreds of thousands, no millions to attend them annually just to reach, educate, inform, persuade other companies and the media.

Two recent events are typical – Black Hat Technical Security Conference and NAB (National Association of Broadcasters).  Both in Las Vegas. Both at the same time. Both had the attendees you’d expect:

• Black Hat – NSA, FBI, Homeland Security, cybersecurity folks from around the globe
• NAB – broadcasters, movie producers, stations, indies, event videographers

Media were at both and naturally PR people were there pushing coverage for their companies’ better ideas, better products. The organizers of both used the popular idiom of having “green” press rooms. No big deal for media covering Black Hat. Folks at this show talk in whispers, text, IM, email, use, delete…everything.  There was also a lot of use of “location, location” connection apps (made popular at South By Southwest – SXSW).  Couldn’t you just call ‘em…you’re using your smartphone? NAB had media, publicists, undercurrent that not having paper press kits was a bad thing.

From our perspective being green is nice as long as it:

• doesn’t get in the way of our doing our job
• isn’t less effective
• doesn’t slow/inhibit getting the messages to the media
• isn’t less efficient
• doesn’t cost more money

So you have to ask yourself? Is your quality diminished with online materials? Is your reach, “influence” less with online kits?

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I often hear my clients tell me “I only use Facebook for family stuff and LinkedIn for business”. For sure that was the original intention of those social platforms. However, did you ever wonder how you make decisions on what is a personal contact and what is a business contact? Maybe that depends on your definition of friendship.

In the world of social networking it seems the lines are blurring somewhat. For example, I have a personal Facebook site where (for the most part) I try to keep it for personal friends and family content. But, what eventually happens is that business or networking contacts end up being part of my network. Some of the same folks I in my network on LinkedIn are in fact also my “friends” on Facebook.

One of my Facebook friends sells cars and every so often he posts a deal on a car. I know when I am in the market for a car, he will be top of mind because he is now part of my online world.  Is it because he is a friend, or a automotive sales person? I guess in the end it really doesn’t matter. The point here is to think about your social networking world in a more macro sense. Relationships rule the planet and the more folks you know (that you want to know) the better.

The only caveat is to know that each relationship online needs to be nurtured from time to time. Yes, the lines are blurred, but that may be a good thing…

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Networking is all about building relationships…and it’s no different when networking with the media.  You are never trying to sell anything – you are simply getting to know the other person. 

By getting to know your local media contacts in print, online, and on television and radio you can be top of mind when they’re looking for an expert source in your industry for their stories.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Develop a Relationship: Ask about their personal interests, family, hobbies, etc. and share your personal interests.  Then let them know about your expertise in other areas so they can call you as a source for other articles.

Invite the Media: Send the media invitations and tickets to your events.  If your budget can handle it invite them along to certain events as your guest or at a greatly reduced rate.  Recognize that quality news media people are sensitive to being bought.  Your invitation does not entitle you to cheery coverage if something goes sour.

Be Flexible:  Be willing to work with the media.  They may have a different concept about profiling your business than you do and go with it.  They are not giving you a free advertisement – they have their audience in mind. 

Tight Deadlines: Remember that reporters and editors are busy and are nearly always pressed for time.  Appeal to their need to save time. Give them what they need in the form they need it.  Anticipate their questions and have appropriate answers ready. Be available, easily reached, and completely prepared for comment.

Remember the Story: Journalists need a story, not a sales pitch, so determine the best way for your company to be part of a bigger story that affects your community or the nation.

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“Earn $10,000 Per Month Working just 2 Hours per Week”… “Lose 10 pounds per day by just Sitting on Your Sofa”… “Take this Pill and all Women will Love You”…

Eye catching titles intending to entice one to read your message. Many of us use the Internet to further our knowledge and educate ourselves on our areas of interest. I am in the business of helping people buy businesses and sell businesses. I also do get involved with business consulting to both startups and small businesses. The above headings are written to get our attention and get us to read.

Does one think that you can get rich just working a couple hours per week? Lose weight by laying on the sofa? I dont think we really believe it to be probable – maybe we think it to be remotely possible, and just that sliver of hope warrants us to spend our valuable time to read. Optimism is a wonderful trait-when tempered. Kind of like the optimist that falls off a 90 story building and while falling past the 50th floor says to himself – “so far so good.”

Small business is of great interest to me, and I have various sources of information that I tend to follow. I write for a website that reaches many entrepreneurs, aspiring business owners and current business owners searching for both information and opportunities.  On my own website, I list 1000 plus businesses for sale from Florida and around the United States.  Within these businesses for sale certainly exist tremendous opportunity for those willing to put in the necessary risk and hard work.

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Sending out emails to market and promote your business is picked up hugely in popularity over the last few years. For one, it’s free and for another, it’s very easy to measure. You can tell when someone has received your email, opened it and read it and how many have responded really quickly and easily.  

But, when should you use email marketing to promote your business and how do you make sure it’s effective for you? 

Email marketing is a fantastic tool to help you build a relationship with people. To make email marketing effective for your business requires a mind shift in itself. Gone are the days where you just send out a sales letter by email instead of by post. These days, email marketing is about building a relationship with your customers so that they can experience what you do without any commitment whatsoever. 

That’s why providing people with useful tips or information is far more effective than just simply a sales email. It’s much more likely to be read and people are far more likely to respond to your email. 

But even though you are providing people with something useful, you still have to know what action you want people to take as a result of your emails. If you’ve never contacted people before, you may want them to download a report from your website. Or if you’ve already started to build a relationship with people, you might want them to book onto a workshop, complete a survey or book a 1-2-1 chat with you. 

Whatever your aim, you’re going to need to send out a series of between 7-11 emails to people to get them to do what you want them to do. I know that probably sounds a lot, but your message is going to change on every email so people are not going to get bored reading the same thing. 

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Choice Hotels has recently opened up an unbelievable franchise opportunity for individuals to join their hotel business. Business people from across the United States can apply, and franchisees will receive third-party financial assistance, training, and support through their partnership with one of the biggest names in the hotel industry. Additional information is available upon request, but you will find the basic outline of the opportunity below. Please read it before seeking further details.

About Choice Hotels
Choice Hotels is located firmly within the leisure and hospitality industry that seems to keep growing and growing with each passing year. In 2006, revenue reached $133 billion in the hotel sector, and this income is stable because it does not include food and beverage sales. As an enterprise, Choice Hotels enjoys more than 60 years of experience. They are fully aware of exactly what every customer wants from a stay, and consequently they provide all their franchisees with the tools to fulfill every single want and need.

With Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, Cambria Suites®, MainStay Suites®, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel®, Econo Lodge® and Rodeway Inn® all part of the Choice Hotels family, you can see exactly how much potential is there for you to reach out and take.

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Central Bark Doggy Day Care, situated firmly in a pet care industry, presents an amazing franchise opportunity. The corporation offers ongoing training and support, plus third party financial assistance where required. As such, this is a great business opportunity for budding entrepreneurs throughout the country. Applications are accepted from all states, with the exception of California, North and South Dakota, Washington, and Oregon. If you are interested and live in an available territory, please request additional information today.

About Central Bark Doggy Day Care
Established in 1997 and franchised in 2004, Central Bark Doggy Day Care is a flourishing company as a result of changing lifestyles of pet owners everywhere. With many individuals working long and hectic hours, it is difficult to take care of a dog and provide it with everything that is needed – attention, exercise, training, and mental stimulation – on a daily basis. Central Bark Doggy Day Care offers these services and much more, all in a loving and friendly atmosphere that can aid the development of your dog and ensure that it becomes fully socialized with other dogs. This high level of care helps create a well-rounded family pet and encourages better behavior for those times when you are at home.

Central Bark Doggy Day Care appeals to all dog owners because it really does provide a complete service. Every franchisee within the company is passionate about their work because it is a joy for an animal lover to run this type of company. The corporation finds that business is booming and expanding faster than planned. Furthermore, the demand shows no sign of slowing.

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Cruise Planners Franchising LLC / American Express has recently announced their search for enterprising, determined individuals to join their company and take full advantage of the franchise system they have successfully offered for quite a few years. They provide training and support in addition to third party financing, if you need it, so everything is at your fingertips to send your entrepreneurial career into overdrive!

About Cruise Planners Franchising LLC / American Express
Cruise Planners Franchising LLC / American Express is an incredible business that is at the heart of the travel industry. More than 34 million Americans have considered going on a cruise within the next three years, which is understandable given how luxurious and enjoyable a cruise can be. This is one of the most popular vacation choices available today, which is why cruise providers are regularly adding new ships to their lines.

Cruise Planners Franchising LLC and American Express have combined their major brands to offer people across the United States a trusted and responsible system by which they can plan their own cruises to suit their own wants and needs. As such, clients are happy because they receive incredible service, and you benefit by enjoying the financial gains and entrepreneurial advancement that comes your way.

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Apricot Lane, the incredibly popular fashion store, is currently offering interested parties an amazing franchise opportunity. With third party financing assistance available if required and ongoing training and support thrown in as part of the business opportunity, Apricot Lane really is the retail chain to choose if you wish to run your own successful business within that market.

About Apricot Lane
As the only fashion store that offers affordable accessories like handbags, jewelry, and unique gifts, Apricot Lane is at the forefront of the fashion industry today. With such an innovative business and universal appeal, it is dominating the retail marketplace as a result of the unique business system it has in place.

Unlike other fashion retailers that try to do it all, Apricot Lane is unique in that it is very focused on the type of fashion items that it sells. The company only stocks the best quality jewelry, accessories, handbags, and unique gifts and sells them at an affordable price, thus making its stores the first choice for those looking for the best fashion items around. By not stocking clothing, Apricot Lane fits nicely into a niche market that very few other stores choose to invade. As a result, sales are through the roof and profits are higher than the company ever expected. They are still growing and you could be a part of their expansion!

Why Choose Apricot Lane?
Apricot Lane is the ONLY specialty store in the gift and fashion accessory industry that combines both of them, meaning that you actually target twice the customers and reap twice the rewards! In fact this opportunity allows you to tap into the following:

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Excalibur Technology Corporation has recently opened up new opportunities within the company for driven and dynamic individuals wishing to invest in a successful business for the future. You can now join the franchise and take full advantage of the training and support that is available, as well as receive third party financing assistance, if required. Interested individuals should read the following outline completely and then request free information for more specific details.

About Excalibur Technology Corporation
Excalibur Technology Corporation is a computer consulting firm that is easily the market leader in its niche because it provides full infrastructure and network solutions as they are needed. The ability to provide ongoing support to clients makes this company a reliable and trustworthy ally to all small businesses because they can offer solutions when needed, quickly and effectively each time.

Excalibur Technology Corporation does not focus on big business, as so many of the basic service providers do. Instead, they provide comprehensive services to the companies that make up the vast majority of the economy – and at an affordable rate. It is this dedication to helping those that need it most that provided the foundation of this company and will undoubtedly continue to do so. This means that you can now also capitalize on their success!

Your Excalibur Venture
When you become a franchisee of Excalibur Technology Corporation, your venture will undoubtedly take off in a big way, largely thanks to the sheer size of the market.

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As a small business owner you are intimately familiar with all aspects of your business. So what can a consultant tell you that you don’t already know?  The simple answer is that you know your business for what it is; the consultant can tell you what your business can become. Understanding both the opportunities and constraints facing your business comes from education, experience and innovation.  The seasoned consultant will see possibilities to make your business more effective, larger and more profitable while managing risk.As different as your business seems, it has basic aspects found in all businesses.  In fact, many of the challenges faced by today’s small business owners are not unique at all. Listed below are common constraints to success that can be identified and rectified by the professional management consultant.

1. Lack of goals and targets (and subsequent lack of accountability)
2. You have failed to communicate your competitive advantage to your market
3. Staffing and organization structure does not fit the needs of the business

                
Secondly, a list is shown below of common opportunities that are either overlooked or not addressed for any number of reasons.

1. Government Contracts
2. Proper Social  Marketing
3. Use of Basic Management Tools (i.e.

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What is a landing page?
Sometimes known as a lead capture page it is used for online marketing.  It is a web page a visitor reaches after clicking an online ad or link.  It is a way to convert web clicks into clients.  The page will contain detailed content of the product or service mentioned.

There are two types of landing pages:

Organic or “reference” landing page:
An organic or reference landing page presents information that is relevant to the visitor and used for advertising or campaigns and usually not part of the main site but geared toward a specific source of traffic.  These can display text, images and links to direct to the main site.

Transactional landing page:
A transactional landing page’s goal is to persuade the visitor to complete a transaction and buy the product or service by filling out a form or being involved with the advertisement on the page.

Five must have components for your landing page:

1. Strategy – create an interesting headline, since that is the first thing the visitors read.  Create a Unique Value Proposition that will describe the market and the difference between your competitors and your own business 
2. Lead – must be interesting enough to capture your visitor’s attention and make them want to keep reading
3. Benefits – this is your chance to really sell your product.  List the benefits of your product and what it has to offer your visitors
4. Offer – this asks your visitors to purchase, sign up or opt-in
5. Look and feel – make sure the page has critical elements that builds trust and worthiness to the visitor

Five practices to keep in mind:

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Every boss, every manager and every company pays lip service to leading their people by empowerment and positive reinforcement. It’s much like the weather. Everyone talks about it but few really do anything about it.

“They swear they believe in the carrot not the stick,” one ex-manager told me of his former employer. “But a lot of people seem to be getting brutalized by that carrot.” “Brutalized” is actually my word. The phrase he used was considerably more graphic–and painful to imagine.

He showed me several post cards from his former co-workers. One read, “The flogging will continue until morale improves.” Another quoted Steven Wright, “For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism.”

I was reminded of a construction company vice president who, a few years back, hired me to deliver a presentation on the benefits of empowerment at to a management meeting. The session was very well received; the vice president himself was so inspired that he immediately leaped up and told all his managers that they’d better be empowered from that moment on, “Or believe me heads are going to roll.” He added, in all seriousness, “Just make sure you clear everything with me first.”

“He just empowered them to do nothing but claim to be empowered,” one of the other speakers whispered to me.

“Not quite,” I said. “He ordered them to claim to be empowered.”

If you’re managing people, try treating those you manage as partners not peons. As Booker T. Washington observed, “Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know you trust him.”

“Management is simple,” one award-winning leader claims. “I create incentives, small rewards, recognitions.

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We started enjoying the benefits of the Internet before it was the Internet. 

When the National Science Foundation awarded the first four contracts to connect engineers and scientists around the country into an on-line community, we started to work with the fledgling CERFnet that established the Western leg of the NSFnet. 

Up until the any-to-any communications network went commercial it was a badge of courage and honor to struggle with the unfriendly network of networks. 

It was an amazing means of communications!

With newer and more user-friendly interfaces as well as the introduction of the Web things got even better.   

Now they’re also worse than ever but…

Sending emails back and forth is faster and more reliable than sending letters through the USPS. 

It’s easier than using the telephone and playing phone tag for hours and days on end. 

It even enables you to tap into sites around the globe and research almost anything, anywhere, anytime.

We’re not big surfing fans but our son has no problem cruising from site to site gathering information on our solar system, string theory, tons of things he has a hard time explaining to us. 

The Data Rich Web
Recently we had to conduct some on-line research for a client.

We searched through more that 50 on-line press rooms.

We found news releases, white papers, literature, financial statements, product reviews and more. 

The Web delivered up a veritable gold mine of information. 

Almost everything you would want to know…except! 

Way too often, we couldn’t find an editorial contact. 

Tech support?  Sure. 

Sales?  No problem. 

Webmaster?  Buried but there. 

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