September 24th, 2011 |

The use of FREE PR (publicity) should be added to your how to increase sales tips and snippets toolbox. Now with social media and those very hungry content driven search engine robots scouring the Internet, there is a plethora of ways to get free PR.

Credit www.sxc.hu

Yesterday was an incredible day for me in my efforts to increase traffic and credibility. Most of these opportunities came from this one website – HARO (Help a Reporter Out). Peter Shankman’s brain child of providing a site for media reporters, subject matter experts and media production people to share their requests has been for me like a Volcano of free PR.

Here is what happened yesterday:

1. Anne Daughtery of Motion Marketing & Media located in Lansing, IL was seeking subject matter experts on business topics. I responded and she connected with me on Thursday September 22 and a radio interview was taped on Friday for Michigan Business Network. This interview will be aired on Monday, September 26 at 9am, 2pm and 7pm. Here was an opportunity to share my experience specific to marketing for small businesses, how to Be the Red Jacket and attract even more attention.

2. Another response to earned this free PR from Stephanie Chandler of Business Information Guide. Stephanie interviewed me about my sales book – Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits.

3. Then Michael Michalowicz of Toliet Paper Entrepreneur requested a quick tip on how best to follow up with sales leads from a trade show or significant business to business networking event. Currently, my success rate in having my tips published is running around 95%. Earlier in the week my tip for the best gadgets for entrepreneurs was published.

4. On the same day I responded to Stephanie Chandler, I also sent an email to Laura Petrolino of 365 days of startups. She was seeking an answer to the question of the week that being share the two critical success factors you are working on at any given time. My response was released yesterday. And Stephanie has asked me to be a contributing expert to her site.

5. Then my blog yesterday received some attention as I discussed the Culture of Crap Continues as well as my weekly business column for the Post-Tribune was published.

6. Over at Sales Gravy, I received noticed that one of my blog postings was featured on their site.

Free PR is available for small business owners and crazy busy sales people. Yes it does take time. Must of my responses are generated in less than 3 minutes. This is possible because I have invested time during the last 6 years in learning all about marketing for small businesses. My primary marketing actions have been through article marketing over at EzineArticles, Evan Carmichael, etc. and writing on my sales blog.

For the more you write, the better you think, the better you think, the more you write.

This creative writing process does reduce your time to respond because in many cases you have already written about the topic.

If you wish to better understand how to increase sales, then begin to utilize Free PR as one marketing action. You just might be surprised how quickly you improve your marketing for small businesses results including gaining a greater Internet presence not to mention securing your goal to increase sales.