The Free, Easy, Painless, and Simple Public Relations Tool Almost No One Uses

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Author: Jim Huffman

Article source: http://www.networkfornurses.com/. Used with author's permission.

You've tried every means of publicity for your work. You've paid for ads, you've written articles for on-line directories, you've done everything.

Or so you think. Because I can just about guarantee that there's one publicity route that you've never used. Why? Because almost no one uses it. And that's crazy.

Because this publicity is free. Completely. It takes a little of your time, but there's no cost. In fact, you couldn't buy it, even if you wanted to.

In addition to being free, it's good publicity, the kind of indirect news that people read, think about, but usually don't think about being a plug for your work, your writing, your website, or your practice.

And unlike a press release -- which sometimes get printed, and sometimes doesn't -- this is one that almost always gets used. And it has the advantage of usually being printed quickly.

I'm talking about a letter to the editor. Free, easy, indirect, and usually printed -- depending on the publication (newspaper or magazine) -- within a few days or weeks. And if you write a letter to an online publication or a radio or TV program, the letter may be printed -- or read on the air, in the case of radio or TV -- almost immediately.

Now I'm not suggesting a ranting letter to the editor about politics or whatever. Save those for your own time. The letters I'm talking about are ones in which you give advice, suggestions, or insight into a matter of current interest (the more current the better) and casually, subtly mention your work.

The mention has to be low-key. No one wants to read a letter which is hard-core, hard-sell in mentioning your work. Instead, you bring the mentions in on the side, suggesting rather than shouting that your insights are not just those of any writer, but you: a full-fledged, bona-fide expert on the topic you write about.

Most people read letters to the editor. Most people enjoy them. They are seen as the voice of the people, the voice of those who have no ax to grind, the voice of those who bring fresh insight to a topic.

That voice, that fresh insight, can be yours. Start using letters now. It's a new way of using an old means of bringing fresh publicity to your work. Start now.