Environmental Marketer

Each of us is a consumer, so ask yourself this question: when you open a newspaper or magazine which of the following is more likely to influence your decision to purchase a product or service?

A full page advertisement
A full page article written about how a product or service successfully fills a need

A published article about a business that shows the company in a positive light is an extremely powerful marketing tool. An added bonus is that it can be done for no cost.

When a company places an advertisement the reader knows the company has paid to be seen. On the other hand when a person picks up a publication and reads something good about a product or service it usually has a much bigger impact on the reader.

Now don't get me wrong, advertising is an important part of most marketing plans. As they say in marketing you typically have to be seen at least 7 times to even be noticed so I am not proposing that articles take the place of paid advertising. Rather I am suggesting it is a powerful additional marketing tool that companies should utilize.

So how do you get an article published in a trade journal, newspaper or magazine? Below are some tips that Cochrane & Associates recommends:

Do not write an advertorial and expect to get published. Teach, don't sell. For an article to be published the subject has to be unique and compelling to the publication's readers.
Write to the publication readers' knowledge base. In other words don't submit something overly technical to a publication that is read by the general public.
Incorporate an interesting story in the article. For example, if you have performed a unique project or helped someone improve their health, relate that as a case study about the effectiveness of services like those offered by your company.
Relate your article to something big that is currently taking place in the media. For instance, if MRSA outbreaks have been in the news and you perform sanitation services, turn your article into an informative piece that describes how MRSA can be controlled.
Find a niche to write about or a topic that hasn't been covered in the way you plan to write about it. As any editor can tell you publishing a periodical over time can sometimes lead to challenges for them when it comes to new ideas. So if you offer a good idea you will likely be taken up on the offer.
Contact the editor of the publication you are interested in being in and propose your idea. If you are told that your article is not of interest ask why and learn from the editor's response. If they like the concept then ask for instructions on article length, pictures, etc.
Write about something you know and share your expertise. If you need to learn more, do your research first. Again make the article educational, not a sales pitch.
Case studies can make for powerful articles.
Grab the attention of the reader with a catchy title and good content.
Short paragraphs are important to keep the readers' attention. If you include lists or bullets, make them short (7 items or less, we broke that rule here).
Provide high resolution images to go along with the article when possible. Also provide a high resolution, "glamour shot", of the author since many publications will include those with your byline.
Provide a solid conclusion for the article that wraps up the major points you have made. Do not include your web address in the article, save it for the end (resource box).
Include an effective Resource Box at the end of the article. This is the information about you, the author, and one of the ways people interested in your company can learn more. Include a web address, email contact and a phone number.
Many publications will not print your article if it has been printed in another publication so keep that in mind and offer your article to the publication that is on the top of your list and work down.
If your idea for an article is accepted be sure to deliver on your promise to submit all materials in the timeframe agreed upon.
Discuss your idea and article with peers. It is also a great idea to have others read your article to get outside feedback and to deliver the most compelling story. If your article is very technical, it will be more likely accepted by an editor if you can say it has been peer reviewed by relevant experts.
If you get rejected find out why and try another publication. Persistence will pay off. When you do get published do not forget to thank the editor and begin building a relationship. Hopefully he or she will publish you again in the future.
Keep in mind that most publications have a lead time anywhere from a few months to a few days. For print-based media, the time span between your submittal of an article and its appearance in print depends on the frequency of the publication - for monthly magazines, the lead time may be as long as 2-3 months. For web-based media, the time span between your submission and the publication of the article on the Internet may be a day or less.

Cochrane & Associates, LLC, the environmental, mold and indoor air quality industries' only dedicated marketing, public relations and business development consulting firm works with clients to develop ways to maximize their marketing efforts. We hope you consider submitting articles to publications as a part of your marketing strategy. We also invite you to visit our newest venture, the IAQ Video Network www.IAQTV.com and submit any videos you may have for inclusion on the website.