How to Write to Get Publicity for Your Business

You might not be too keen on writing, but it is a very important aspect to building your business. You are your own best advocate. When it comes to writing articles, who better to talk about your industry that you? You will appear as though you are an expert on your industry, which will prompt more clients to close deals with you.

It is one thing to write your own blog: Anyone can do it. It is another thing entire when you write for and are published by a completely different and unbiased website. There are many websites on the Internet that afford you the opportunity to write about different aspects of your business and industry, plus give you the opportunity to plug your own company and services in your profile. Taking advantage of these websites - even if it is just one - is imperative to increasing and expanding your business.

Associated Content is a fantastic website that allows you to write on pretty much anything. Plus, if the editors like your articles enough, they will actually pay you for them! Just make sure you have a PayPal account set up in order to accept payments. All you have to do is visit the Associated Content website, create a free user account, and start writing. They often have article topics that they are looking for, so you can easily claim one of those, write it and submit it to get your AC account off to a great start. Furthermore, AC was just purchased by Yahoo!, which means that even more people will read what you write. AC accepts articles, essays, prose, photos and videos. Members have the ability to follow contributions from other members, comment on articles, and even nominate their favorite users and articles for awards on the site, which come with cash prizes.

Epinions is a website that has been around since 1999 and is now owned by the Shopping.com conglomerate-the same folks that own eBay. While Epinions focuses more on well-known products, services, entertainment and travel, there is still the opportunity for you to write and expand your business. For example, let's say that you are a travel agent and you just went on a trip. You can write about your experiences with the airline, hotel, rental cars and any other locations that you may have gone to. At the bottom of every article, you can put an italicized comment saying something to the effect of "Interested in more info? Drop me a line at xxx@xxx.xxx". You can also plug your company and website in your profile. If you are solely interested in writing about your business and services offered, Epinions does have a member center with an area called "Writers' Corner" where you can write whatever you want. Epinions is more of a consumer driven website, though, so don't expect a lot of page views if you don't write actual reviews. Oh, and guess what? Epinions pays for reviews, too.

Helium is a website that is a mix of a writers' area as well as a writing marketplace. You can write articles on virtually anything, but might not get paid for it. You can put it in the marketplace to sell and for others to read, but there really aren't a whole lot of results that come from doing that. Publications, however, do post requests in the marketplace. You can respond to it by writing an article and submitting it, but it may not get published at all. You can, however, create a bio where you can plug your company and services.

A fantastic way to get your voice heard by potential clients is to submit your photographs for articles that others are writing about your industry, furnishing quotes to reporters and even weighing in on hot topics. Do not be afraid to contact editors and reporters, letting them know who you are- This is something that we will cover in the next chapter. Go to HARO and register there. You will get daily emails in the categories that you select from publications, radio shows and even television shows that are looking for people to give quotes and weigh in about certain topics. Most of these reporters will give you credit - thus giving your business credit - for anything they may use. The more visibility you have, the more at the top your field you look. The more at the top of your field you appear, the more people trust you. The more people trust you, the more people close business deals with you.

In short: Write. It is the best possible way that you can get publicity for your company, plus show what you know.