When Publicity Hounds ask me about the best media hit I’ve ever received, they expect to hear about a feature story in the Wall Street Journal or a cover story on the front of a PR-industry publication.
No way. I tell them about something far more profitable.
It was a little 3-line item that appeared about five years ago in the Kiplinger Letter, a newsletter that targets mid- and top-level business executives. The Kiplinger Letter reports what’s likely to happen in business, the economy and government regulation before it happens.
The item announced two tips booklets I had just published–113 Tips for Recruiting Valuable Employees and 107 Tips for Keeping Valuable Employees.
During the next 12 months, that tiny little notice resulted in more than $10,000 in sales for the booklets, which are $5 each.
The bulk sales then led to speaking engagements and consulting contracts.
Tips booklets are a wonderful way to position yourself as an expert, catch the media’s attention, enhance your credibility, attract customers and create a quick product that results in bulk sales. A booklet can generate interest for your books, products, classes, speaking engagements or anything else you sell.
But where do you start? That’s easy. First, identify one of the biggest problems that people who are likely to buy your products or services face. Then write several dozen tips explaining how to solve the problem.
I wrote my tips booklets at the height of the labor shortage. Two smart strategies helped me sell, sell, sell.
First, I included a page at the back of each booklet explaining how my customers could promote their own businesses using my booklets. Second, when I wrote the news release about the booklets, I included each booklet along with the release. And I invited the media to excerpt 10 tips from each booklet.
I owe that success to Paulette Ensign, also known as “The Tips Booklet Queen,” who taught me everything I know about publishing booklets.
In the March/April 2005 issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter, Paulette shows you how to get started writing booklets by offering 15 questions you should ask yourself to find the booklet that’s within you.
Order the March/April 2005 issue
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