There are many ways you can get tons of free publicity in the form of write-ups in magazines, newspapers, and even radio and TV. And sometimes you can turn family events into human-interest stories that editors like and will publish in their magazine and newspapers

One way is to compose a printed news release on your product or service, but include a story involving your family into the release. Write the release like a news article in a newspaper. Tell who, what, when, why, and how interested people can benefit from your product. Avoid hard selling copy --- just give the facts, and if you can weave in an interesting story in the process, all the better.

For example, I am a musician with a line of products in the music educational field. Years ago I created a giant musical staff out of plastic and turned it into a game that kids could play on the floor. In the news release about it, I told how my own kids used it, and included some dialog between them:

“That’s a whole note!” exclaimed my daughter Kendra.

“Is not! It’s got a stem, and whole notes don’t have stems” my son Kurt corrected her.

“Is too!”

“Is not!”

“Is too!"

“Is not!”

“Oh…what’s a stem, Kurt?”

“It’s the line coming down from the note head, stupid.”

“I am not stupid!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!”

Finally Mom intervened before an all-out war broke out.

But henceforth and evermore both of my kids knew the difference between a whole note and a half note.

For some reason, editors found that little story amusing, and wrote up the story pretty much as I sent it in. They also included information on how interested parents could get a “Giant Staff Game” for their own kids, and as a result we got orders from all over the states and some foreign countries from both parents and schools. It was written up in House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, plus many music magazines and teachers’ journals.

This was not just a one-time fluke, either -- over the years we received news write-ups galore in everything from the Wall Street Journal to Popular Mechanics -- all related to our product, but written in a way to make editors smile and then decide to publish the release in their publications.

Can you do the same? Think about the funny little incidents in your family life, and then think of ways you can work that into a news release about your product or service.

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and music educational materials such as DVD's, CD's, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. His courses have been written up in hundreds of newspapers and magazines. His book-CD-DVD course titled "How To Play Chord Piano" (http://www.chordpiano.com) has sold over 100,000 copies around the world. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He has also logged time as an assistant music therapist and piano tuner, as well as a working pianist. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled "Amazing Secrets Of Exciting Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions" with over 55,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

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