New Product? Give It Nine Lives
    by Marcia Yudkin

The closeness between the words "new" and "news" provides a
telling clue to how easy it can be to get media coverage for
something that's new. By definition, the media are in the
business of covering what's fresh, what's unprecedented and
what has just happened. Follow a few simple steps and publicity
can make your product launch a significant success.

First, carefully and honestly define specific markets for your
product. Media that target those markets are those you should
concentrate on. Forget about the mass media unless even a skeptic
would have to agree that your product would matter to practically
everyone.

Second, identify the primary benefit your product will bring to
each target market. String that together with the identity of the
corresponding population in a press release headline, using the
formula "New [generic product description] brings [benefit] to
[target market]." For instance:

New Bridal Shower Game Ends Gift-Opening Tedium, Makes Shower a
Memorable Event for Hostess, Bride and Guests

Third, reword your headline for each target market. An editor's
paramount question when screening release headlines, whether in a
stack of faxes, in an email in-box or on the Web, is "Is it
relevant to my readers?" Naming the readers in the headline
answers that question without forcing the editor to think. For
example, while the headline above would go to brides' magazines,
the one below fits publications for wedding planners:

New Bridal Shower Game a Sure-Fire Add-on for Party Planners

Fourth, complete the releases and distribute them to the relevant
media. The narrower a niche, the more you may want to supplement
established industry distribution circuits with additional
research and one-by-one mailing, emailing or faxing.

Fifth, get to work turning your Web site for the product into a
magnet for folks searching for something like what you've just
released. Brainstorm generic keywords by which people would
search for your item and include as many of them as possible on
the home page and throughout the site.  Register your site or new
product page not only with major search engines but also with
specialized industry directories and submit your link at industry
portals.  Include customer or expert testimonials for greater
credibility, and add links to media coverage when that starts
coming in.

Whenever possible, link the timing of your product release to a
holiday, the season, current events or a trade show to increase
its newsworthiness.

Most specialized magazines feature selected new products near the
front of each issue, often with a product photo.  You needn't
send product samples or photos everywhere to get such coverage,
as editors will call for those if intrigued by the release. The
more lively and reader-friendly the writing in your release, the
more likely a busy editor is to choose your item from the
candidates received.

After half a year or so has passed, your product will no longer
count as "new." By upgrading the item in a relevant way, however,
you can consider it a new edition and start the cycle over again.

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Marcia Yudkin <marcia@yudkin.com> is the author of the classic
guide to comprehensive PR, "6 Steps to Free Publicity," now for
sale in an updated edition at Amazon.com and in bookstores
everywhere. She also spills the secrets on advanced tactics for
today's publicity seekers in "Powerful, Painless Online
Publicity," available from www.yudkin.com/powerpr.htm .

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