Placing articles in appropriate business and trade publications is one of the most powerful and effective marketing techniques available. Besides exposing your business to thousands of prospects you can get from one to three magazine pages devoted entirely to your business.

There is only one physical you -- and you can only be so many places at once. Writing for publication is a way to reach a larger audience than by relying entirely on human contact as your message is reaching thousands of people across city, state and regional lines.

By publishing articles you create visibility for your business without having to personally meet each reader. You also get inside the minds of readers in an organized, authoritative manner that goes beyond what you can achieve in networking situations (thirty second verbal introductions have their limitations).

No matter how much you network, get around, or attend meetings, YOU can only go so far. Publishing is the media equivalent of expanded networking: you reach a targeted audience of people who might buy from you; you build a relationship with this audience by publishing more articles; you become viewed as an expert; and you build a bond of trust upon which future sales are possible.

Publishing articles is a way to expand your business -- even a small, local business can establish a regional or national presence.

Publishing exposes you to new prospects, solidifies your reputation among existing clients, and introduces you to new vendors and suppliers. There may be a limit to your physical availability, but publishing enables you to reach thousands of valuable contacts without leaving your desk.

Visibility + Competence + Word of Mouth = REPUTATION

Advertisers and marketers agree that the more times someone runs across your name, the more predisposed they are to buy from you (an effect that grows when your name appears in contexts that imply you are competent). And because of the media's indirect indication of ability, prospects that hear about you through published articles are largely pre-sold on your abilities. The impact widens if you publish consistently and word-of-mouth takes on a life of its own.

Roseanne Sullivan, president of San Francisco-based Sullivan Communications, attributes article publishing as providing a lion's share of new clients. She makes it a goal to have at least one article in print at any given time. "I have received speaking engagements from new clients who have heard about me through my published articles," says Sullivan, "I also receive calls from prospects, ‘nudged’ after reading one of my articles, who pick up the phone and hire me."

Even though you are probably not an experienced journalist, coming up with ideas for articles is not hard. Most "expert" feature stories are how-to pieces aimed at educating readers on a particular topic related to the author's industry. Another strategy involves case histories or application stories -- showing readers how a business solved a problem or addressed a need.

The key to publishing articles is to package your ideas as news rather than sales pieces. It is important to avoid "puffery." Publications are bound by an ethic of impartiality and are not there to praise your company's products or services. Construct articles in a benefit-oriented fashion. Tell prospects how to think about or apply your business solution. It is important to give readers information they can use whether or not they buy from you.

Time, Commitment and Consistency

You wouldn't expect a massive return on a monetary investment overnight. The same goes with publishing. Huge dividends come to those who persist. Like all marketing activities, publishing articles should be considered a long-term commitment that will yield long-term rewards.

Is it worth the time? Remember that just a few clients landed as a result of a published article can pay for all your marketing costs for the next year. If you don't give article publishing a chance, you'll never know what it can do for you. Establishing your reputation in print takes time. But if you are committed, an inevitable "snowball effect" could give you all the business you can handle!