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Publicity in trade magazines and local papers can help launch your invention. It is also a strategy most inventors fail to take advantage of.  There are three types of publicity that can assist inventors, all three should be sent with as many pictures as you can furnish.  Images attached to press releases need to be high-resolution, meaning they need 300 dpi (dots per inch) or higher. 

1. Simple product releases. Just announcing a new product. You can send these to media outlets in your industry, to community groups that might be interested in your product, and to potential customers.
2. Product press releases with market information, that includes information about who you target  market and target customers are, where your product is being sold, and hopefully includes quotes from some people in your distribution channel, such as manufacturers’ representatives, wholesalers or retailers.
3. Product Press releases that includes a story, how you can up with the idea, people who have been helped by the idea, how you went about getting the product made and any other interesting items that could induce a writer or editor to pick up your story.

You should do all three types of releases, because they media will put the stories into different slots, new product selections, News about the industry or just general stories.

Finding the Outlets to Send Releases

For consumer and trade magazines, newspapers, and radio stations you do an online search  where you can many outlets, but another sources is Gale’s Source of Publications and Broadcast Media, Gale Directory Library Titles Uses and Sample Searches,  and find information about the resource. Many larger libraries have access to this database so you should call up your local library and see which local library might carry it.

For community groups, try these two sites which help you find groups of likeminded people to join and share information with. Both Meetup – We are what we do, and Instameet groups | Meetup sites allow you to connect with a group of people who have interest in your products, such as people who love to cook. All inventors, especially those selling in Amazon, should get familiar with these sites as they can help jump start your business.  Facebook groups and Facebook events, if they are connected somehow to your product are also a great resource. So an online search for how to find Facebook  groups and you will many resources from Facebook to find both event and groups.

You can find potential customer contacts in product directories in trade magazines, which are easily found in an on-line search. But don’t forget to check on industry trade associations for your industry. There are many on-line resources you can find through a search, but many of your larger libraries will also have resources for industry trade associations.  One of my favorite sites is Trade Associations – PlanningShop.

The Press Release Format

You can find many press release formats on line, but all you really need is a Headline, the story you want to tell and then on the bottom the name of the Company, with a web and physical address and one or more contact people with their confirmation information.  There is not a rigid format you need to follow, what is important that you have good images, and a good story.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t generate strong publicity at first.  Writers and publications are always concerned about the next story. They may already have a current story to work on. Keep sending out releases and first you will seem like a substantial company or story and two you might hit upon a time when the writer or publication needs a story.