By Sue DiFranco
Copyright © 2001 Sue DiFranco/Fun Facts Publishing  

Providing free articles to newspapers, magazines, and Web sites, is an excellent way of getting some "free" publicity for you and your business. When you're determining what to send to gain media publicity, your top three choices are: news release, tip sheet, and article. An article, if written well and reflecting the style of the publication, stands a good chance of being published and proving that you are an expert. 

Scrapbook instructor and Close To My Heart® Independent Consultant Minerva Alverado knows this firsthand. She recently penned an article and had the satisfaction of seeing it published in several area papers! Here is an excerpt:

"INTERESTED IN PRESERVING MEMORIES TO TREASURE? WANT TO LEARN A RELAXING NEW HOBBY?

Arts and crafts as hobbies have been around for a very long time.  Fads come and go...macrame in the '70s, pottery in the '80s, and quilting in the '90s, but guess what is here to stay in this new millennium?  Scrapbooking!

"Sales of scrapbook and rubber stamping supplies have more than doubled nationwide.  Celebrities like Rosie O'Donnell and Leeza Gibbons are avid scrapbookers.  Scrapbooking is an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for your family, friends and loved ones. Not only can you learn to preserve life experiences in a beautiful scrapbook, and leave a precious memory book for your children, but you can use the same tools to make beautiful, coordinated cards and gifts!  Studies also show that arts and crafts have a powerful, positive impact on your health and emotional well-being.  It's fun to do at any age!

"If you are in a scrapbooking business, offer to hold a community workshop at your place of worship or at a local school.  Write them and send them your "resume" and you will see how quickly you will get exposure for your scrapbooking business!  Offer your workshop attendees an incentive to sign up by offering to raffle samples of your stamped goodies.  They will love receiving these incentives and will recommend their friends for other workshops.  Before you know it, they will be hooked!  Offer a "make and take" session at your workshop  where each attendee creates their own projects that are easy to re-create at home.  Design your workshops around themes that will be of interest to the community such as Halloween treats, Holiday creations, etc."

Minerva went on to explain that she'll be holding workshops at a local adult education center. She listed the classes she's offering, along with times and fees, and her contact information.

Clearly this article did the trick of explaining what scrapbooking is and why it's important. It also gave tips and suggestions for scrapbook business owners, and provided Minerva's own contact information. Take this article both as an example of what works and as a success story to inspire you to write your own article! Good luck!

To contact Minerva, call (201) 216-1730 or email asassystamper@aol.com  
 

Note: you’re welcome to use this article as content for your web site, ezine, or newsletter. Please make sure it remains complete and unaltered, and it MUST include the “about the author” info at the end.

We also ask that you send a copy of your reprint to info@funfactspublishing.com.  Thank you!
 

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