how do you get your store listed in magazines or in magazines without paying for advertising?

Question

i have and online retail store with limited marketing funds, but want to get it listed in large circulation magazines or websites.

Answer 1

Many magazines are involved in fund raising. I have seen fashion magazines auction of donated products and services, with proceeds going to various charities. You may want to see if you can contribute some of your own products. In return for the donation, the magazine should highlight your retail store brand.

Answer 2

When you need to know a marketing question, ask a marketer. Just so happens I happen to be one. First find a magazine that specializes in your industry. Next contact the sales rep and get the name and email address of the editor, columnists, etc. Email them and the sales rep and find out if they do editorials or new product listings etc. Many magazine columnists are always looking for material, remember they want to keep the readers interest and are always looking for something new. Just too let you know, they ask me if I have any columns or products that we would like to be placed in their magazines all the time. This is so we can evaluate the effectiveness of the magazine in hopes that we will purchase ad space with them, course we are a big company and they want our account, but it still is worth the shot.

Answer 3

Talk with your local Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) office (www.score.org) for free advice. The Small Business Administration (www.sba.gov) has a lot of free information that will help you, too.

Many magazines need filler articles, and you can write one about your stores and submit it to them. They also will do reduced fee ads to fill space, too.

To make your website more visible on-line, make sure that your TITLE and DESCRIPTION metatags are relevant and are reflected in the text on the first page of your website. There are a LOT of other tips and tricks you can do. There are books in the local library (make sure they are current--no more than 2 years old) on optimizing your webiste for search engines (called search engine optimization [SEO]). If you don't find it there, spend $20 and buy one at your local bookstore.

Remember, that free will only get you so far. You have to spend money wisely to make money.

Answer 4

Barter. Agree to do some advertising or publicity stuff for them, and see what they'll do for you.

Think about what you can offer, and see if you can get someone to strike a deal with you. I doubt you'll just get advertising for free, but that doesn't mean you have to pay for it. Swap time, talent, and resources for what you want.

Answer 5

Try this one:

http://www.yelp.com/home

(It's a free service, kinda like citysearch.com)

Granted, you're supposed to have an actual address, but if have someone (a friend or client) write in a review, it's free to list.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Write articles and have them accepted by the pubs. Go to http://ewebsmith.com for some more free traffic generators and ad spots.

Answer 7

make it really interesting in some way, so a reporter will come over and write an article about your store

Answer 8

You can't, you have to pay. Or make your site popular, and get people to link to you.

Answer 9

Nothing is free , unfortunatley.