Publicity Hounds have helpful tips for Fernando Lopez of Chicago, Illinois who asked about how to get publicity for his new free weekly Hispanic newspaper.
From Howard Pierpont of Hillsboro, Oregon:
“First, get as many copies into the target market as possible. Stock up all the locations your market visits: the local bodega, any of the popular restaurants and the laundromat.
“If there is an issue that is being covered by the other media, send your articles directly to the editor’s desk. They are always looking for new sources of information, and your publication may well break the next big
story. In the larger cities, it is the small ‘underground’ media that break the news. The big ones take the bait and run. Then you can always use the phrases ‘as uncovered by,’ ‘as first reported by,’ etc.”
From Amy Zywot-Slagen fo Chicago, Illinois:
“Contact any local radio or TV stations that have Hispanic programming (college radio stations are a great source-perhaps local cable access channel as well). Also send a news release to newspapers announcing the partners that have joined the effort.”
From Leticia Acosta of Passaic, New Jersey:
“Sponsor a community event with a central theme–for example a Community Awareness Fair. Partner with local companies such as banks, city health and public resource departments, major department store chains (many have a community liaison), public libraries, and your local bookstore. Have them set up tables where they can distribute information to the community. They would also want to let people know they will be at this event, and will also help to send out information to the community to draw foot traffic.
“While the fair is going on, I would suggest having some events. If you have a Barnes & Noble near you, contact their community relations manager and they can set up Latino writers who could host discussions and signings. You could probably have major writers in the Latino literary community attend and they would surely have great drawing power. Your local B&N would be a great asset as far as helping in promoting the event, depending on how many people you would estimate would attend. They also have children’s storybook characters that they could bring along for picture ops and storytelling, which would attract parents and kids, and media to snap photos of those happy kids. B&N does this within the community for free. They would be in charge of setup and take down of their own events. All you provide is a forum to attract people.”
The Publicity Hound says: Send a news release announcing creation of a community advisory board–people within the Hispanic community who can meet monthly and advise the editors about key issues that you should cover. State in the release that people who want to be on the board should contact you directly. Another idea is to piggyback the creation of your newspaper off U.S. Census figures that show a booming Hispanic population. In the release, state that the reason you’re creating the newspaper is because of the increasing number of Hispanic residents in Chicago, and include exact statistics.