A press release idea for you

[Steve]

Here is an article that is both educational to the homeowner and promotional for the LCO. Have you ever thought of putting together an article on fall or spring lawn care and using it as a tool to promote your company as well? Have you ever seen another lco in the area do this? Laying the groundwork - Cooler weather seems to be the most common signpost that summer is ending and, with it, the culmination of another growing season. And while vegetable and flower gardens have already had their day, lawns continue to need mowing and feeding until a lasting frost renders them dormant, awaiting next year. Before stowing away your mower and trimmer for the last time, experts say there are a number of important steps to complete this season to ensure a strong and healthy lawn next spring. John Desitter, owner of First Impressions Services in Downers Grove, said fall lawn care should include fertilizing, overseeding, aeration and weed control. "Fall is probably the best time of the year to do things to your lawn," Desitter said. "You should start with a 'winterizer' lawn application and also put down weed control to kill whatever is growing now or might come up in the spring."

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I have tried to do press releases before, and always the newspaper say I have to purchase a certain size ad before they can do the press release

[Steve]

Oh very interesting.

Do you remember what topics you covered in your press releases?

I believe that I was discussing crabgrass control


That is when I started doing the forum thing in the local newspaper. I had to pay like $60 a week for it. But I cancelled after 4 months of it because they were editing my comments without asking me first. The final one they edited, they left off a major important part and I blew up at them. Even though I was supposedly locked in for 6 months, I told them to cancel me now (after only 4 months), or else I will not even pay for the most recent forum ad. They granted me the early cancelation

[Steve]

Can you remember if anyone had contacted you because of the article or ads?

Nope.

I just know that some people talked about it now and then. Mostly regular customers

[Steve]

Was the price an issue as well? Would you have stuck with it if it were a lower price?

I would have kept on doing it if:
1. It was free
2. They didn't edit everything without first asking me

I usually took about an hour of my time every week to write the thing. I just felt like it was benefiting the newspaper more than myself. Because we couldn't really promote our services, we could only talk about a topic in our specific industry in general.

[Steve]

I wonder if different papers handle these things differently?

I agree with you that what they did was a problem.

I have thought before about approaching a different local newspaper and have just a section for me agian. *Perhaps I will do it and will keep you updated