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The first thing you need to understand is that editors are over worked, and have a voracious appetite. This means that any small business owner can take advantage of free publicity, two ways. First, they can obtain the first level of free publicity, second, they can slant their reports and press releases so editors will want to publish their articles.

Free press is equal to hundreds of thousands worth of advertising, and levels the playing field for a work at home business. There is only one secret to obtaining free publicity:
Make Life Easier for Your Editorial Allies

Another aspect of thinking like an editor is presenting yourself as the kind of person editors want to deal with. In any oral or written communication with a media outlet, you should be friendly and approachable, articulate and concise.

Be willing to answer reporters' questions, even if you have to research the answers and get back to them. (Don't be afraid to say you don't know but can find out, and never give an answer you're not sure is accurate.) If you're running an event or a tourist attraction, let the press in for free to cover it. Finally, know the deadlines and publication schedules of the media you deal with, and understand their importance.

A deadline is the day and time a reporter has to get a story in if it's going to be printed or broadcast in the next edition. Except for very hot last-minute news, those deadlines may as well be written in stone.

Get your stuff in on time and don't try to wheedle a journalist into bending a deadline for you--the bad reputation you will get among the press is a far worse disease than being left out once. And don't forget that a reporter needs some time to work with your material, and is balancing your story against many others.

Typically, morning daily newspapers close the edition around 10 p.m., afternoon papers at around 11 a.m., weeklies two to four days before publication. Some sections may close earlier than others.

A large metropolitan Sunday newspaper may close the magazine, comics, arts, living, and classified sections as early as Monday, and have them already printed and collated as early as the previous Thursday. This frees up the presses for news and sports sections that get printed Saturday night. TV stations tend to like to do the camera work at least two to four hours before the newscast.

Give daily and broadcast journalists a minimum of a couple of hours before their deadline to write their story-- several days if you're dealing with weeklies, and even longer for monthlies--and don't call any reporter or editor right at deadline, when s/he's frantically trying to get all the stories out.

Feature departments, including community calendars or letters to the editor, may have a deadline that applies to you, rather than the reporter. In my area, the newsweekly and the most popular commercial radio station both want calendar notices two to three weeks ahead! Again, respect the deadline and be on time.

About the Author: Mark Walters is a third generation entrepreneur and author. He offers free training and investing videos designed to speed you towards financial independence at http://www.cashflowinstitute.com