I am often approached and asked, how do I write an article that will get published in other peoples ezines, newsletters, newspapers or other publications, and it's a VERY good question as it's not a case of sitting down and writing just anything ? there are some tricks to doing it, and I'm going to share with you some the basic process you need to follow to get started in the right direction?

First of all why even bother to write an article?

Well for one, it's a fabulous way to gain FREE exposure to a target market you want, but don't have yourself. It's also a terrific way of increasing your own personal profile, as articles build your credibility as an expert of the topic you're writing about.

STEP 1. Start with something that you have an interest in ? even better is something that you are really passionate about and that your target market is interested in too! After all, it is not going to be effective if for example I wrote about my love of holidaying! My target market is going to be thinking well so what!!!! Make it relevant?

STEP 2. Still don't know where to start? Well ask or listen to your customers, what problems are they facing, what do they need solutions to and how can you be instrumental in that? Then write about it! People will pay big money to solve their problems, so they may as well spend it with you, yes?

STEP 3. List out some things you'd like to cover in the article, do some research for inspiration if you get stuck. Success is in the planning. So be organised in your content. It has to be written professionally otherwise it will do more harm than good for you. After you list a few key points you wish to cover, put them in the order you wish them to appear and then sub elaborate on them ? all of a sudden you'll have content coming out your ears!!!!

STEP 4. Link it all together and write it in a way that it has emotion coming through to your reader. It HAS to be exciting and interesting enough that it will hold your readers attention (you don't want them yawning!) And don't make it a sales pitch or advertisement for your product. It HAS to be valuable information and educational for your reader and as if it's conversational. At the end of the article you can promote your product/service etc but never during the body of the article, and in addition to that the product/service needs to be relevant to what you're writing about. You need to look at around 750 - 1000 words.

STEP 5. Have a title. THIS is one of the most important things when writing an article and it can make or break the decision of whether a person will read it or not. It needs to leap out at your reader and speak right to their need, emotion and curiosity. Your heading needs to have the person saying to themselves I MUST read this otherwise I'm missing out on something valuable here (and they would be right!!!!) It also needs to be shouting out the benefits that someone will have as a result of reading it.

STEP 6. Write a short paragraph (no more than 4 sentences) on who you are, what your product is and how people can contact you including your website. This area is often known as the authors or resource box. Check mine at the bottom here as an example.

STEP 7. Proof read it 3 times and then proof read it again! And then get someone else to check it for you to if you can! Also do the all important spell check!

STEP 8. Promote it. Research where you'd like to send it so that your target market have a chance at seeing it and email or submit it to the site for free use as long as it has your authors details in tact. There are countless internet sites that will take it, and many magazines/publications that are directed at your target market PLUS there is also an array of local press AND media who may also use it too! Remember there's a host of industries that have their own newsletters that often look for content, such as fitness industries, medical, health, new age, business, etc etc. If sending your article to a newspaper ? add you a head shot of yourself too ? they like to have to add photos?It's also beneficial to send a little intro to them describing briefly what your article is about and why you're sending to them and the fact they are welcome to use it for free!

STEP 9. Follow up to those you have submitted the article to. A quick email or call is all that you need. So remember who you sent it out to ok!

STEP 10. Be positive, persistent and patient! Like anything the more you do it the better you become. You will have some people turn you down, BUT you will also be getting closer to someone saying YES! So keep sending it out, you can't please all the people ALL the time, so don't stress if someone says no. It's useless if you don't implement promotion of it. I have sent one article off to over 50 different places ? NEVER give up! Schedule it in to do and DO IT!

And remember, a great marketing tool that can spring off this initiative is to add more information, content and detailing and sell it as an Ebook! I love articles and the diversity of them. You can simply use, change, add, delete words to build it into a very profitable marketing exercise.

Have fun and good luck!

Abundant Success! Rachael Bermingham Entrepreneurial Woman http://www.marketingtosuccess.com

http://www.globalsuccesscommunity.com

This article by Rachael Bermingham. International Success Strategist, Entrepreneur, Mum, Wife, Business woman, and Coach who teaches and helps others how to develop and use their passions, skills, and talents for profit. You can book her for a session or a speaking engagement via her websites or emailing her at rachael@globalsuccesscommunity.com This article may be printed or used in its entirety with full author contacts and details. Please forward an email to us if you wish to use it for our records info@marketingtosuccess.com