1st facepainting related article in paper today!

Alright folks, this is my lesson on 'If you don't toot your own horn, no one else will' and FREE advertising!

My background is sales and marketing and I've written for local newspapers and magazines so I have some experience in the written word. So after returning from my amazing experience in Calgary at Bodyssey and winning 3rd place for my first full body paint in the competion I decided to 'toot my own horn'. I spent a few hours writing a press release and submitted it to the local paper. The next business day, to my delight, I got a call from one of their reporters. Turns out she's pregnant and was quite excited when I told her about belly painting. This is what was printed in our local paper today...

http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/missioncityrecord/entertainment/103063569.html

My press release was a lot different than the article, but it served it's purpose and motivated the call. The reporter was impressed with the press release and was shocked 'the artist' had written it. I wrote mostly about Bodyssey and the amazing instructors and how well BC did in the bodypainting competition. The event was in Alberta and the top 3 wins were from BC artists. The other artists placed higher than me, but they probably didn't get the amazing free advertising I did.

The point is, take the time to share what you do. Everyone loves the uniqueness of face and body art so it's a pretty easy sell to the media. Ya just gotta 'do it'.

Awesome, congrats!!

Great job marketing yourself!

wow!...great job on the article!

Thanks for sharing Congratulations!

You are pretty awesome! Yay!

Good article... and ditto!

I've always kept in touch with the local press and it gets me lots of coverage - even the radio news on a slow day!

Thanks everyone!

I love FREE advertising It actually has more credibility too. The paper version of the article actually has a small photo on the front page and then a full page on page 28 with two huge photos. One of my 'practice' bodypaint of the tigers, and the other one was of Kyler and I.

I knew you'd know how to use the media Shannon. I probably read about it in your book too, I just can't remember off hand. There's so much in there

That is a great artical! Congrats!

Thanks for letting us know. I've done publicity on stuff and I forget to do it for 'myself'. Newspapers can be a bit lazy and a pre-written artical can help them fill space. We should remember to use this to our advantage (they loooove pictures that aren't the usual 'grab 'n grin' aswell).