Using Trade Publications To Gain Exposure For Your Company

Guest Post by Howie Goldfarb

You are just starting out.

You have a new business… or maybe you’re struggling to get name recognition for your existing business.

You want to make a name for yourself in your industry. You want to get your business visible in your industry.

Image: billy liar via Flickr, CC 2.0

Well, I have some easy ways

to get Google and Bing filled with your business name, as well as getting it known by people in your industry online.

Sky Pulse Media is my start-up advertising/marketing agency.

Now, I come from outside the ad industry. Previously, I was in B2B sales for “heavy industry.”

At age 40, I came into a new industry with zero contacts or connections. I was with a start-up for 8 months that then folded.

After getting a taste of the small biz life, I struck out on my own. In August of 2009 my website went live.

I finally had a presence.

I had an image, which I decided to fit to my outsider image. It’s subversive, ROI focused, and looking to make some waves and be different.

I chose an “alien” theme to match my company name. I wanted to be fun.

“I am from Andromeda Galaxy. I am in search of the greatest Space Daiquiri.”

I chose the name because my focus was on mobile marketing and finding creative ways to reach people directly minimizing wastage (which, by my definition, is the amount of money wasted reaching people who will never buy your product).

Plus, trust me: bring up ROI with a creative agency and they will look at you as if you are from another galaxy… but their clients’ CFO will love you.

Helen Klein Ross, founder of the Brand Fiction Factory, won a Shorty Award as Betty Draper on Twitter.

Darryl Ohrt of Humongo Agency has the title of Prime Minister of Awesome, and Joseph Jaffe of Powered is their Chief Interrupter.

Well, I can be the Chief Alien of Sky Pulse Media, as well as President and CEO.

Here’s how I did it

I subscribed to all the trade publication emails. Ad Age, Ad Week, Brand Week, Media Week, MediaPost etc.

I read the general business news pubs, like BusinessWeek, the New York Times, Fortune, the Economist, etc.

Then, when I found articles that left me dumbfounded, or I had worthwhile input I started commenting.

First I used my full name.

But realized one day I wanted employees.

So I decided to change my commenting name to “Howie at Sky Pulse Media.”

This achieved two goals at once.

Anyone who reads the article and sees my comment knows my company name. The authors, especially at MediaPost, are really good at reading comments, and I have gotten direct emails from some asking for more insight/input.

And if anyone searches for “Sky Pulse Media” they will see my company name in pages of search results.

This does have a double-edged sword.

I am very opinionated. I can be very aggro [sic] when it comes to bad reporting. The writers at Mashable, I am sure, pray each time they upload an article to the site that no one in my network links to it!

Btw, I got 29 “likes” from this comment!

My point is

your comments will be seen.

We often forget Google might show them. Just like tweets. It is ok to disagree and to even be a bit aggro.

But be tactful as much as possible. Sometimes… sigh, there’s nothing one can do.

On that same note

I present facts to back up my viewpoints.

Journalists and I have opposing goals.

They have to fill copy space, attract readers, yet also hopefully keep access to the companies and brands they writer about.

I want to show I am smart, have insight, and if asked to consult by a client won’t give them bulls**t.

I even got into a fight with editors at Fortune via email over a Facebook cover story where they didn’t ask key questions regarding suspicious numbers.

“Reality” is that important to me.

Note the argument with the editors was done via email, not via this article online.

But now I have my name associated with Fortune as well as the New York Times:

So when someone searches to see “who exactly this company is,” Sky Pulse Media is all over the internet.

This is all free.

I do the same with blogs. I sign my name, Howie at Sky Pulse Media. My Disqus name shows the same.

I am not an individual brand. That is not my goal.

I want my company as my brand.

And now I have a big footprint on the Internet.

All for free.

Howie Goldfarb is Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Strategy at Web Choice Consulting, a full service integrated marketing and Internet agency. He had a 14-year career in direct B2B industrial sales before deciding to lighten up his dreary work life and move into advertising/marketing. He has a CFO’s view of marketing, bringing a dose of reality to the confusing world of jargon, spin, and hype. He currently lives in the Green Mountains of Vermont and is still seeking his first moose sighting.