How can your company get media exposure at little or no cost? Radio and TV spots can be costly, but there are ways to be a guest (no $ involved!) in a radio or TV show. It is more likely that you will be featured in a radio show than on TV. The exception here is if you sponsor a large community event or a TV show - but, still, where is the budget for this? So, go about your business decisions with the word 'Advertise' in the back of your mind... Make the opportunities to get exposure for your company, do not wait for them to happen. Call the local TV station with a news tip when you or your company will be involved in an upcoming event (even school- or church-related). The TV producer may be seeking to fill a spot and, there you go, advertisement free of charge. Should they suggest an in-person interview, pick the place - hopefully, your office, where you display the company name and/or logo near you. Otherwise, wear your company's logo in a visible place.

Some radio stations feature businesspersons, entrepreneurs, business experts during rush-hour shows. Write a brief description of your expertise and send to the radio station producers, offering to speak on the topic. Suggest a list of other professionals to be contacted for the show. Granted, it may take a bit of legwork on your part, but the payoff might be very handsome.

A guest appearance in a radio show is not so farfetched. Here is an example of how this could happen to you. A colleague in Maryland met a radio producer at an event out of state. As they talked, he learned that the producer was interested in the ‘niche’ of translation. The producer invited my colleague to be interviewed on the air. Shortly after, another radio show producer in Maryland invited him to participate in a program for executives. Do you want to guess how many times his company name was mentioned during the shows? For free!

Get thinking... the possibilities are only limited by your [lack of] drive.