You do;t need a degree in public relations to effectively publicize business to the press. And you do-t need a huge marketing budget either. What you do need is a clear understanding of how to reach reporters and what the-re looking for. These 10 tips will get you started.

1. Know what makes you newsworthy. This differs for each media outlet. If you own a restaurant, the town newspaper might be interested in your grand opening. An industry magazine might be interested in your che's unusual management style. A'gree' publication might write about your commitment to the environment.

2. Join a free press release distribution site. Sign up with sites like PR.com (*www.pr.com), PRLog.org (*www.prlog.org) or Free Press Release.com (*www.free-press-release.com) to distribute your press releases to search engines for free. Most also provide guidelines for writing a good release.

3. Make your website media-friendly. Create a pressroom or media area with links to past publicity, and an'About U' section highlighting your mission and key employees. Make it easy for the press to contact yo'yo'd be surprised how many sites do't.

4. Go where the reporters are. At ProfNet (*https://profnet.prnewswire.com) and Help a Reporter Out (*www.helpareporter.com), members of the media post queries seeking sources for articles. Use both sites to open your business to a world of publicity opportunities.

5. Know your target. Before pitching a media outlet, be familiar with the website or publication. Know what topics the reporter covers (his or her beat) and what angles he or she is likely to be interested in. This helps you tailor your pitch to the person's needs.

6. Become a resource. When you see information that might help a reporter”such as industry statistics or a local trend”pass it on. If you're helpful on a regular basis, you'll be top-of-mind when the reporter needs a source.

7. Sell your pitch. Most press releases today are sent by email, and reporters get hundreds of emails a day. Break through the clutter with a subject line clearly conveying the benefit to the reporter and why your news should interest him or her.

8. Offer an exclusive. If you have a ground-breaking product or service, or really want your company mentioned in a particular media outlet, offer an exclusive. Giving an influential reporter the first chance to publicize your news can create more incentive to write about you.

9. Network. It's easy to find out reporters' beats and what they're interested in. Get active on social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with members of the media and see what they're working on.

10. Don't forget bloggers. PR once meant targeting print publications or TV shows, but bloggers have become equally important. Many bloggers post multiple times a day, so they're hungry for news. Read their blogs, post comments and cultivate them as carefully as you would any other member of the media. You can find the bloggers that cover your industry at the blog directory on Technorati.com or at Alltop.com.

These tips have been provided courtesy of SBDC-LA. Since January 1, 2006, Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) has been the host for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network servicing the Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara communities. The SBDC program is the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) most extensive economic development program, helping small businesses create jobs and strengthen local economies. LBCCD as the Lead Center holds the contract with the SBA and contracts with a diverse group of six educational and community development organizations to deliver services to small businesses. For more information, please visit www.smallbizla.org.

Rieva Lesonsky is CEO of GrowBiz Media, a content and consulting company that helps entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Follow Rieva at Twitter.com/Rieva, and visit SmallBizDaily.com to sign up for her free weekly TrendCast reports.

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