There are a number of great strategies to follow to secure free radio publicity and/or advertising. Many of these methods are simple yet accessible, and they are often overlooked by the people who may benefit from them the most.

One excellent way of getting free radio publicity and/or advertising is with bartering. Bartering is the trade of goods or services from one party to another without the transfer of payments. It has been around since the early days of civilization, before coins existed, and it is a highly effective way of getting what it desired.

Many businesses use bartering as on option when they do not have the funds to pay for something outright. Businesses such as these will offer something of theirs in return for something that another company has. Bartering is common in all media, including radio. It is a great choice for marketers looking for free advertising, especially when dealing with smaller, local radio stations. The stations must sell their advertising time before the deadline passes or the opportunity will be gone and there will be nothing to gain. Because of this, many broadcasters are eager to barter their unsold time.

The key to making this type of exchange work is to do a little bit of research by listening carefully to the station that is under consideration. Marketers must discern what the station might want. If it is something that the marketer has, then bartering has a real chance as a viable option. A call should be made or a letter should be written to the station outlining the offer.

The product or service exchanged for free advertising does not need to be anything complex or difficult. It can even be as simple as donating one’s time. Many radio stations invite guest hosts to join shows depending on the format. WXRP in New York has guest artists come in and host their show, and they choose what music to play based on their own unique preferences. This has become an extremely popular segment for WXRP.

A marketer could take their talents a step further and actually double the advertising for the effort by volunteering as a guest host for a show on a topic relating to the business. If someone who owns a local greenhouse is seeking publicity, it would be easy to host a show and take questions from callers on spring planting or gardening. Publicity would be gained for the greenhouse throughout the segment as well as through the advertising time received in the barter. It is a win-win situation.

If a marketer does not prefer to go on the air to host a show, there are other ways to barter. Perhaps a certain hotel chain wants free publicity and would like to barter with a radio station for air time. The hotel could offer free accommodations to the station in return for advertising time.

It is important to remember that radio station managers are essentially sales people. They will accept ideas that made sense and are presented well. Once it is clear what types of products or services the station needs, bartering can be a very effective way of gaining free advertising and/or publicity.

S. Ryan has been helping companies market there services for over 10 years. He primarily focuses on small/start up companies. Read his review of a new proven system for getting Free Radio Advertising & get 5 more FREE tips at:www.freeradioadvertising.org