when it comes to promoting your window cleaning business, there's nothing better to boost your sales and create instant credibility than a newspaper cover story featuring your cleaning business!

during the course of this article, i'm going to show you a handful of excellent, newsworthy ways, to get free press in your local newspaper.

let's start off with...

#1 - spring cleaning!

first off... a picture is worth a thousand words. spring cleaning is one of the several newsworthy reasons to call your local newspapers attention to your window cleaning service. after all, what single act better defines the season of spring than the act of cleaning.

(pictured above) is a photo of me on april 19, 2007. i'm preparing to rappel down the side of a 7 story hotel to clean windows. let me clarify one thing -- you don't have to be a high rise window cleaner to be newsworthy...

...spring cleaning is the news, and all you need to do is call your paper now and have them come and take a picture of you for a spring cleaning article. this is obviously a time sensitive news item so, if you are reading this and it is not spring, you might want to try this approach instead...

#2 - business profile

if you are a new window cleaning business owner, or are planning on starting a business, i'd highly suggest calling, and letting you local newspaper know the "who, what, where, when, and why's" of your new business.

many newspapers will have a daily or weekly 'business profile' article. this article is designed to let people know what new businesses and services are available in your community.

a business profile in your paper is free!... and if you haven't already been profiled, this should be the first type of contact you make with your newspaper. give them a call and see if they'd like to interview you. sometimes, newspapers like your business to be recommended by customers before they'll profile you. in any event, you've got nothing to lose by picking up the phone and calling your paper.

#3 - press releases

anytime your window cleaning business is involved in any of the following newsworthy events, you should write and submit a press release to your newspaper:

• hosting or sponsoring a charity event
• benefiting a cause
• donating free services
• won an award
• added an unusual service to your business
• obtained certification in your industry

press releases have writing and submitting protocols to be followed. there's a lot of great info on this subject on the web but, i'd recommend calling your newspaper and have them explain exactly how they'd like your press release formatted. in this way, you'll be giving them exactly what they want and will have a greater chance of being published rather than rejected.

i'll see you on the streets cleaning windows!