Staying in business requires ongoing marketing efforts. Writing magazine articles is one way you can market you, yourself, or your product for free. Every day there are thousands of magazine articles about companies, products, and services.

To determine the value of this free publicity, calculate the cost of a magazine advertisement. For example, a 1/3 page ad in Ladies' Home Journal costs more than $98,000. By writing a magazine article to promote you or your company, you can achieve thousands of dollars worth of free publicity.

Whenever you introduce a new product or service, that innovation is considered news. There are also opportunities for stories that include your service or product. For example, if you manufacture outdoor products, a camping story could be placed in a magazine using your products.

Choose Your Idea
People often ask writers, "Where do you get your ideas?" The truth is ideas are limitless. Your challenge is to choose among many ideas and select what will "best" sell your company, service or product.

Look for Magazine Markets
To find a magazine interested in a particular topic, try amazon.com. Click on the "magazines" link, and type in a word or two relating to the type of magazine. To find out how to submit articles, go to the publication's Web site and click on areas such as "Contact Us," or "Submissions" for the editor's name.

Since 1921, Writer's Market has been known as "the writer's Bible." This reference book includes more than 3,800 listings of magazines where article ideas may be submitted. Each listing includes an editor's name, types of material they would like to receive, and comparative pay rates.

Submit Your Ideas in a Query Letter
A query letter is a one-page letter describing your article idea. Think of a query as a "mini-article." Include as many elements as possible to help the editor envision the completed article.

Most magazines accept query letters by e-mail.

Write the Article
Many writers find that an outline is helpful in structuring the elements of the finished article. In outlining the article, you may wish to write the lead paragraph first, to help determine the sequence. You could also group quotes relating to the same topic together, then decide which order they should be listed.

Resell and Re-Purpose the Article
One of the most effective ways to broaden the scope of free publicity is to resell previously published articles. The first step is to confirm that you haven't sold exclusive or other restrictive rights. If you have, you cannot resell it.

If you can resell the article, look for appropriate magazines and resubmit your initial query letter. With small and/or local publications, submit either the query or the entire article for consideration.

Be sure to get reprints for use as testimonials in your marketing materials.