1. Get Organized. You have to know your product inside and out, and present it well. No crooked or smudged labels or leaky bottles. Make sure graphics are neat and coorindated. Labels can be printed on a home computer, but they still have to be nicely done. If you are not organized, you can't look organized. If a magazine or newspaper editor sees "unorganized," they will sense the risk associated with touting your product to their readers, and when that happens, your product ends up in the nearest trash pile.

2. Know Your Target. Everybody wants to be in a magazine, but which one? Oprah's would be great, but is it really the best one for you? This is where knowing your target comes in. Read several publications for a few months and identify the ones you think are the best fit for your product or service. If you don't sell organic products, don't waste your time sending them to the editor of a magazine focusing on organic living. Read publications to get a feel for what their style is. If a magazine only features products with a celebrity testimonial angle, and you don't have any celebrity customers, that magazine may not be worth your time.

3. Think Locally. Don't forget about the regional press. Your backyard newspaper is not the New York Times, but as they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Even a feature in a small neighborhood publication gives your products credibility so don't forget about the media in your own back yard.

4. Tell Your Story. Everyone loves a good story. Make sure your press release and other media "pitches" tell your story. What's interesting about the way your products came into being? What's the personal side of your business? Editors are "influencers," who like to present their readers with stories that resonate and create excitement. Tell a good story and the buzz will follow.

If these tips have stimulated your apetite for more, enjoy my entire interview with Marla (and tons of other great interviews) on my Lifestyle CEO Show radio page!