Usually, these articles run under the byline of your client, so your only gain would be the money your client pays you. However, sometimes, the client would rather have the article sound like it was written by a reporter and presented as news. Bylined Articles are somewhat like a large, economy- sized press release, but such articles tell a more in depth story about the person or company that is the subject of the article. For example, such an article might tell more about the company's new expansion plan or specialized equipment, but more importantly, they should tell something about the effect the person or company has on the community. Keep these articles oriented to the public interest. What they should not do is cross the line into advertising if you want to get them published for free. Just let advertising creep in and the editors will consider your article an ad and charge accordingly to run it.

Like any other magazine or newspaper article, the story should have a good, solid, attention attracting headline and a strong lead paragraph with a "hook" that will draw reader interest into the rest of the story. After that, just ad information of interest. Here is a short sample article. It gets Joe's name and his business mentioned, while concentrating on a public interest theme. This news style article is as much about kids and baseball as it is about Joe's Pizza Shack, but still, it does make people think they would like to drop by to see the place and try out his pizza- what more could he ask for?

Every Tuesday night you'll find the local Little League teams hanging out at Joe's Pizza Shack at 8th. and Main Streets in Ruby City, Texas. Joe, being a big kid, himself, supports little league baseball by helping out with the cost of uniforms and holding a Tuesday "buy one-get one free" night for the kids. Joe has been doing this for years and plans to keep it up. He says, "Tuesday is a slow night, anyway, so I brighten up the night for the kids. I usually make costs, and that's all right, as it gives kids something to do and keeps them off the streets after the game. Everyone likes a party."

Joe came to Ruby city in 1982, and soon after, started up his Pizza Shack with his life's savings. His mother used to make great pizza on Sunday afternoons when he was a kid, and Joe learned her recipe and continued the tradition. He says, "I can't think of anything I'd rather do. Ruby City has been good to me, so I want to give some back in more ways than one. I use only the finest ingredients and plenty of them. Then I bake the pies on a real, old country pizza stone in an old fashioned wood burning oven- you can't beat that."

"We try to have fun here," says Joe, " I've got a coke machine door on the men's room, while the lady's room is tucked behind a phony telephone booth. People are always asking where the restrooms are, and that's always good for a laugh. Often, people who are regulars bring their out-of-town guests to my store just to have some fun with them when they need to find the restrooms. Sure, business is business, but who says a fellow can't have some fun while he's at it?"

Now, Joe has plans for expanding the business by opening another Pizza Shack across town and maybe adding some franchise operators to his team. Baseball is the theme for the décor. He lines the walls with posters of the great ball players and hangs autographed bats, balls and old leather mitts from the ceiling, spiced with the traditional accessories. Joe has been a baseball paraphernalia collector since he was a kid and was never bashful about asking for autographs on those hot, summer afternoons after the games. Of course, the really rare memorabilia, he keeps in a glass case, up front where it can be safely displayed for the enjoyment of all. How would you like to see an autographed bat that Mickey Mantle once hit a homer with?

The author of this web site, William L. Lampe is available for
Business Communications, Technical and Copy Writing assignments
through his Editorial Services Consulting Agency,
The A-Company, established 1970.