What's positioning? It's the art of presenting your message in such a way as to convey an immediate understanding of your subject. It "positions" your topic with other like topics in the news so that those reading your materials can easily understand the subject and how it compares to others like it.

Although positioning has been used by Madison Avenue, there is still little understanding of this concept beyond that world. If used correctly it can put a derailed campaign back on track and create huge media success.

If you're not a nationally recognized brand name then you will need a lot more strategic creativity in your presentation to the media. Let's face it, with the massive number of products released each year, there's a demand on companies to get aggressive about promotion.

This battle for attention makes the job of product promotion increasingly more difficult. Positioning may be the missing link that will pull you through. Here are some tips that we use at EMSI to position our clients to the media:

1)The writer creating the press materials must have a solid understanding of not only the product, but also its relevance to today's society.

2)Look at the product for those pieces of information, or "pearls", which set it apart from others in the market. Also keep an eye out for those statements or assertions made by the business that are alarming or ground-breaking.

3)Find out how similar topics are being portrayed in the media. How does yours compare? Is it different? Is there a new slant to it?

4)Distill this information into a two page release positioned with current news or events and an exciting headline. Remember that you've got to grab and keep the attention of a very busy producer or journalist.

5)Don't require the media to use their imagination to see how the topic would be of interest to their listeners, viewers or readers. Give them an instant concept of what you are suggesting in the headline. That's positioning at its best.

6)Remember to include those special features about the spokesperson that positions him or her as an authority on the topic and a qualified guest!

A shocking realization occurs to many businesses not long after their product hits the market: They realize their products are invisible. It quickly becomes apparent that consumers simply can't see their products. That comes as no surprise with hundreds of thousands of new products hitting the market every year!

With this much competition in the marketplace combined with no media coverage the result is no connection to the buying public. The product hasn't been discussed on successive talk radio shows or seen on TV. Neither has there been any newspaper coverage nor conspicuous product reviews in popular publications.

In other words, all the known antidotes for "Product Invisibility" are absent. Small wonder this affliction has reached epidemic proportions, shortening the life cycle of so many of them.

A horrible waste, especially since "Product Invisibility" is so readily treatable. The antidote involves specific PR techniques that can quickly promote otherwise unknown products.

So you now have more targeted media options than ever before. Needless to say, pinpointed national coverage like this can instantly yank your product from the depths of obscurity. If you've suffered from the ravages of "Product Invisibility", take heart. You and your writing can beat this affliction today.

In order to be successful, you need to create national recognition and awareness of your product to the largest audience of potential consumers as possible. The bottom line is that your product needs to stand out from the thousands of new products released every year - in addition to the millions that are already out there!