Public Relationshif

A Guide to Optimizing Public Relations Content

2008-07-16T19:07:00.001-07:00

This guide to "SEOing" your PR efforts can help you get high-ranking search results for your press releases, marketing white papers and ezine newsletter content. Whether you are managing PR efforts for several online companies or just one website, you've probably wondered how you can increase your sites (more importantly, your work) overall impact in the Web community. While the answer lies less and less on traditional forms of promotion such as press releases, learning the tricks of the trade to qualifying for top search engine placement could be the most important thing you ever do for your company.

So how do you help generate visits to your website? By optimizing website content such as press releases, marketing white papers and ezine newsletter content you can increase the chances that potential visitors select your site from search engines. The reason (which you will learn how to do in this article) is because you will using alternate keywords and key phrases that are related to your business or service that are outside of the most popular terms that your search engine optimizer should be striving for, and your advertising efforts should be bringing in through bid for placement campaigns.

Identify Your Target Audience:

While traditional PR teaches us that it is wise to focus our efforts on reaching journalists, editors and producers (members of the media), effective online PR make us focus on reaching the "public" directly. If you provide a specialized product or service, web users may not know you exist if you don't appear in the search engines. If your search engine optimizer can't get a number one listing for the hot keyword for your site, don't worry, you literally have thousands of other keyword and key phrase options to choose from to generate publicity.

As a PR person, you probably have hundreds of articles, reviews or press releases about your company's specific products or services. The best thing you can do with them is to identify which audience is best suited to that content and be as specific as possible. This is typically called a "segmentation strategy." While the media should continue to be one of these "segments" don't eliminate the larger "segment" of general web users. These are prospects for your products and services and are searching with innumerable variations of keywords, many of which should be contained within your PR materials like press releases.

By actively segmenting your users into groups, the users you are attempting to attract are actively seeking information about products and services, which is exactly what you are providing with articles, newsletters, reviews and white papers. These readers will eventually be ready to buy from your site if you are selling what they are looking for!

Researching Your Keywords

Whether you realize it or not, there are probably thousands of keywords and keyword phrases that people might use to find information about the products or services that you provide. Since you have already segmented your potential audiences, a little research never hurt anybody. So sit down, find your competitors and see what keywords they are promoting their site with. You might also want to use popular keyword suggestion tools provided by bid for placement search engines such as Overture or 7Search.com. You will quickly discover the most searched words or phrases that people are actually using. Start with general descriptions of your services and move on to two or three word phrases. The more general your terms are, the more competition there will be for them. So instead of the keyword "Public Relations," how about "public relations firms in Chicago?" Instead of "baby gifts" how about "unique baby shower gift ideas." Picking more specific key phrases can increase your chances of driving quality traffic and generating buzz about your product. Use these targeted terms in your press releases, articles and white papers; better yet, use one targeted term and its derivatives in one article each and make the most of all your keywords and all your articles at once! Also, make sure the content reflects the audience segments you identified.

The Hack's Guide to SEO

SEO is complex and requires expertise to be truly successful, unless of course you follow this simple overall guide to optimizing your PR content. There are literally hundreds of guidelines that must be abided by that you should at some point try to understand. The first is to make sure the words that people use to find your product or service are included in your page and its content. These pages need to be useful, information rich and clearly and accurately describe your content. Then position the keywords (that's optimization). Make sure that the keywords and key phrases you have researched appear in important positions on your website. Each page's title tag is unique and should be as important to you as the headline of the press release posted on your page. Remember that optimization does not mean stuffing your meta-tags with every single keyword and key-phrase. Appropriateness is more important that quantity in this case. Make sure those keywords are relevant to the content appearing in your pages and that they appear high in the body copy of your page. When you think about it, these same "Inverted Pyramid" principles of press release writing should be used when you optimize your content: keep the good stuff at the top, just in case your visitor loses interest. Keep in mind that pronouns are just "dead weight" to search engine spiders so enter your press release "it." "its," and "ours" with specific keywords or keyword phrases for each page of content.

Go Promote!

It's what you do best so go do it! Share your press release, articles, white paper and Ezine with as many people as you can. Since every major search engine uses links as part of its ranking algorithm, you can improve how well these newly created page rank if they get a lot of quality inbound links from other sites. Ask other PR webmasters like you for reciprocal links, submit articles to article directories, and get a professional SEO to submit your hundreds of newly optimized PR content pages!

The End

By Peter Prestipino

Building The Best Network

2008-07-16T19:06:00.011-07:00

If you want to succeed, build a great team. A great team multiplies your prospects for success; it enables you to form relationships with powerful people who can make your dreams come true. A great network supports your strengths, fills in your weaknesses and allows you to d build on your teammates' accomplishments. When you have a great team, people assume that you are great and will stand in line to get to know you, do business with you, and help you. They will also be delighted to pay your price.

Okay, so you understand the value of a strong network. Now, how do you get started in building a great network?

Well, unless you've been living in total seclusion, you already have a network in place. And your network is probably more extensive than you realize. It may not be a great network yet, but it's a beginning and a place from which to build. Your network most likely consists of your family, friends, schoolmates and business associates. It includes people with whom you've conducted business, socialized or otherwise interacted. In addition, the members of your network members' networks are also members of your network. Therefore, if your accountant is a member of your network, so are all the members of your accountant's network.

To build great networks, you need great people: great lawyers, doctors, dentists, accounts, insurance agents, friends, etc. If a disaster arose in the middle of the night, whom would you call? Can you count on him/her? Would he/she solve your problem? If a disaster arose in the middle of the night, who would call you? How could you help? Could they count on you?

If you want to build a great network, you must continually expand and upgrade your existing network. Everything always changes and what constitutes a great network today, could be less than great tomorrow. Network members drop out and lose interest: they change businesses, interests, and their lives and so will you. In networking, expanding and upgrading is a never-ending process: heads of states, CEOs, established leaders at every strata of society are constantly seeking to find the best people and incorporate them into their networks, add them to their teams. So the process of expanding and upgrading never stops; it's what building a network is about.

To expand and upgrade your network requires focus. Once you realize that you have a network, it's time sharpen your focus and begin to see with new eyes. Continually look for new and better network members and search for links that tie your network members with virtually everyone you meet and everything you experience. Search for opportunities for your network members and help them reach their goals.

Follow the example of the successful people in your life. Have you noticed how frequently they take new information and relate it to their particular area of expertise? Have you observed that writers tend to see everything as material for potential stories, financiers always look at the bottom line, publicists think about promotional possibilities, comics turn everything into humor, lawyers probe for hidden liabilities and medical workers zero in on health?

Well, successful networkers operate on the same principle. They're obsessed with connections and instinctively search for them. Accomplished networkers see the world in terms of leads, contacts, and opportunities that will bring them closer to network relationships. They view the world optimistically and see every possibility as an opening that could lead them to their pot of gold.

Examine how the successful people you know process new information. Then apply their methods to your situation.

In most cases, your contacts have been around for quite a while. However, you confined them to specific niches. To you they were friends, family, business associates, or service people, not potential network contacts. When you expand your awareness to see those around you also as members of your network, you can refine your networking focus.

Focus on networking. Practice honing your networking focus until it becomes a highly-developed skill. Begin by:

* Asking yourself if people you know, meet or hear about could help you network.

* Clarifying precisely how these people could help. For example, introduce you to the mayor, recommend you for the membership in the garden club or inform you where they found their antique Venetian carnival masks.

* Find out what places and events would be worth attending to expand your contacts.

* Question how you can make the best use of information to connect you with your targets.

Developing networking focus isn't difficult and before long, it will become second nature. Work to get it down pat because the ability to focus sharply is a priceless skill that will bring you rewards for the rest of your life.

By Jill Lublin

Make the Media Your Friend

2008-07-16T19:06:00.009-07:00

The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help to the small and home based business. So, it is very important that you develop a relationship with them.

When you first start your business, inform your local newspaper by using a press release that you are starting a new business. Almost all newspapers have a section which announces new businesses. So check out that section, call the newspaper and ask who you would send your release to and in what format they want the information.

When your business is doing something special for the community be sure to inform the media. Newspapers and radio stations love to get local stories. Just be sure it is newsworthy, and don't overuse it. Always check to see who to send your information to and what format they need. Never blindly send out a release.

Are there trade magazines in your business area? If so, do up a release on your new business. Or if you are an existing business, send a press release on a new product or service.

Another way to work with the media is to write a column. Go to a local paper, no matter how small, and offer to write a column on your area of expertise or on business in general. Don't ask to be paid for it, and promise not to promote your company. You won't need to - your byline, words (and maybe even photograph) will do that.

Just recently we did a review for a former newspaper publisher on his book on how to write a press release and generally dealing with the media. He's promised us a finished copy. Once we get it and re-read it, we'll let you know more.

So develop a relationship with the media, and watch your business soar.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2002

Ramp Up Your Newsletter to Build a Strong Business

2008-07-16T19:06:00.007-07:00

To survive in business, you've got to focus your attention on the areas that will guarantee you success. Your clients are your greatest asset. Taking the time to educate them and connect with them will pay big dividends over the long haul. There are lots of ways to spend your marketing dollars. But I've found that the number one most effective marketing tool around is a newsletter. This is the perfect time of year to fine tune - or develop - yours.

Hey! It's good news! What sets your newsletter apart from all the other stuff that comes across your clients threshold everyday is that a newsletter is perceived as good news. Think about it, the stuff in the newspaper is general pretty dismal. The rest of the stuff in the mail is either advertisements or bills. Take advantage of that perception of your newsletter being something good.

Please don't insult your clients' intelligence by cloaking a hard sell as a newsletter. Marketing surveys across the country have shown that newsletters are very well-received and the best way to stay in touch with your clientele. Make your message, and your practice, stand above the rest by making each issue interesting and informative.

More education equals more work for you Your clients probably have very little idea what all you do. Your newsletter is the perfect forum to raise their understanding and appreciation of the advantages of your services. By just elevating their awareness of the scope of your expertise, your laying the ground work for future business.

There's another added benefit that bares mentioning. When your clients know more about what you do, they talk about it to their friends. A personal referral is ten times more valuable than someone that responds to an ad. They're already prescreened and warmed up for you.The other plus of this educational approach to your newsletter is that it reminds your clients that they need your services. With so many distractions in our world today, things that are important tend to slip into the background. Each issue you send gently reminds them of the importance of your services

.Just because I said that you shouldn't use your newsletter for a hard sell doesn't mean that you shouldn't use it for promoting gift certificates or special offers or rewards for referring new business. It's the perfect place to unveil new services.

Above all else - reflect professionalism Never forget that your newsletter acts as your representative to all that see it. People who may have never met you personally will make judgments about your services solely by what they think of your newsletter.

Each issue may get saved and passed onto friends and associates. These are introductions to you services. They must make a high-quality presentation. Take some time to get the look and feel right. If you're using a word processing program, for example, to produce your newsletter, you're really selling yourself short. That may have worked all right 15 years ago, but in today's reality it's just not going to give you a professional looking piece. Of course, since I run a newsletter design service, I'm going to tell you to seek out the services of a professional - but that would be a sort of hard sell. At least, collect some examples of newsletters that you like and use them as guides.

The number one problem most people have when doing their own newsletter is to stress over content and then put too much into each issue. A good rule of thumb for a standard 4-page newsletter is three articles of 500 - 700 words. Be sure to work in some higher quality graphics to break up the text. Never, never, never use graphics that you've down loaded from the web. Their resolution is much too low to be of any worth in print. They'll just make your newsletter look tacky and low end.

Make the commitment When you send your newsletter consistently, it communicates to your clients that you're professional. You're establishing a presence and it says that you plan on being there for them in the future. This is guaranteed to help you build a stronger business that's not overly affected by outside economic factors.

This article was written by Barbara Saunders, owner of Newsletter Associates, a complete newsletter service helping companies and organizations build their relationships to fuel their business. For more information, visit www.newsletters-inc.com. (c) 2004 Barbara Saunders. All right reserved.

Newsletter Associates is run by Barbara Saunders

Seven Tips To Get Your Press Release Noticed

2008-07-16T19:06:00.005-07:00

If you're seeking to promote yourself or your new business on a limited budget, you probably cannot afford the benefit of hiring a public relations agency to work on your behalf - at least not in the beginning.

You've probably spent considerable money to get to the point of your grand opening or new product release, which could easily fail if nobody cares that you exist.

The cost of hiring a marketing professional is usually worth your money as what you're ultimately purchasing is results. In theory if they don't deliver, you don't pay.

However, there are no guarantees. It is probably easier, less time consuming and less stressful, to pay a professional to perform this work for you. But if you don't have a lot of cash as you start out in business, you can still get people and publications to notice you without spending a fortune to hire a public relations agency.

If you've been down the solo road of self-promotion in the past and were not satisified with the final results of your "PR" efforts, you are not alone.

Does the following scenario sound familiar to you?

You developed an innovative service or produced an incredible product. You did your homework on how to write an effective press release. (And it sounded so easy...)

You followed the standard directions to compile your targetted media list and distribute your announcement according to their preferred guidelines. (And it seemed simple enough...)

You invested in some stamps, paid to use a public fax machine or formatted your release for email submission. You finally got to the point of sending it off to dozens of online and offline publications.

You relaxed for a few days, figuring you'd better store up some energy, to field your anticipated flood of calls from editors anxious to interview you to get more details about the exciting offer outlined in your press release.

A week, maybe two weeks, passed and you were still staring at your phone waiting for it to ring...

You could wait another month or two for the sweet sound of some unknown editor's voice to surprise you on the other end of the phone.

Chances are you'll continue to hear your mother or ex-husband talking when you pick up the phone and won't that just do wonders for your hope and self-esteem?

If there is a positive aspect of this experience, it may be the knowledge that you are not alone.

Regardless of how remarkable your new offer is or how perfect your press release is, the results of your efforts to promote it to publications may not please you to say the least.

Why didn't your press release produce the outcome you expected?

There's a few possible reasons and facts about publications, editors and press releases.

Most editors get hundreds of press releases every week. Seldom do they have the time to read every single announcement.

Some press releases don't stand a chance of being read depending on the editor. If they do not immediately recognize the contact name or the headline does not scream success at them or if they're just having a bad day, your hard work hits the trash without a second thought.

Sometimes your press release never even makes it to the correct editor. It may get stuck in the fax machine or the mail room may accidentally deliver it to the circulation department. It may be at the bottom of a stack of unrelated faxes or letters and not see the editors desk for weeks, if at all.

What can you do to prevent this disappointing scenario from dampening your spirits and detracting from your potential success?

1 - Follow up every press release submission with a phone call. Do not settle for speaking to the receptionist or leaving a message on voice mail. Do not talk to the sports reporter, who happens to answer the phone, if your press release was intended for the features department. Keep calling until you reach the right person.

2 - Contrary to popular belief, the editor may not be the best person for you to promote your press release to. If you do not receive satisfaction by speaking to the editor, consider other contact options, like reporters, interns, or an assistant editor.

3 - If you're sending your press release to publications that you read frequently, you should be able to identify a few reporters, who write articles about the service or product you're promoting. Ask to speak to one of those writers by name. Request to be connected directly to a reporter's personal voice mail instead of the editors' general mailbox.

4 - If you don't know the names of any reporters, ask to speak to the "business" writer or the "features" copy-editor, based upon the type of product, service or event you're promoting.

5 - Think of any contacts or friends of friends whose name you could repeat to an editor or reporter as a familiar reference that may help to establish your credibility. It can make a difference in some cases.

6 - Try to remember any previous events you attended where a reporter was present. Even if you had a very brief encounter with him or her, it's worth mentioning. Generally speaking, reporters see so many faces and meet so many people every week that they probably will not be able to recall whether they were ever introduced to you or not.

7 - Compliment the reporter on his outstanding coverage of the latest celebration or in-depth series of articles about the best businesses of the year. Or schmooze the editor with similar praise of his writers, front page design or choice of featured content.

The bottom line is simple. If you write a killer press release, slip it in the mail to a slew of publications and wait for your phone to ring, you may wait forever.

An Inside Line To Editors?

Regardless of how well your press release is written (although spelling and grammatical errors certainly detract from its effectiveness), there's a few facts about editors and press releases...

Most editors get hundreds of press releases every week.

Seldom do they have the time to read every single announcement.

Some press releases don't stand a chance of being read depending on the editor.

If they do not immediately recognize the contact name or if they're just having a bad day, your announcement may be tossed before they get to the second graph.

Sometimes your press release never even makes it to the correct editor.

It may get stuck in the fax machine or the mail room may accidentally deliver it to the circulation department.

It may be at the bottom of a stack of unrelated faxes or letters and not see the editor's desk for weeks, if at all. The following ideas are designed to ensure that your press release gets read by the right editor!

(They come from a freelance newspaper reporter and former Public Relations writer - talking from experience on both sides of the fence...)

Follow up every press release submission with a phone call. Do not settle for speaking to the receptionist or leaving a message on voice mail. Do not be satisfied with talking to whichever reporter happens to answer the phone. Keep calling until you reach the right person.

Contrary to popular belief, the editor may not be the best person for you to talk to about your press release. If you do not achieve the response you're seeking by speaking to the editor, consider other contact options, like reporters, interns, or an assistant editor.

If you're sending your press release to publications that you read frequently, you should be able to identify a few reporters, who write articles about the service or product you're promoting. Ask to speak to one of those writers by name. Request to be connected directly to a reporter's personal voice mail instead of the editors' general mailbox.

If you don't know the names of any reporters, ask to speak to the "business" writer or the "features" copy-editor, based upon the type of product, service or event you're promoting.

Think of any contacts or friends of friends whose name you could repeat to an editor or reporter as a familiar reference that may help to establish your credibility. It can make a difference in some cases.

Try to remember any previous events you attended where a reporter was present. Even if you had a very brief encounter with him or her, it's worth mentioning. Generally speaking, reporters see so many faces and meet so many people every week that they probably will not be able to recall whether they were ever introduced to you or not.

Compliment the reporter on his outstanding coverage of the latest celebration or in-depth series of articles about the best businesses of the year. Or schmooze the editor with similar praise of his writers, front page design or choice of featured content.

Remember the goal of your press release. Be able to tell the editor and/or reporter in 20 words or less why your press release is important.

By Danielle Hollister

The Ultimate PR Edge: Getting Reporters To Open Your E-Mails

2008-07-16T19:06:00.003-07:00

You know that getting publicity is vital to the health of your
business. You probably also know that e-mail is the way most
publicity seekers get in touch with reporters to score that
precious coverage. Here's what you don't know: The vast
majority of e-mails sent to journalists never get read.

Bottom line: if your e-mails don't get read, you have no shot at
getting the publicity you so desperately need.

Here's how to beat the odds:

Avoiding the Spam Trap

To a spam filter, your humble e-mail pitch may appear to contain
an array of trigger words and suspicious phrases. A server that
relayed your message may be on a blacklist - a "do not open"
list of known spammers. Or perhaps the filter's having a tough
day and has decided to start blocking things arbitrarily. You
can't prevent every instance of spam blocking, but you can take
some steps to help lessen the chances of your e-mail ending up in
a black hole.

The most important step is learning how spam filters think, and
creating e-mails that avoid the usual pitfalls. Fortunately,
you'll find that -- once you can do this -- many spam triggers
are easily avoided.

Rather than taking up space here with all the how-to's, allow me
to simply direct you a terrific site on the subject:
http://www.wordbiz.com/avoidspamfilters.html

Getting Your E-Mail Opened & Read

After beating the spam filter, next up is getting your e-mail
opened and read. The key: the subject line. No matter how on-
the-money your pitch, a subpar subject line will kill any chance
of getting the reporter's attention. You've got one shot at
getting your e-mail opened, make the most of it with a killer
subject line.

Here's how to do it: 1) Place the word "News" or "Press Info" or
"Story Idea" at the beginning of your e-mail subject line, in
brackets e.g.: [Story Idea]:

2) Try to incorporate the reporter's first name also at the
beginning of the subject line.

3) If you know the name of the reporter's column, for instance
"Cooking with Linda", also try to incorporate that. One more
thing -- if the reporter doesn't write a regular column, try to
at least include their beat (e.g. Joe, re: your future pieces on
the wi-fi industry).

With these three tips in mind, a successful e-mail subject line
might read:

[Story Idea]: Linda, Here's a Tip for Your "Cooking with Linda"
Column

That's a heading that will stand head and shoulders above the
rest.

Here are a few more e-mail do's and don'ts: Do:

* Make the information you place in the subject line short and
to the point. Often, reporter's e-mail software cuts off the
subject at only a few words.

* Don't get cute or be too vague in your subject line. For
example "Here's a Great Story!" is vague and sounds like spam;
"This Will Win You A Pulitzer!" will make you look silly (unless
you're delivering the scoop of the century, of course!).

* Try to make your most newsworthy points at the top of your e-
mail message - don't expect a reporter to scroll down to find the
news.

* Include your contact information, including cell phone, e-mail
address, regular address, fax number & website URL at the
beginning and end of the e-mail.

* Include a link to your website if you have additional
information such as: photos, press releases, bios, surveys, etc.

Don't:

* Include more than a short pitch letter or press release in the
body of your e-mail.

* Allow typos or grammatical errors.

* Include an attachment with your e-mail. In this day and age of
sinister viruses, reporters automatically delete e-mail with
attachments.

* Place the following words (by themselves) in the subject line:
"Hi", "Hello" - the media's spam filters will pounce and
destroy.

* Send an e-mail with a blank subject line.

A cool tip: Use Google News (www.news.google.com) to search for
recent stories that have appeared relating to your industry or
field of interest. Then, e-mail the reporter directly (use a
subject line such as Re: Your July 5th piece on electric cars).
Give positive feedback on the story and let him know that, next
time he's working an electric car story, he should get in touch,
as you're an expert with provocative things to say. Give a
couple of supporting facts to back up the assertion, include your
phone number and web link, and ask if he'd like to see a full
press kit. This technique really works!

By Bill Stoller

How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 2

2008-07-16T19:06:00.001-07:00

This is the ending to my previous article, How to get no cost publicity for your business. Some other options include signature files, joint ventures, free for all links, informational articles, webrings, and giveaways.

Signature files are great ways to get free publicity for your business. It's just a short blurb at the end of your email. It's not considered spam. Of course, you shouldn't just send blank emails to people, just so they'll see your signature file. That might be considered spam to some people.

Joint ventures are also great ways to get free publicity for your business. Joint ventures are fairly easy to set up. Just find someone who is not in direct competition with you that may benefit from your book, product or service. Ask them if they will promote your product to their list in exchange for a link on your website or an announcement to your list. Most business owners will agree to such an arrangement as this is a win-win for everyone.

Another way to get free publicity for your business is to join as many webrings related to your business that you can find. Once again, this costs you nothing, and you get new traffic. A good place to find webrings is http://www.webring.com I also host a webring for people that are in the online marketing and advertising business. You can join it by visiting http://f.webring.com/hub?ring=marketingandadve or by visiting my website at http://www.pnewsletter.com and looking for the Marketing and Advertising webring.

Also, you can gain free publicity by writing informational articles. My suggestion is that you post these for free and include a resource box at the end of your article with your contact information and a short blurb about the product or service you are trying to promote.

Another source of free publicity is free for all links. A free for all links page is just what it sounds like. Anyone can list their url on this person's page. The only catch is that some pages may collect an email address from you and send you a lot of emails. I would just put in an email address that I didn't mind getting a lot of emails at.

Finally, giveaways are an excellent way to get free publicity for your business. You could give away a report, an e-book, or even a coupon for discounted services. These are just a few of the ways that you can get free publicity for your business. I'm sure your creative minds will come up with some additional ways.

By DeAnna Spencer

7 Tips to Get More Mileage Out of Your Online or Offline Publicity

2008-07-16T19:05:00.023-07:00

You worked hard to get a story on your business in a popular
website or your local paper. Don't let your efforts ends there --
here are seven tips to help you maximize your online and offline
publicity:

1) Reprint, Reprint, Reprint!

A favorable article on your company or products is marketing gold
- it implies that the publication or website has given its
endorsement. The best part is that you can enjoy the benefits of
this "third party endorsement" long after the article has
appeared.

If you want to re-print an article from an offline publication in
its entirety, you must get permission from the publication. Most
publications have special re-print departments to help you.

The same rules apply for stories appearing on websites. To re-
print, take a screenshot - make sure to include the logo of the
media outlet.

If there is a particularly juicy section of the article that
you'd like to highlight, make sure to use a "blow-up" quote to
enlarge and separate it from the rest of the article.

2) Add it to Your Website

What better place to drumbeat your newly acquired media placement
than your website. If you get a lot of publicity, set up a
special area (for example, "As Seen In") to display your
placements. For a great story, highlight it on your homepage.
Susan Blair does a nice job of displaying her publicity successes
in her "Articles" section at http://www.blairenterprises.net

Note: if a publication displays your article on its website, make
sure to link to it. Remember to check your link often - media
websites constantly change. Better yet, take a screenshot of
your article including the publication's logo, and place it
permanently in your "As Seen In" area.

3) Stop the (Electronic) Presses - Mention Your Placement in Your
Ezine

If your business has a regular ezine, by all means let your
subscribers in on your publicity success. It's human nature to
be attracted to a popular, successful business or a famous
person. "Celebrity" status is very valuable in and of itself.

4) Email Existing or Potential Clients

Impress your existing or potential clients by tooting your own
horn with an email alerting them that you've been published or
seen on TV!

Use the power of PR to your advantage. Advertising is clearly
understood as coming directly from the sponsoring business and,
as a result, is usually taken with a grain of salt. An article
initiated (or "placed") by publicity efforts is viewed as the
product of the reporter who wrote it - an objective, third party
observer whose positive comments about your business will carry
great weight. For more information on PR versus advertising, go
to http://www.publicityinsider.com/questions.asp

5) Pitch it Again, Sam!

Take your story angle to a different publication or website -
make sure to bend the angle to match the publication's editorial
slant or specific reporter's column. DO NOT mention that the
story appeared in another publication. Why let a reporter know
your angle has already been reported? If it's newsworthy, the
story will stand on its own. To learn how to make a story
newsworthy, go to: http://www.publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp

6) "Internal" PR

Place your article in a handsome frame and hang it in a visible
area of your office's waiting area. The story adds legitimacy to
your business and provides entertainment for your waiting
customers. If you don't have a waiting area, put the article
behind your desk facing your visitors or in your meeting room.

Make sure to distribute the story to your employees and suppliers
to build loyalty and company pride.

7) Other Suggestions

* Sales Brochures, Direct Marketing Materials & Trade Show
Handouts - Like advertising, claims in self-produced brochures &
mailings are taken with a grain of salt. But, if a credible
publication makes those same claims on your behalf, make sure it
gets "front page" placement in your sales materials.

* Speech handout: - One way to keep your speech working for you
long after the chairs are folded up is to distribute your article
with your business card and company information to all attendees.

* Business card: - Place an important quote from your article on
your business card.

By Bill Stoller

Pot Roast and Public Relations (or, How Your Web Site Can Be Your Best P.R. Tool)

2008-07-16T19:05:00.021-07:00

Recently I had a craving for pot roast. I racked my brain to think of a restaurant that offered a great pot roast (as you can see, I'm not a whiz in the kitchen). Anyway, I did what I usually do when I need to find information - I searched Google for "pot roast boca raton" to see what restaurants came up.

Well, only one restaurant's menu that featured pot roast came up. I had never eaten there before, so I phoned them to make sure they still had pot roast on the menu (alas, they didn't).

But here's the bottom line: I would have become a new customer at this restaurant -- because it offered what I wanted -- and I learned about it while searching the Web.

This underscores an important point: every business needs a Web site. Very simply, you never know when potential clients will be searching on the Web for something they need - and the name of your business or organization will come up.

Here's an example. The other night, I got a phone call from a writer in California. She was doing a story on P.R. and my name came up on her Internet search. If it weren't for my Web site, she never would have found me -- and I would have missed the opportunity for publicity.

Here's another example. One of my clients told me that a potential customer had decided to do business with his company because of the high quality of its Web site.

If you don't think your business or organization needs a Web site, consider this: quite possibly, this very minute, somebody out there is searching the Web for something he or she needs that you can provide.

By Margie Fisher

Editorial Calendars: A Key to Publicizing Your Business

2008-07-16T19:05:00.019-07:00

What is the one thing that all of the best public relations
agencies do every year?

They research and compile editorial calendars from publications
that are pertinent to their client's business.

You should too.

What's an editorial calendar?

Editorial calendars are schedules of what topics a publication
plans for cover for a particular month. For example, the INC.
editorial calendar for July 2003
http://www.inc.com/advertise/magazine/calendar.html states that
they're writing an article on various business services.

Bingo!

If you feel that you can contribute to this particular topic,
call or email the editorial department at INC. (try to "speak" to
the managing editor) and find out who (which reporter) has been
assigned to write the story. Email or call the reporter and
explain how you can contribute. It's that simple -- it takes less
time than writing this article - and is much more effective than
blast-faxing a garbage bound press release to inappropriate
reporters.

Final thoughts: Many publications post their editorial calendars
on their Web sites -- usually they're found in their advertising
media kits. Otherwise, contact the publication's advertising
departments and ask for a calendar. Check for editorial deadlines
- many publications work 6 months in advance.

By Bill Stoller

The 7 Deadly Sins of Press Releases

2008-07-16T19:05:00.017-07:00

A press release is often your only chance to make a great first impression.

Newspapers, magazines and trade publications receive them by the truckload. That means sloppy, inaccurate, pointless releases are the first to hit the newsroom wastebasket. To make sure yours isn't one of them, avoid these 7 Deadly Sins:

1. Providing insufficient or wrong information on your press releases, particularly telephone numbers. Releases must be complete, accurate and specific. (Note: A news release is the same as a press release.)

2. Writing too long. They should be no longer than a page.

3. Sending it too late. Mail or fax it to local media at least two weeks before an event, preferably three or four. Major magazines work four to six months ahead of time.

4. Sending a release with no news value. News is what happens that is different. If it isn't different, it isn't news.

5. Blatant commercialism. Avoid hackneyed words and phrases such as spectacular, incredible, the only one of its kind, breakthrough, cutting-edge, unique and state-of-the-art.

6. Omitting a contact name and phone number. At the top of the first page in the left corner, let editors know who they can call if they have questions. Include day, evening and cell phone numbers.

7. Calling after you send a release and asking questions like "Did you get my news release?" or "Do you know when it will be printed?" Don't follow up with a phone call to see if the media got your release, unless you are absolutely sure that someone will check for you. Most reporters and editors don't have time. If you do follow up, make sure you have a reason to call. Suggest a particular angle to your story, or ask the media people if they need any other information.

By Joan Stewart

What is GuerrillaPR Anyway?

2008-07-16T19:05:00.015-07:00

Public relations is the art, as one of my colleagues put it, of "offering people reasons to persuade themselves." In other words, we are not Madison Avenue; we don't tell people what we want them to think. Rather, we give them evidence, facts, and opinions that help them reach a conclusion. If we're good at what we do, they will reach the conclusion we've been hired to promote.

The differences between traditional public relations and Guerrilla P.R. are relatively simple. First of all, public relations firms like mine are available to people with a lot of money, because we charge what we consider to be reasonable fees, which are out of reach of many small or one-person businesses. So entrepreneurs and small business owners need to learn and apply the same skills I use every day in service of their larger, more well- heeled rivals. But these skills can't be used the same way, since they require more money than most small businesses can afford. Not everyone can buy a minute of time on network TV to get the message across.

That's where Guerrilla P.R. comes in. This down-and-dirty offspring of the traditional method is based on an idea I developed called the Tiffany Theory. The Tiffany Theory is an idea that sounds simple but, like most such theories, is so basic it contains numerous truths.

My Tiffany Theory states that a gift delivered in a box from Tiffany's will have a higher perceived value than one in no box or a plain box. That's not because the recipient is a fool; it's because in our society, we gift-wrap everything: our politicians, our corporate heads, our movie and TV stars, and even our toilet paper. Tiffany paper places a higher perceived value on things.

In effect, what I do each day is gift-wrapping. I take a message and wrap it in the finest paper from Tiffany's. No matter what the message may be, I try to make it sound more appealing, more interesting, and more useful. If I do my job correctly, the consumer (who gets the message through television, newspapers, radio, or the Inter net) will get the message. But first, that message has to go through editors, producers, reporters, and website managers. The Tiffany paper adds perceived value and cachet.

Notice, now, I said, perceived value. In public relations and publicity, perception is truth. It isn't what happened that counts, it's what people think happened. This is the absolute day-to-day currency of politics, entertainment, and most other industries. In our case, we're looking at how the public-that is, the segment of the public you believe is your customer base-perceives your company. Not what your company actually might be.

Does that mean you should lie? Never. Lying, besides being morally wrong, is quite literally indefensible. That means, at some point, you're going to be found out. And even if you weren't, you would have to start living the lie- remembering what you told the people interested in your business, and hearing people call you what you said you are. It's too hard, and it's not worth it. Besides, it's plain bad business.

When I say that the perception of the truth-rather than the truth itself-is the stuff of great publicity campaigns, I mean that the truth will take care of itself. But you have to make sure that the image you project, the perception you offer to potential customers, is what you want it to be.

For example, a man named Dave Schwartz decided he'd start a car rental company that would lower rates to the consumer by featuring cars that weren't 100 percent new off the showroom floor. He had a choice to make in terms of the perception of his new company, and he chose to beat critics to the punch with a strong sense of humor and a catchy company name: Rent-A-Wreck. Now, Dave didn't lie (his cars weren't wrecks, they drove just fine, so maybe he exaggerated a little), and he didn't fall into the trap of emphasizing price. After all, his competitors already had names like Thrifty and Budget. He hit you in the funny-bone, made his impression of a fun car rental company-with the implied promise that the cars would cost less because they weren't brand new- and launched a very successful business.

It's all in the perception. But is this a contradiction of the Tiffany Theory? Did Dave actually wrap his cars in Kmart paper to make his point?

Not really. Dave still wrapped his message in Tiffany paper. He made sure local news outlets, publications, and media companies knew about his company, and he emphasized exactly how reliable and economical the rental cars at Rent-A-Wreck would be. By downplaying the appearance of the cars-calling them "wrecks" he allowed the media to expect dented, scratched, beat-up cars. When they toured his facility and saw cars that were only slightly used, Dave didn't have to say a word. The message got out that the "wrecks" in question were very reliable, attractive cars that would be available for a lower rental rate because they were used. A brilliant, subtle piece of Tiffany wrapping.

----------------------------------------------------------

The Tiffany Theory applies to the Internet in ways it never could with traditional media. Keep in mind that more information is available on the World Wide Web than you can possibly track, let alone control. So it's always important to keep your information true. But unlike information in newspapers or magazines, the data you provide on a website is yours, and you provide the Tiffany paper. Use photographs, charts, quizzes, and prizes, if you can, to keep surfers' interest alive on your site. And remember to wrap every fact in a nice neat piece of Tiffany wrap.

GuerrillaPR Insights is a, weekly newsletter that does 2 things: First, it provides readers with a weekly, actionable "insights" on how you can work more effectively with the media.

Secondly

Possibilities Of The Blogosphere For The PR Industry In Spanish-Speaking Countries

2008-07-16T19:05:00.013-07:00

Only two media in Spanish speaking countries offer RSS: the Spanish newspaper El Mundo and the Argentine Clarín. Although the blogs are becoming more visible in the media and are becoming a research topic, still they are something of small "evangelist groups", who promote its use? but this can change in little time.

To face this great challenge, Spanish-speaking PR professionals have to identify the enormous opportunities that other colleagues, fundamentally those whose native language is English, use for their clients, their businesses and, even for themselves.

Perhaps it would be easier for Anglo-saxons, with a different culture, to accept that in order to enter the blogosphere they must take themselves off the pedestal on which they think leaders should be placed, and be closer to thousands of people in a direct way, without any obstacles.

It is hard for me to believe that a politician, a high-ranking official or an executive in Mexico, Spain, Peru or Argentina, would agree to write a blog. Furthermore, except for some industries (i.e. IT), the use of blogs to maintain direct communication with their audiences continues to be limited to political parties, governments and even successful businesses.

In recent years, there has been a great advance, in which leaders have taken into account the advantages of having a web page and have included it in their communication campaign.

Nevertheless, for some industries of the Spanish-speaking countries, the Internet still is a foreign, difficult and expensive tool, and because of this they disregard its use to communicate with their audiences. The blogosphere offers the exact opposite of this: it is a communication tool close to the people, easy-to-use and with such a reduced price that, with so many resources available on the Internet, it can be practically free of charge.

It is easy to say that blogs could become a "democratizing" element with real possibilities to change the traditional relationship between sources and the media with the public.

Blogs will make possible the "participative journalism", through which it will be possible to connect the problems of real people to other individuals with the same difficulties and worries. The possibilities are endless in societies that are used to the lack of transparency in government activities and large businesses, and even with media that lack credibility.

In fact, what is already happening in a lot of Spanish-speaking countries, as in the Anglo-saxon world, is an explosion of blogs that offer alternative information to the traditional media. Thousands of blogs are appearing to reflect, qualify and denounce, not only the governmental actions or those of political parties, but products, services or even plans that many businesses are carrying out.

Also, it is possible that the blogs can be seen as the real possibility for the small and medium-size businesses to access the Internet, without needing to provide a large quantity of resources or having to depend on IT people that don't necessarily understand the business or communication strategies.

Perhaps here is the heart of the matter. These reasons make me think that there are many possibilities for the public relations industry in the Spanish-speaking countries to explore blogs. It is possible that very soon the blogs in Spanish may reach the same importance that other blogs are gradually but firmly gaining, in countries such as United States, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia.

Right now, I don't believe that really independent blogs -that is to say, those that are not part of important communication groups or that are not written by professional journalists that update their blogs parallelly to their main activity- may be accredited like mainstream media in important events such as political campaigns, as is already happening in the US, and soon in the United Kingdom.

The public relations industry in Spanish-speaking countries should be prepared to obtain the maximum profit of this phenomenon.

How? I will tackle this through some proposed plans of action.

* Identify those blogs that have a good level of hits and organize them in categories: technology, political, media, etc. There are some directories that do this like Bitácoras.net, Blogdir.com, Blogsmexico.com, Blogalia.com, to mention a few. We should be open to see all kinds of blogs, keeping in mind that there will be occasions in which we won't share the authors' points of view, but that is important that we take them into consideration.

Let's take the the case of the videogames web pages. There are occasions in which children with barely 12 years become true opinion leaders, who are capable of destroying the launch of a new game in which thousands or even millions of euros were invested.

* Enter into the blogosphere with the objective of understanding the new medium, its tools, its possibilities and limitations, as well as the best-known authors, although they not be Spanish-speaking.

It may seem obvious, but there are many people that have never heard about RSS, feeds, posts, blogs, syndicated content, links or anything along these lines.
A public relations consultant can't suggest that his or her clients launch a blog without having previously informed the client about what it takes to be successful and, above all, he or she can't afford not to know an answer to an issue that may be presented in the blogosphere.

* Before launching a corporate or institutional blog, one should have a clear strategy of what he or she hopes to be communicate and should understand that the blogosphere has its own "net-etiquette", that is to say, its own codes, that have implications regarding updating, information sources, the form, the tone of the communication? and, of course, the feedback of the public.

We can find that a good idea may produce mediocre results if inadequate tactics are chosen. In this sense, a blog is one more tool among the many available for public relations. And, yes, it offers some unique possibilities that other don't have.

* Make the blog relevant, but take into account that it is a blog. There are people that keep thinking that the blogs are newspapers for teen-agers, in part because it is true. However this is not something bad at all since this shows how flexible blogs are.

Therefore, at the moment of launching a blog, one must find an equilibrium among the characteristics of the blogosphere with the objectives of the organization. One cannot do is to create irrelevant posts or wait too long to update the blog.

If a business does not have the capacity to maintain a continuous communication with its audience, whether for strategic reasons or legal limitations of another type, perhaps a web page is better for its objectives.

* Note that results can't be immediate. It is one of the main challenges to all public relations professionals that should be faced, not only with the blogs, but when using any other tool.

Perhaps in the case of the blogs the challenge is greater because of the novelty of the medium and, in the case of some Latin American countries, by the low penetration of Internet.

* Be "blog evangelists". One must know not only the blogosphere, one must be part of it. This is the only way in which a consultant will be able to offer his or her clients an adequate consultancy. It is not a matter of being a guru with thousands of visits a day, but it is necessary to be comfortable with the blogosphere and knowing who-is-who. The only way to persuade someone is being convinced of that which is preached.

The best business card of a consultant that uses the advantages of a blog for an organization should include, apart from its email, his or her blog addresss.

There will be many of things to do, but this could be a good beginning for the Spanish-speaking PR industry, that has yet to see blogs as a tool with a huge potential.

We must wait to see if the "blog phenomenon", that is taking place in a number of countries, will spread to the rest of the world. The low internet penetration in Latin American countries, an incipient culture of the use of IT and a different way of understanding the social relations, will be the main obstacles that will determine if this phenomenon spreads as it has in the Anglo-Saxon countries, or maybe it will be possible that a different movement arises with local particularities that haven't been exploited yet. We will wait and see? and we better be prepared.

By Octavio Isaac Rojas Orduña

Media Kit: 25 Component Possibilities

2008-07-16T19:05:00.011-07:00

Media kits include a combination of information whether created for electronic delivery or print. The number of components depends on the kit's focus and intention. For instance, an author's kit would include a different combination of information than a service business, or a multifaceted company or speaker.

Here is a list of component elements to pull from and tips to bring a media kit together. No single kit will need all components. Choose the components that match your or the receiver's needs.

1. Table of Contents (TOC). Kit receivers always appreciate this feature, it respects their time. I recommend this rule: five or less pages, include the TOC in a personalized letter, using design elements such as bold, larger font or centering to set itself off from the rest of the letter. Six and more, use a single sheet. And place the page before all other pages, including the letter. For electronic delivery, use color, to help gain attention.

2. Company Information. An "About Us" page includes contact information. It is also an accumulation of other aspects about that company, however, in summary format. When founded but not how founded, vision and mission, simple list of services or product or just an overall view.

3. About Our Departments. If you have several different departments in your company, you can include a page with a summary of each departments responsibility.

4. About You. Similar to number 2 with the focus on a single individual. You will want to focus the language and information to exactly what the media needs to know. For example, solopreneurs the particulars would be about you, credentials, and information with a single focus. Similar to a resume but not quite.

5. Founder Page. Do you have a company founder with an interesting story of how they started the company? It doesn't matter if they are deceased or retired. Honor their tenacity and creativity with their picture.

6. Upper Management. It is important to stress any special skills or background in the company that is an asset. Use one page per management level or several on a single page. Several pages are okay for this section if it supports the media request.

7. Services. One per page or several to a page. If you don't have enough material for a whole page, create enough. If more than one service, add a list of the other services at the end of the page to indicate what else is available.

8. Products. Use service tips above. You will want to include whatever pictures need to depict the product.

9. Employee. This component is seldom included, yet it is a significant way to demonstrate how the company's differences. This information is about the staff as a whole. Presentation depends on what the intention of the media kit. Statistics, number of employees, tenure, company events, or community projects, work well here. If the statistics don't shine, don't include.

10. Company History. Adding a history can make or break media attraction. If a young company you might think it's could be a negative element, not true. Depends on what side you are presenting in the kit. For a season company, it is a must. What prevails or whether to include or not, is how interesting is the story. If it is interesting or creates curiosity, include it.

11. Awards. Include any awards or special interests of employees. Do you have published authors in your company, an Olympic participant, or something else? Consider including. Sometimes a backdoor interest can bring media coverage in. If there is only one award you can add it on another page. To create a whole page from short information, list past winners or describe the selection process. Ceremonial pictures add interest.

12. Distinction Page. This page needs to show how the company is different. Comparison charts, like those found in most software product sales information pages, are easy for readers to scan and comprehend. Graphs also work well.

13. Client List. List clients whether they are well-known or not. If your client list is extremely confidential, mention this in lieu of the list. You can expand the information by providing some brief background information about the client.

14. Company Affiliates. If you have a formal affiliate program, add this information. If you use top quality vendors, add their information as well. Connection add flavor to being attractive.

15. Press Releases. Use releases with dates less than 90- days.

16. Publication List. If an author, where published. If short, expand by adding details about the publication. A few summarized paragraphs will do. If you are or where a columnist or write your own electronic or printed newsletter add this information as well. Add copies only if relevant and current.

17. Speaking List. Have you spoken at events or to groups? List, if old, don't include when. Instead group by categories. Include panel participations.

18. Radio/television appearances. Guest or host, doesn't matter. Tell them where they can listen to any audio or video clips. I don't recommend including. They are too expensive to send and for receivers to store. You want to set the availability information off in some sort of design element to make sure it isn't missed. To expand an appearance I like to suggest adding elements about how you got on the show, what you did and didn't like, or other details about the experience. Human interest stories always spark interest to the media. Give enough to peak their curiosity.

19. Personal Story. What is your personal story about starting the business, creating a product or service? Is it a rags to riches story? Usually people don't think they have a good enough story to include, however, that normally turns out to be fiction. Look for the buried treasure, dust and polish to see the shine. Someone that can write from a charge neutral standpoint is best for these.

20. Testimonials. You can spread testimonials throughout the components using pull quote design effects. And also have their own page. To expand, enlarge font size or reduce margins.

21. Endorsements are personal acknowledgements. For media kits, credibility stands higher. They include more detail than testimonials. Add copies of special endorsement letters or just mention them in other components. Only add with the endorsers permission. Products and book authors frequently include these. Be creative with this in your kit.

22. Reviews. Product or book reviews are not endorsements. Reviews give an overview charge neutral opinion. Reviews have their own language. To learn that language, read movie or book reviews.

23. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). This component is a must in every media kit. Normally, media reads these pages first or second. Formulate questions by asking media personnel. Don't guess what they want.

24. Photos. For trainers, speakers, or other professional services, color photos are too expensive to include and aren't necessary. A small 6x9 black and white is appropriate.

25. Community. Add volunteer projects you have worked on or positions you have held. To expand, add additional details about the organization.

Note: Two-side pages count as one page.

When you are ready to send out a media kit, pull together the pieces that fit, create a personalized letter, slip in the contact person's business card, usually the same person signing the letter, and its ready to mail or e-mail.

A beautifully designed media kit is nice but not necessary. Visual impact is important, yet, you can do this with a matching color theme and quality paper. Content needs to be the first and foremost focus. Fancy-looking media kits but if it doesn't say anything to the receiver, it's trashed. Value is in the information and news worthiness.

By Catherine Franz

How to Get $1000 worth of Advertising for $60

2008-07-16T19:05:00.009-07:00

Sixty dollars doesn't go a long way in buying advertising space. But if you spend it creatively, you can get over ten times that value in newspaper or magazine lineage. And it's easy if you know how. Here's how.

You're familiar with press releases, right? A press release is a single page of information about your product or service that is sent to a magazine or a newspaper. If selected to be published, it's printed as a short story and appears as if the magazine or newspaper wrote it. There is no charge for having your press release published by a magazine or newspaper.

So stick around - find out how you can have your press release published (and your chances are pretty good) even if you can't write worth a hockey puck.

There are certain criteria for having your press release published, no matter who writes it. First, it can't sound like an ad for your product or service. Nope, no adjectives. If it sounds like an ad, it'll be tossed out. While most editors will make minor corrections so a press release will fit their editorial style, few to none will rewrite your release just to get it in. Editors get their choice of press releases every day, and the ones that catch their eye for publishing are the ones closest to their exact needs - requiring the least amount of editing and rewriting. Most editors know a good thing when they see it.

Second, your press release must conform to the standard layout style of press releases. This tells the editor that you know what you're doing in media relations and shows your everyday business practices follow suit. So when your release is published, editors will be comfortable with the knowledge their readers will get good literature and - if they order - a good product. They can assume their readers will deal with a professional company on a professional level. If your press release lands on their desk with lots of typos and misspellings, it'll land in the trash next.

Correct layout style means a big header stating "Press Release" at the top, followed by a contact name and phone number so editors can call for more information. Next it needs a kill date after which the press release shouldn't run. If there is no kill date, state "No kill date" so it doesn't look like you forgot it. Also, don't forget to include a 5" x 7" black-and-white photo for increased interest, better readership, and more credibility.

The headline of your release is centered and in bold. Write your headline with care; it's this line that will make or break your release. If it's a great headline, people will read it - and the rest of the release. If it's a poor headline, people will read it - and the other articles in the magazine. It's your choice. My recommendation? The Jeff Dobkin 100 to 1 rule: Write 100 headlines, then go back and pick your very best one.

The body of the release follows. Double space, allowing an editor to easily make corrections between the lines. Leave room around the margins, too. Make it look easy to read, even if it isn't. Use short, descriptive sentences without fluff or excess verbiage. Use a pyramid style of writing - the most important parts in the first paragraph or two - because editors know to cut from the bottom.

Terse, concise writing just like a reporter from a newspaper would write works best. Holy smokes! Did I just say "just like a reporter from a newspaper would write"? What an idea!

How's this: suppose you aren't a strong writer, or you're too busy with other activities to write your own release. What do you do? Call the local newspaper and ask to speak with a reporter. Now, I don't know about your area, but newspaper reporters here in Philadelphia don't usually make all the money they'd like. When you get a reporter on the phone, ask if they know of any reporters who'd like an additional easy writing assignment and would consider writing a press release - for pay. Chances are better than good that the same reporter you're speaking with will go for the chance at easy money. If not, they'll recommend an associate on staff.

Go over your product information with the reporter, and add enough of a benefit summary so they can write a quality release. Ask them to recommend several different angles and what they think their very best pitch would be. Then ask what their hourly rate is (usually about $20/ hour). Your release should take about two to three hours of writing time, if that - and should cost around $60.

Now for the best part. Your reporter can submit your release to the editor for you. Think about it. The paper's own reporter writes a press release - in the newspaper's exact style of writing - and then hands it to the editor with his own personal recommendation. Nice package.

So without writing a stitch, you get the release written then handed over to the editor on a silver platter by a trusted staff member. Your chances of getting it published are? you guessed it. When it's printed, you just received $1,000 worth of advertising for $60. As promised.

###

By Jeffrey Dobkin

How To Write More Powerfully For PR, Offline And Online

2008-07-16T19:05:00.007-07:00

Years ago when my Dad owned a group of local newspapers I spent my school and college vacations working in the editorial office. We used to amuse ourselves over our sandwiches at lunchtime looking through and trashing the endless press releases that would arrive in the mail each day, all beautifully produced with glossy photographs (this was in pre-internet days).

We trashed them because all but the odd one or two were ill-considered, highly subjective, barely camouflaged advertising copy that had about as much editorial news value as last week's shopping list.

Why am I telling you all this? Because despite the fact that this happened many years ago, it's still happening today. Both offline and now online editors continue to laugh sardonically at the self-promoting garbage they receive from corporate sources exactly as my Dad and I laughed umpty-dump years ago. I salivate just thinking about how I could spend the fortunes wasted on those releases and photographs over so many years.

And why does this continue to happen? I believe it is because the organizations who send out this stuff - particularly their financial managers - just can't get their heads around the difference in culture between what they want to say, and what editors need to deliver to their audiences. Good PR advisers try hard to compensate, but ultimately it's the client who pays their fees, and if the client insists on issuing garbage there's not much a PR adviser can do other than resign the business.

Time after time after time I'm called into companies and asked to comment on why the PR coverage they get in the media is so poor. 99 times out of a 100 it's because they've issued press releases that are only of interest to themselves and their bosses. And yet when I point this out to them they can't understand it. "But our development team worked 14 hours a day for three years to win that contract!" they shout indignantly. "And the CEO had to cut short his vacation in Turks & Caicos just so he could sign the documents by the deadline! I mean, it's the most important thing to have happened to us in the history of the company!"

"I know," I croon soothingly, "but those points aren't of much interest to the readers of your regional business press, or your trade press for that matter."

"Well, maybe not," they reply. "But they are very relevant to us, and to our shareholders. That's why we made such an elaborate issue of those points in the press release."

Ah, I think to myself as I gaze out of the window to see if my creatively-parked car is going to attract the attention of passing traffic policepersons. Here is another problem we encounter with press releases. It's called "when is a press release not a press release?" The answer is, when a press release is to be used to impress all sorts of people who are not members of the press. Only we want them to think that this is what the press will write about us, so we put it in a press release. That would be okay as long as that's as far as it goes.

But the awful truth is the same document (paper or electronic) really does get sent out to the press. And quite rightly they ignore it, once again because it is of no interest to the readership of the publication concerned.

For Heaven's sake, you folks who do this sort of thing, please grow up and face reality. If you want to promote your achievements to your share/stockholders or staff or suppliers or whoever, then just go ahead and do it and dress it up in "press release" costume if you must, although I don't think that fools anybody.

But whatever you do, don't send it to the press - and don't kid yourself or anyone else that to use the same document for both purposes is a way to economize. It's a sure way to shoot yourself through the foot and indirectly could cost you a fortune.

If you want to get coverage in the media then you must forget all elements of self-congratulation. Whatever information you send out has to have something "in it for them" (the audience) - something new, interesting and relevant. It doesn't have to be earth-shattering, just worth reading.

If your organisation has done something brilliant and you're proud of it, by all means say so; just be sure to emphasise what's great about it for the audience and/or the rest of the world, not merely for yourselves. Let the facts tell the story. If your organisation genuinely deserves to be congratulated, it will be.

And you don't simply have the audience to consider in this case, because unlike the forms of communication you control, with media coverage the decision of whether or not to transmit your message rests with someone else - usually the editor. Editors and journalists are either very busy or very lazy or both (and don't chastise me for admitting that, guys. I've been there, done it, got the T shirt and drank too much in the brasserie at lunchtime too.)

If you supply them with material they can see is relevant to their readers and preferably is usable with the minimum of editing, they will warm to it a lot faster than something that may hold a grain of interest but will take someone a whole evening to rewrite and several phone calls or e-mails to check for accuracy.

Try to match the style and writing approach of the publication. If you're sending a release out to several publications that circulate among the same readership, then one release should be relevant to all. But if you're aiming at different press groups - say the trade journals and the business pages of the regional dailies - you will need to rework the approach of your press release according to the different audiences.

You'll usually find that the basic core of a press release can remain pretty well the same across all media groups, because it consists (or should consist) of the pure facts - the old journalist's formula of who, what, how, where, when and why. What changes is the angle, and particularly the lead-in.

That means the headline, which should be short and attention-grabbing, and then the first two or three sentences that support the headline and set up the whole story. Often it's worth trying to work in a clever bit of word-play with headlines, but be very careful - a pun or play on the words that doesn't work is worse than writing the headline straight.

A good way to nail down the appropriate style and approach is to read and become familiar with the publication or publications you're aiming at. By studying them carefully you'll see how they use word-plays in their headlines, if at all, and how they relate them to the topics concerned.

By far the best guidance you'll get, though, comes from studying the audience - the people who read the publications. What in your story is going to interest them?

Readers of a trade journal will be interested in what's new and different about your new product and how it could improve the way they do business. Readers of local or regional business sections will be interested more in how your new product's manufacturing and distribution, say, will impact on the local business community and economy. Local general newspapers and other media will be interested in the human side, i.e. how many new jobs the factory producing the new product will create.

And one last tip on how to get the best from press releases - use "quotes" from the key people involved in the story. Not those awful, meaningless corporate-babble quotes you so often see in company press releases ... "We are delighted to be able to announce the new contract at this moment in time and we have every confidence that our latest investment will be of significant benefit to our..." you know the type of thing. These are usually the first elements that get chopped out by the editor.

It's perfectly OK to write quotes for your senior people, by the way. They very rarely give real quotes for anything other than TV or radio interviews but don't seem to mind quotes being written for them, provided they're given the opportunity to check them before they're issued. So, write them quotes that - far from being beatific banalities - actually are telling important parts of the story. This is good for two reasons.

One, it makes your senior exec look intelligent and aware of what's going on in the organization, which is 100% more than the banality-quote will do for him/her. And two, because it's an important part of the story and contains useful facts, the publication's staff will be far less likely to edit it out.

Possibly you're beginning to feel that in order to get press coverage you'll have to turn yourself, your product and your entire board inside out and upside down. You could be right, but that's PR. Remember that press coverage is not advertising**.

Yes, it's free and that's wonderful, but as always there's no such thing as a free lunch. Editors will only put your stuff in, for free, if it is genuinely good for their publication and their readers, not for you. They do not care about your sales figures. They care about their own sales figures. Successful PR people and writers of press releases always, always bear these points in mind; in fact that's why they're successful.

**An exception to this is what's known (in the UK at least) as "advertorial." In case you don't already know this is advertising copy written in editorial style, but the space it occupies is really an advertisement you pay for. Advertorial is an unfortunate hybrid that has its roots back in the first half of the 20th century when it was still okay to run press ads that looked like articles and some readers were still naïve enough to be hoodwinked by them. If you're obliged to write it, please just try to make it as honest as you can. Not easy.

Online tips

Nearly all the theory pertaining to offline PR is relevant to the online equivalent - especially in terms of what content is of interest to publishers and what isn't. Online publishing of relevance to organizations usually falls into one of two pretty obvious groups; one, websites, portals etc that are totally independent and uniquely on the web, and two, those which are the online alter egos of offline publications.

In either group if you want the publications to take your releases or submissions seriously, it's very important that you follow the format and structure of articles that appear on the websites concerned. Whatever you do don't make the mistake of submitting a general press release to these organizations, even though you do it by e-mail.

Check first how long the teaser paragraph is that appears on the home or section page, and check how they lay out the full articles. Then submit material that fits perfectly, both in style and in word counts. One, you will be saving them the trouble of reworking your piece which makes it attractive in the first place, and two because it fits so perfectly you will discourage them from changing anything, which is also a huge advantage for you.

The other point I would make about online press work is don't assume that just because you submit a release to the offline publication (and even if they run it) it will be forwarded automatically to the publication's website. It won't. At least not necessarily.

And I've found that one out the hard way, believe me. Treat offline and online versions as entirely separate entities; find out who the movers and shakers are on each, and often you'll see that the online version is run by an entirely different group of people.

By Suzan St Maur

Make Sure Your Media Room Rocks

2008-07-16T19:05:00.005-07:00

If a reporter was writing a story about you and your company and she visited your website, could she find anything useful and interesting about you to use in her story? And could she find it quickly? Or would she immediately abandon your site and look for one of your competitors to write about?

Make it Easy for the Reporter
Every website today should have a "Media Room" (also known as an online press room) with everything a reporter needs to write a story quickly. Not only should you include information about your company history, the management team and owners, your products and services, and so on, but today you should also provide links to industry trade groups, information about industry trends, and maybe even a list of your competitors.

Why would you include your competitors, you ask?

Because just like you, a reporter is very busy and often overwhelmed. If you were the reporter and you visited a website that handed you the perfect story and all the sources to write an objective article about widgets (which just happened to be something your publication's readers, and more importantly your boss, would love to read), wouldn't you be thrilled? Of course you would. And so would I.

Besides, every time a prospect searches for your competitors' products and services, your website will come up in the search, too. Maybe the prospect will click on your website link instead of your competitor's.

The Top 20
So let's consider what you should include in your new website Media Room. Here's a list to get you started; each of these would be a separate "sublink" within your Media Room:

Owners and management team bios (one short and one long bio for each person)

Photos: downloadable, scalable, in 300 dpi (suitable for print publications) and 72 dpi (for online outlets), named/labeled, one for each member of the management team and any products you promote

Company description and history, including dates, facts and sales figures (or percentage of growth by year)

A list of products or services and brief descriptions of each one

Customer demographics

List and description of any awards you or your company have won

List of story ideas with 4 to 6 talking points for each one

Audio and video clips with sound bytes about important issues

List of media experience for key company players

Issues and opinions page, including position papers, articles you have written, White Papers, links to industry resources for both sides of the opinions (all opening in a new browser window, of course)

Statements or quotes by key personnel regarding your business philosophy, hot industry topics, or comments about community issues.

Industry trends and news

Calendar of relevant trade shows and industry events

List of your key competitors and links to outside sites that may contain opposing or even negative views (opening in new browser windows, of course!)

Company and product news (with all your releases listed/summarized and linking to the full story)

In the News section (links to actual published articles, opening in new browser windows)

Contact information for key company players: day, night, cell phone, pager, fax, email (make it easy for the reporter to get in touch with you!)

Email alert service to notify reporters of news

Forms for reporters to order videos, photos, samples

Ability to search the site for information, keywords, topics, etc.

And don't forget to put an obvious link to your Media Room, right on your home page ... and every page. Don't worry if you can't do all of this immediately. Just keep chipping away at it, and soon you'll have a terrific Media Room. Then watch how your publicity grows.

By Lois Carter

How To Get Zero Cost Publicity For Your Business Part 1

2008-07-16T19:05:00.003-07:00

Would you like to expand the volume of your business? You can let thousands know about your service, your store, or your new product without spending a penny. Whether you want to make more sales or get an offer on television, you can broaden the scope of your clients by free publicity.

You don't have to climb a flagpole or hire a dancing bear to get attention. In fact, with just a telephone, flyers, and some follow up letters, you can be making much more money than you are now.

What product or what business are you involved with that needs more customers? You might have a neighborhood store or you may have invented something that is difficult to market. Maybe you've launched a new web site.

How are you presently getting customers? Maybe you're advertising in trade journals, magazines, or newspapers. Perhaps you're doing banner swaps or participating in co-op programs with other ezine publishers.

Perhaps you're an author, trying to market his or her new book. Or maybe you're a young comic or an actor trying to establish his/her career.

Regardless of your business or enterprise, whether it is an online or an offline business, free publicity is available for you. Furthermore, you don't need any special training to do it. Take a look at the variety of options available to you.

What is Publicity? Before we get into the different types of publicity out there, it would help if we knew what we were talking about. Publicity is making something known to the public, spreading information to the general, local, or national market. It is information with a news value used to attract popular opinion or support. Everybody uses publicity. Politicians, manufacturers, celebrities all use publicity to gain attention and further their causes. Publicity isn't limited to large organizations. Small committees and enterprises use the local newspapers to publicize events and endeavors.

Publicity differs from advertising because it is free. Although some organizations trade tickets or services for mention in a particular publication, generally publicity is newsworthy information that a publication produces. Good publicity is one of the best ways of letting people know you have a worthwhile business.

Do your research. Before you begin a publicity campaign, you should know the answer to the following questions:

What is the product or service I am promoting? What is the radius of the market (local, city, state, country, and world)? What do the customers want? Where do the customers go to buy my product? Are my buyers mostly online or offline?

Where to publicize Depending on your product or service, you have a full gamut of possibilities for advertising without paying. Deciding on the type of media is as important as knowing about your product and your customers.

If you want to publicize directly to the general public national publications, metropolitan newspapers and Sunday supplements are the way to tap into the market. For a local enterprise - a profitable business, a charity, or community service- the local paper is the best source of free advertising. Don't go for the big fish first. Start with the local press and then work your way up.

Make it newsworthy In order to qualify for publication, your story must be newsworthy. Anything published in the newspapers, magazines, and trade journals must be of importance to its readers. You may have a new product or product line that can be featured in the magazines. If not, you need to come up with a unique angle. For example, you may have to come up with fresh ideas for your service. Or maybe an unusual piece of information in the inventor or business owner's biography might make an interesting twist.

Formatting tips Keep the press release to one page. It should be brief and informative. Write the words For Release in full capital letters at the right. Make sure you include your daytime phone number, address, email address, and website address if you have one. Write a personal letter to the editor. Be cordial, but keep it short. If you have a product that you can mail, send the editor a sample if he or she agrees to that. Watch the publication and clip the press release when it is published.

These are just a few ways of getting free publicity for your business. Watch for my next article, More Ways to Free Publicity For your business

or you can send an email to dspencer@pnewsletter.com with the subject line more ways to free publicity.

By DeAnna Spencer

Creating Your Online News Room: How To Build a Site The Media Will Love

2008-07-16T19:05:00.001-07:00

From time to time, people ask me how public relations has changed
during the two decades in which I've been seeking publicity. My
answer: technology. Twenty years ago, the fax machine was a
newfangled novelty. Our primary means of communicating with
journalists was the telephone and the US Mail. The advent of e-
mail and the web has made life easier in many regards and tougher
in others - namely, thanks to hordes of clowns with money making
schemes and software that "blasts" press releases
indiscriminately to reporters, it's become very hard to get your
e-mails through to spam-weary reporters.

But there's another great advantage provided to publicity seekers
by the Internet -- the ability to create an "online news room".
In the "old days", the press kit reigned. Big bulky folders
loaded with press releases, glossy photos and slides were
standard. They were expensive to design, costly to reproduce and
required lots of manpower and postage to assemble and distribute.
Today, you can simply direct a reporter to a web URL, where all
your press materials and high definition artwork awaits, ready to
be used. It's a huge time and money saver.

A quick note: the traditional press kit isn't dead. It's still
handy to create some physical kits to use with key journalists,
as the very novelty of printed material can give you an edge at
times. Also, some journalists still prefer a physical kit. Press
kits are an important tool at trade show booths & press rooms,
and special events. However, gone are the days of sending out
large press kit mailings. Keep the kits for targeted use only.

Creating a useful online news room is really pretty simple. One
of the main things a busy reporter wants is easy access to press
releases, corporate and executive info and artwork. A well put
together media room should provide a seamless walk-through.

Where Should the News Room Go?

There are two schools of thought on where to put your online news
room. Some companies prefer to have it as a section on their
main site, visible to all as a link on a menu bar or other
navigational element. Others build entirely separate sites just
for the media.

There are pros and cons to each. Putting it as part of your main
site allows a journalist to "poke around" your site, absorbing
more of the feel and culture of your company and its products. It
also makes it easier if the reporter wants more information about
a particular product than can be found in your media materials.
Of course, since you'll need to provide clear links to the online
news room to help such reporters find their way back, anyone
visiting your site can access your press materials. This is
probably not an issue but, if you feel potential customers may
become confused if they wander into the online news room, this
could be worth considering.

Creating a separate site allows you to tailor everything to suit
the needs of the reporter and prevents the possibility of
confusion for potential customers visiting your main site. The
reporter however, will be unable to quickly "poke around" the
main site as described above, so you may consider that in your
decision. If you do choose a separate site, give it a name that
incorporates your company (if you're the Acme Company, go for
acmepress.com or acmeonlinenewsroom.com). Also, provide clear
links to your main site throughout, and code them so that they
open in a new window, allowing the reporter to see your main site
without having to backtrack to the online news room.

Some Do's and Don'ts

DON'T force journalists to register or sign in for access.
They're busy folks and may very well decide not to bother. Make
life as easy as you can for them.

DO offer the opportunity for journalists to enter their e-mail
address if they wish to be kept abreast of the latest news from
your company, but don't link it in any way to the ability to
access any portion of the site. DON'T confuse non-journalists who
may wander into the site. Make it clear at the top of your main
page of your online news room what it and who it's for.

DO provide a link to your consumer FAQ page and an e-mail link
for customer service to give non-journalists a place to go to get
their questions answered. This will save you a great deal of
time responding to messages from non-journalists asking "why am I
looking at a press release? How do I download a new driver" or
some such thing. Here's what Gateway says, "Gateway press
contacts are only able to provide assistance for qualified
members of the news media. They are not qualified to respond to
product or technical support needs...If you are not a member of
the news media, please feel free to visit our pages for Product
Service and Support."

DON'T try to lay out the online news room if you're not a
talented web designer. Don't use flash, heavy java scripts and
other doo-dads. The face you put forth to the media must be
highly professional, and the ease of navigation and logical flow
of the news room is vital.

DO hire a professional designer who has a portfolio that includes
simple, easy-to-navigate, clean-looking sites.

What To Include in Your Online News Room:

Personal Contact Info. The name, address, e-mail, phone number,
fax number and cell phone number of your primary media contacts
must be front and center. If you have an Instant Messaging ID,
put it in there, too.

Press Releases. Place press releases in chronological order
(most recent at the top). Keep traditional press release
formatting and use easy-to-read fonts.

Executive photos, product photos, charts, graphs, and other
appropriate artwork. Provide multiple versions -- 72 dpi (lower
resolution) for online publications and websites, and 300 dpi
(higher resolution) for offline publications. Put instructions
such as To download, right-click and choose "save" next to the
graphics. Make sure your pitch letters and press releases
provide links to the appropriate artwork on your site.

Backgrounders, executive bios, white papers, investor relations
info (if applicable), fact sheets, speeches, awards, streaming
media of: press conferences, product demonstrations, president's
speeches, etc.

Search Tool. Make it easy for journalists to find just what they
want, by making all your press materials fully searchable.

Online News Rooms to Study:

The best way to learn how to put together an online news room is
to see how some very smart folks have done it. Here are three
outstanding examples....

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/default.asp
http://www.google.com/press/index.html
http://www.crayola.com/mediacenter/

By Bill Stolle

Press Releases for Every Occasion

2008-07-14T21:24:00.019-07:00

To many marketers, the press release is something of a "one size
fits all" proposition. You want to get media coverage, you knock
out a press release, send it to some journalists and sit back and
wait.

Of course, smart Publicity Insiders already know that's a
prescription for failure. You know that your press release has
to have a "hook", be well-written and sent to appropriate
journalists in an active, not passive, manner. But there's
another part of the puzzle that even savvy publicity-seekers
sometimes miss -- you can't just write "a press release", you
have to write the right kind of press release.

There's no such thing as a "one size fits all" release. Smart
publicists have variations of the press release model ready to be
go, depending on the occasion.

(Note: for a general introduction to press release writing and
formatting, see: http://www.publicityinsider.com/release.asp

Let's look at some releases suitable for "harder" and more timely
news....

The News Release

To some folks, "news release" and "press release" are
interchangeable. Not to me. I use the phrase "news release" to
refer to a release that, well, carries actual news. Let's face
it, most of what a business has to say to a journalist isn't
exactly "stop the presses" kind of stuff. But, on occasion,
something of real significance occurs. A merger, a stock split,
a major new contract, winning a national award...something that's
truly timely and important. For these sorts of events, don't
mess around. Craft a solid, hard-hitting News Release that's
written in pure journalistic style (lead includes "who, what,
when, why and how", language is in 3rd person and completely
free of hyperbole). Use journalism's "inverted pyramid" -- most
important information at the top, next most important info in the
second paragraph and so on down.

Tell the entire story in the headline and subhead. Again, don't
get cute -- get straight to the point. The headline Acme
Corporation Selected by Pentagon to Supply Troops with Widgets is
far better than something like Guess Who's Making Widgets for
Uncle Sam? or something "clever" like that. In the subhead, fill
in some details: $18 Million Contract Largest in Company's
History. Talk about getting straight to the point! You've just
given the journalist the meat of the story before she's even read
your lead.

Add a "dateline" (Akron, OH) at the beginning of your lead
(first) paragraph. In the dateline, use your company's home town
(or the location where some news has broken. You can be a bit
creative here, if it helps maximize your impact. For the above
example, you can dateline it Washington, DC and say that "The
Pentagon today announced that it has selected an Akron
company...").

In distributing the release, use e-mail, fax, or even overnight
courier. The goal is to get it into journalists' hands on the
same day you distribute it.

Executive Appointment Release

Most businesses send out a brief release and headshot when
someone new is hired or a major promotion is made. That's fine,
and it will get them in the "People on the Move" column on page
8 in the business section. It's an ego stroke for the employee,
but that's about it. Savvy publicity seekers use the Executive
Appointment release to generate real publicity. Here's the key --
don't just announce that someone's been hired or promoted.
Rather, explain why the move is significant to the company -- and
perhaps the market -- as a whole.

For example, Jane Smith has been hired as your company's new
director of sales. Not so exciting. However, the reason you
hired her is because she came from a major online retailer and is
planning to overhaul your sales system to compare with the state-
of-the-art systems used by the big guys. Hmmmm...that's a lot
more interesting. So why not tell the media about it?

The key ingredient is context. Your headline may still look
like that of a typical Executive Appointment release (Acme Names
Jane Smith New Director of Sales), but starting with the subhead,
you begin your journey off page 8 of the business section and
onto page one (Hiring of Key Figure in Online Sales Explosion
Marks Important Shift in Acme's Sales Strategy). Ah, now you've
entered the realm of news, not business as usual. And a sharp
business editor will see that a local company is doing something
far more significant than just making a hire.

Dateline the release, fax (or even messenger), email or regular
mail it over to your local business editor and follow up with a
phone call. Offer Jane Smith for interview, too.

The Media Alert

The Media Alert is a deceptively simple creature. It's
essentially a memo from you to TV, radio and newspaper assignment
editors, city desk editors and others who decide whether a
particular news event is worth covering. They're used to alert
the press about news conferences, charity events, publicity
"stunts" and other events.

The point of the Media Alert is to, in just a few seconds, tell a
journalist about the event, how to cover it and why it's
important that the media outlet, in fact, covers it. Most
publicists are pretty good on the first two points -- almost all
media alerts do a decent job of telling what the event is, where
it will be held and what time it starts. It's the third aspect
-- the "why" -- that will make the real difference, though. And
it's the thing most publicists do a lousy of job of conveying.

First, a word about format. Use standard press release headings
(contact info, "For Immediate Release" and headline). The rest
of the document should be a few paragraphs, spaced at least three
lines apart from one another. The first paragraph, should begin
with What: and continue with a one or two line description of the
event (WidgetFest 2004, a celebration of young minds). Next
paragraph, When:, after that Where:

Now here's the key paragraph,

Why You Should Cover WidgetFest 2004: The brightest young minds
from around the region will gather to present their inventions,
as Acme Corp. celebrates the state's top high school science
students. The event will be a visual feast, with a host of awe-
inspiring inventions, many colorful, active and exotic, on
display. As part of the event, more than $10,000 in scholarships
will be distributed to budding Einsteins by John Smith, Ohio's
Science Teacher of the Year.

The key? This line: "The event will be a visual feast, with a
host of awe-inspiring inventions, many colorful, active and
exotic, on display." I just spoke an assignment editor's
language, telling him that this will provide lots of cool
visuals, making for great video or photos. The bit about the
scholarships and the Science Teacher of the Year assures him that
this won't just be a promotional stunt. So what are we offering?
A non-promotional, feel-good event with great visuals. Just what
an assignment editor is looking for.

By Bill Stoller

Grandma Says...

2008-07-14T21:24:00.017-07:00

Southern grandmothers have often said, "there are only three times a respectable person's name should be in the paper: when you are born, when you are married, and when you die."

This is the one area in which I part company with my grandmothers. Publicity is more critical today for the success of a business than it has ever been.

Why do I believe it's critical? Let's review what publicity - particularly publicity in business and trade publications - can do for your business.

Provides Neutral Third-party Endorsement. Even though many think the media are biased, consumers still cling to the belief that people who are quoted by the media have something worthwhile to say.

Boosts Your Competitive Advantage. Positive publicity confirms for your customers that they made the smart choice when they elected to use your products or services.

Enables Referrals. Your "smart" customers become evangelists by handing out articles about you to their business contacts.

Shortens Your Sales Cycle. Media coverage often does a better job of explaining what you do than an ad can. So, readers will have a level of knowledge about you before you meet.

Builds Your Marketing Library. Print and web-based articles can become excellent marketing material that costs little to develop.

Positions You. Publish or perish is the academic motto. Experts from outside the world of academia also know that by being quoted by the media they can improve their position as industry experts.

Builds Value. For every speaker like Tom Peters earning thousands of dollars for appearances, there are hundreds who are paid a pittance for speaking engagements. Can you guess the difference?

As you can see, there are a wide variety of reasons for you to be publicizing yourself and your business. Just this once, don't listen to Grandma. Go get your name in the paper.

By Harry Hoover

Press Kit Elements That Work

2008-07-14T21:24:00.015-07:00

Considering how fundamental they are to the publicist's trade,
it's always amazed me how lousy almost all press kits truly are.
Your typical press kit is a bloated folder filled with puffery,
hype, irrelevant information and worse. The vast majority of
these monstrosities do little besides kill trees and clog
newsroom trash baskets.

The good news is that creating a press kit that actually works
really isn't that hard. Let's look at the elements of a winning
press kit, and help you avoid some common pitfalls.

The Psychology of a Press Kit

There are two fundamental rules to creating a good press kit:

1. The press kit exists to make the journalist's life easier, not
for you to present sales messages and hype. Good publicists are
journalist-centric -- that is, they think from the perspective of
the recipient, not the sender. They take the time to learn what
journalists need and then they give it to them in as simple,
straightforward and user-friendly a manner as possible.
Remember, publicity is not about you -- it's about giving
journalists what they need to create a strong story.

2. Everything in the press kit goes to support your clincher.
Everything else gets yanked out. (A refresher: a "clincher" is
my term for the one or two line distillation of your publicity
message. It's the publicist's version of the Universal Selling
Proposition that marketers use to boil a product's marketing
message down to its essence.) You lay out your clincher in the
pitch letter that gets clipped to the cover of the press kit, and
the press kit serves to flesh out and support your clincher.
That's it. If your clincher is that you've brought a radical new
way of thinking to your market segment, then a backgrounder about
your "old fashioned commitment to excellence" not only doesn't
support your clincher, it may actually contradict it.

The Elements of a Press Kit

The Cover: In my twenty years as a publicist, I have never
encountered a single journalist who told me the cover a press kit
had the slightest impact on their decision whether to run a
story. Yet, businesses still spend thousands on glossy, four
color folder covers. Don't bother. A simple colored folder with
your business name imprinted upon it will work just fine.

Some businesses choose to get stickers printed up with their logo
and place them on blank folders, which is fine too, as long as
the stickers are neatly applied. Either way, don't obsess over
it -- it's what's inside that counts.

Letterhead: The first page of each press kit element should be
on your letterhead. Some folks prefer to get special "News from
(name of company)" letterhead printed, although, again, I doubt
it really matters.

The Lead Release: If your press kit is going out in support of
an announcement, an event, a trend story or for another specific
purpose, the release that lays out the news should be the first
thing a journalist sees upon opening the folder. This "lead
release" should be positioned at the front of the right side of
the folder.

Backgrounder: This is the element of your kit that provides,
well, the background information to support your pitch. It's
written in the fashion of a standard news feature (i.e. in third
person, objective tone). This is typically the longest element
in a press kit, often going 2 or 3 pages. As you're crafting
this, keep something important in mind: if a journalist is
reading your backgrounder, chances are he's already interested in
your pitch. If he wasn't, he wouldn't bother with it. You've
hooked him and the backgrounder can reel him in. To do so, you
must answer the two questions he has: "Is the claim made in the
pitch legitimate?" and "Is there enough material here for me to
do a story?"

Your pitch letter (based on your clincher) made a claim of some
sort about you, your company or your product. You're the
fastest, the most advanced, the hottest-selling, the most civic-
minded, etc. Now you have to back up your claim. Your
backgrounder is where this happens. Provide proof, by giving
concrete examples, third party observations, study results, etc.
to support your pitch. If you're claiming that there's a trend
taking place, here's where you provide the statistics to back it
up. If you've claimed that you've won more awards that anyone
else in town, here's where you describe them. Don't stray from
your purpose -- to reel in the journalist by convincing him that
your claim is legit.

The backgrounder also must demonstrate that enough material
exists to support the claim - and that it will be easy for the
journalist to access this information. Journalists don't have
time to do extended investigation on every piece. Provides leads
to websites, trade journals, experts and other resources to back
up your claim and help the journalist complete the story, you'll
have a big edge.

To write a backgrounder, do some role playing. You're a
reporter. Your editor has handed you a pitch letter and said
"write this up". In this case, of course, the pitch letter is
your own. While you're writing it, try to forget that the piece
is, essentially, about you. Pretend you're an objective
reporter. Track down resources, dig up stats, interview
experts. Try to see if you can create a credible piece that
proves the pitch's claim to be valid and interesting to the
reader. If you can, you've got a great backgrounder. If you
can't, it may be time to come up with a new pitch!

Bio: Only include bios of people who are relevant to the pitch.
A bio of your sales manager in a press kit designed to support a
claim of technological superiority is pointless. A bio of your
head of R&D is valid. Keep bios short (three paragraphs at the
most) and include only information relevant to the pitch. The
fact your head of R&D spent twenty years at NASA is relevant,
that she loves golf and has two cats isn't. The point of a bio:
to show the legitimacy of those quoted in your release or being
offered for interview, and to help the reporter craft a short
description of the person when writing the piece.

Fact Sheet: The fact sheet should distill the entire press kit
into an "at a glance" document. Keep it short, use bullet points
and bold headings. For example, I might start with the heading
The Story: and include a bullet point repeating the pitch. The
next heading might be Why It's Important: followed by some
bullet points putting the pitch into a broader industry-wide (or
perhaps even worldwide) context. Finally, I might use the
heading Why (name of my company) is at the Heart of this Vital
Story: and run some bullet points taken from the backgrounder
giving support to my claim. Put this fact sheet at the front of
the left side of the folder, just across from the lead release.
This sort of fact sheet is amazingly powerful and almost never
crafted in the fashion I just laid out. I've sold countless
stories because of this style of fact sheet and you can too.

Other Stuff: Filling out the kit with a company brochure and a
photo or two is reasonable, but don't get carried away. Keep your
kit simple, stick to your clincher and think like a journalist,
not a marketer, and you'll have crafted a first class press kit!

By Bill Stoller

10 Tips for Tantalizing News Releases

2008-07-14T21:24:00.013-07:00

Want to get radio interviews and coverage in print
publications to sell more books?

Master the art of writing magnetic media releases
that attract attention of editors and publishers.

A media release (which also goes by its former
name, the press release) is a one page, double spaced, single-sided document designed to transmit news about books, products, and people.

Because of its official sounding name, authors often
make the mistake of sounding like Sgt. Friday of the TV show "Dragnet" when they write the release, and make it Too fact oriented.

Don't forget that real live people, editors and
producers, must pull the release from the fax machine and be motivated to read it.

Motivating Editors and Producers to Read Your Release
In today's world, getting editors and producers to
actually read your release is a challenge. Every day,
people tap into the possibilities of free publicity and are becoming proactive in getting their voice heard.

As the producer of a lifestyle TV show, I receive
upward of two hundred releases a week. However,
only a small percentage are both appropriate for the
show and grab my attention.

Below are 10 tips to help you write releases that get your message heard.
1. Write an attention grabbing headline.
Realize that your headline must immediately
"hook" a busy producer or editor at first glance.
If your headline doesn't hook them, they won't read
further.

2. Be certain that your book is appropriate for the target audience.

Do not send a media release about your romance novel to a radio show that interviews only nonfiction authors. Wishful thinking is well and good, but realize that shows KNOW their target market.

3. Realize that there is a difference in format when sending a release by email and by fax.
A faxed release and release sent by mail can be
identical. However, an email release requires careful
crafting to get right and is an art onto itself. The key
concept to remember is twofold. First, the subject line spells the difference between the release being opened or deleted. Second, you must target delivery of the email release carefully, or you risk being banned forever to the recipient's "bozo" file.

4. Be certain to include key information in a book
release such as your ISBN number, publication
date, page count and binding, and if you like
a small .jpeg of the cover.

5. You can increase your chances of
being booked on a radio station if you offer
to give away books on the show in your
release.

6. For media releases aimed at reviewers,
include information on how they can
get a book to review by email or fax.

7. Do not follow up to see if the recipient
received the release. If this is a show or
publication you are keenly interested in,
call them with "new information"
designed to create more excitement
in featuring you.

8. Keep a notebook with you and
jot down names of appropriate media
contacts as you read publications and
hear radio interviews.

9. Journalists and producers need you
and your news, but will lose respect if
you hammer them with releases that
don't apply to their market or beat.
Discriminate.

10. Keep a "swipe file" of
clever advertisements or headlines
you can refer to when you need
a creative boost.

By Marisa D'Vari

Forget the Press Release - Heres How to Pitch Like Roger Clemens

2008-07-14T21:24:00.011-07:00

Stripped down to its core, publicity is little more than one
person persuading another. You, the publicity seeker, must
persuade a journalist that your story is worthy of receiving
print space or air time. Your ability to sell your story to a
journalist is what it's all about.

If you've ever sat with an insurance salesman who droned on and
on, you probably know that simpler is better when it comes to
persuasion. A few choice words, a brief, well-reasoned argument
and a strong close can make the sale. Too much detail, too much
rambling and too much pontification can kill a deal.

When pitching a journalist, the same rules apply, Keep your
pitch short and to the point -- and the results will come.

Unfortunately, many beginning publicity seekers -- and even some
old pros -- forget this advice. Instead of keeping things short,
they seek to overwhelm journalists with multi-page press
releases, extensive backgrounders and lengthy fact sheets. If
they even get read (and most just go directly to the trash) these
voluminous press kits only serve to bury your main argument in a
blizzard of verbiage.

That's why I love pitch letters.

A pitch letter is a brief business letter, almost never longer
than one page. It can accompany a press release, or it can stand
on its own. Pitch letters serve one purpose -- to pique the
journalist's interest in your story. They needn't tell the whole
story. Rather, they are "teasers" for the meat of your story
angle. If you've hooked the journalist with your pitch letter,
you have a real chance of getting the rest of your press
materials read -- and your story placed.

Pitch letters can be sent by snail mail but, increasingly,
they're the perfect tool for e-mail contact. Too many publicity
seekers send entire press releases by e-mail when a few brief
paragraphs would serve their cause far better.

If you're e-mailing a pitch letter to a journalist there are
three rules to follow:

1. Keep it short. Try to limit your pitch to two or three
paragraphs.

2. Never send attachments. In this era of worms and viruses,
that's bad netiquette.

3. Take the time to craft a short, snappy headline. You don't
have to tell your story in the headline -- just make it
intriguing enough for the journalist to click "open", not
"delete"

Whether your sending it on paper or electronically, here's how to
put together a strong pitch letter, step-by-step:

* Start off with your best shot

In the first sentence, try to give the reporter something that
will make him say either "Gee, I never knew that" or "That's an
interesting angle for a story". Or better yet, try to get him to
say both things! Don't mess around with formalities, and don't
bury your angle in hype. Here's an example of a pitch letter we
used to promote "the world's largest game of Pictionary":

Mr. Joe Smith
Features Editor
The Daily Herald
Anytown, OH 44444

Dear Mr. Smith:

On November 19, during halftime of the California- Stanford game,
80,000 people will make history.

They'll be helping to establish a New World Record by
participating in the largest participatory game in history -- a
monumental round of Pictionary, led by the Stanford Marching
Band.

Straight to point and no nonsense. Just the way a reporter wants
it.

Here's another example -- one that fits the "Gee, I didn't know
that" category. It's to promote the national winner of a contest
sponsored by one of our clients:

Dear Mr. Smith:

A miracle has bloomed and is now being harvested in the heart of
the South Bronx.

What used to be a trash-filled vacant lot covered with used
hypodermic needles and crack vials is now a spectacular 2 1/2-
acre working farm. Every day, under the watchful eye of Garden
Director and seasoned gardener Jack O'Connor, dozens of
neighborhood youngsters come to tend their garden plots, sing
songs, hear poetry and learn about nature. Jack has only one rule
of thumb: Before the fun starts, the day's schoolwork must be
completed.

* Target your pitch

Even if you have only one version of a press release, you can
still target your pitch to a particular media outlet by crafting
a specific pitch letter. The purpose of the pitch letter in this
case -- to frame the story in a way that makes it clear to the
journalist that it fits in with that media outlet's approach.

Here's a letter we wrote to The Paul Harvey Show to pitch the
story behind one of our clients, a board game company called The
Games Gang. It resulted in a story on Mr. Harvey's show -- one of
the biggest publicity hits you can get.

Notice that it's written in a structure and style similar to what
you might hear on The Paul Harvey Show. We also played up the
"senior" status of the Games Gang members, as senior citizens
make up a significant portion of their listenership.

Here's the letter:

Mr. John Smith
Producer
"The Paul Harvey Show"
Anytown, OH 44444

Dear John,

In June, 1986, a group of veteran toy sales people (average age:
60) were told there was no more room for them at the company
they'd served for more than 30 years.

They didn't slip quietly into retirement, however. Instead, they
set out to prove the toy industry wrong -- to show that
experience and commonsense are the keys to success.

They've done it.

The company they formed, The Games Gang, has taken the games
industry by storm. They've beaten the odds by creating one of the
most successful games in American history -- Pictionary -- and
following it up with another hit, Balderdash. Today, 10 million
games later, the "Over The Hill Gang" is at the top of the game
heap, having surpassed their larger -- and younger -- rivals.

We think your listeners and readers, especially those who feel as
if their best days are behind them, will find the story of The
Games Gang a real inspiration. We hope you agree.

I'll be in touch soon.

Sincerely,

Bill Stoller

* Show how your story relates to the reporter's audience

Did you catch this line in the Paul Harvey pitch letter?

"We think your listeners and readers, especially those who feel
as if their best days are behind them, will find the story of The
Games Gang a real inspiration."

That's the line that probably put the story over the top. We took
what was essentially a corporate story and demonstrated that it
could have meaning to a wide group of listeners -- even those who
don't play board games or care about entrepreneurs.

Try to find a bigger theme in your story, especially one that
fits with the mission of the media outlet you're pitching.

Pitch letters are wonderful and often underused tools. Just keep
them short, get to the point, try to show how your story can
appeal to a wide audience and, where appropriate, have a little
fun, and you'll be pitching like a pro!

By Bill Stoller

Publicity From Thin Air

2008-07-14T21:24:00.009-07:00

In an ideal world, your business would be overflowing with
newsworthy stories, and the media would be waiting with bated
breath for your next press release, ready to give you front page
coverage.

In the real world, however, it's not always so easy to generate
real news. There are only so many hot new products or
breakthrough achievements with which a business can capture a
journalist's attention.

So what do top publicists do to get news coverage for clients who
have no news to share?

They create opportunities for publicity from thin air. A good
publicist can quite literally invent a story that the news media
will eat up. And, best of all, they're usually stories that can
be presented with little or no adjustment year after year.

Here are few of the ways you can create a great story from
scratch:

Start a Hall of Fame. There are two reasons for you to take a
look at http://www.publicityinsider.com/HallOfFame.asp -- my very
own Public Relations Hall of Fame. First, it's filled with
examples of companies who have created great publicity stories
from thin air (the Pillsbury Bake-Off and the National Discount
Broker's Duck Quack, to name a couple) and second, it's an
example of a time-honored publicity technique -- the Hall of
Fame.

It couldn't be easier. For your field, create a Hall of Fame,
induct some of your industry's top luminaries, send out a press
release. You don't need a marble-columned building or bronze
plaques. A simple press release (and maybe a supporting website
similar to the Public Relations Hall of Fame) will do the trick.
Each year, induct some more members and send out another release.
Really, it's that simple.

Make a List. Mr. Blackwell made himself a household name with a
simple "Worst Dressed List". And the "Most Boring People of the
Year" list that gets huge press every year? It's the creation of
a single, very clever publicist from New Jersey. And take a
look at one of the more recent lists to get massive publicity --
the Most Annoying People of the Year from AmIAnnoying.com (
http://www.amiannoying.com/2002/mostandleast.aspx).

The media simply devours lists. The best, the worst, the most,
the least, the top 10, the bottom 10, whatever. Is there actual
news here? Nope -- it's just entertaining, fluffy and a bit
gossipy. In short, lists are the perfect fodder for an editor
seeking to balance out all the horror and sadness of a typical
news day with a bit of levity. Lists such as these are
practically the reason "People" columns in newspapers were
invented.

Craft an Index. Here's a neat variation on the list concept.
Essentially a twist on the government's cost of living index, a
publicity index is a fun way to quantify a trend.

Let me give you an example of a good index that generated strong
publicity year after year. Back in my agency days, one of our
clients was the company that imported Moet Champagne. Somewhere
along the line, a very sharp publicist had a brainstorm, and
invented "The Moet Index". It was basically a list of some luxury
items -- such things as a Maine lobster, a jar of Russian caviar,
a diamond bracelet and, of course, a bottle of Moet -- with the
total cost of all the items if one were to purchase them. The
number was compared with the amount they would have cost last
year, and the year before and -- voila -- the Moet Index was
born. The Index purported to ask the question "How much more
expensive is living the good life this year as opposed to
previous years?" The media loved it, and Moet had a nice annual
story. They simply tallied up the new numbers each year,
distributed a press release, sat back and counted the clippings.

Create a Petition. Is there a hot topic in your industry? A
growing controversy? Something people would like to see happen
that's not taking place? Create a petition!

Thanks to the Internet, starting a petition drive is a breeze.
No need to stand outside supermarkets with a clipboard -- just
provide a link for your visitors and you're off and running!
Sites such as PetitionOnline.com
http://www.petitiononline.com/petition.html allow anyone to
start a petition for free.

Take a look at some of the petitions on the site: "Operation
Keep Vanessa on General Hospital"; "Request to CBS to air the
Lane Bryant Lingerie Show"; "Declare Sept. 11 a National
Holiday"; "Eminem For President In 2004". Whether serious or
lighthearted, a petition that generates lots of signatures is a
great publicity hook.

For example, take a closer look at the "Lane Bryant Lingerie
Show" petition. It notes that, because 60% of women in America
wear at least a size 14, CBS should provide a plus-size fashion
show as a counterpart to its airing of the Victoria's Secret
show. Now, I don't know who was behind this petition, but
imagine if you ran a website for plus-size women, and you were
the one who started the petition. And let's say you managed to
get 3000 people to sign the petition. Do you think you might have
a pretty good shot at getting coverage in newspapers, women's
magazines and other media outlets. Heck, yeah!

Petitions are an awesome way to create publicity from thin air --
and hardly anyone is using them for that purpose. Jump on this
idea and keep it to yourselves. This is one just for my Publicity
Insiders!

Here are my tips to create a story from thin air:

* Keep it light. Journalists know what you're up to, and
they'll play along if it's all in fun. Think in terms of placing
the story in the "People in the News" column or with a "notes"
columnist who specializes in lighter stories. Don't try to
pretend that your "Top 10 List" or online petition is
earthshaking news. Keep your tongue planted in your cheek and
you'll have a much better chance of placement.

* Keep it positive. Mr. Blackwell is pretty tart in some of his
comments and, I suppose, one of his targets could up and sue him
one of these days. That probably won't happen because he's well-
established and a star who took him to court would end up looking
like a bad sport. Still, for your efforts, try to stay positive
and avoid criticizing, ridiculing or otherwise embarrassing
anyone. We live in a litigious society, and there are folks who
wouldn't take kindly to finding themselves on the "Top 10
Buffoons of the Year" list. Let others take those chances. While
calling people boring, or annoying, or hideously dressed does
seem to generate attention, there are plenty of ways to succeed
taking an opposing approach. What about the most heroic, the
most inspiring, the coolest, the smartest, and so on? Let your
list, index, petition or Hall of Fame celebrate the positive in
our society or your industry, and it will reflect well on your
business.

* Keep it Relevant. To make it work for you, a created story
needs to fit your business. Mr. Blackwell is a designer, so a
worst-dressed list makes sense. It would do no good, however, for
a car dealership to put out such a list. Keep it relevant.Let
your story support your marketing message (e.g. Moet Index =
"Moet is part of the good life") and it will do more than fill
your clipping book -- it will fill your cash registers, too.

By Bill Stoller

How to Tie-In With News Events to Score Publicity

2008-07-14T21:24:00.007-07:00

It's safe to say that we live in interesting times. It seems we
hardly have a breather between wars, tragedies, scandals,
epidemics, circus trials and other events that capitalize the
media's attention. For the business seeking publicity, the "news
hole" for more traditional stories -- new product reviews,
business features, offbeat promotions -- keeps shrinking as the
"big story" mentality takes hold.

Fortunately, you're not completely at the mercy of world events
when it comes to obtaining some exposure. By being smart and
aggressive, you can find a way to break through the logjam by
tying-in -- where appropriate and tasteful -- with the news of
the day.

Here are a few good examples (including a couple in which I was
personally involved):

Taco Bell's Mir Brainstorm. The Soviet Mir space station was
falling, and Taco Bell reaped the benefits. The company set up a
40' x 40' vinyl target -- emblazoned with the company's logo and
the words ''Free Taco Here!'' -- 10 miles off the coast of
Australia. In the extremely unlikely event that Mir hit the
target, the company promised free tacos to all 281 million
Americans. Space-travel experts said the prospects of the debris
hitting the mark were slim to none. Taco Bell added relevance to
the public relations stunt by claiming to have taken out an
insurance policy. A minute-by-minute countdown of Mir's descent
and a photo of the floating target were anxiously seen by
millions of hungry websurfers on the Taco Bell site. The result?
Millions of dollars of free publicity on major news programs and
media outlets around the world. Their website could hardly handle
the traffic.

5 Star Shine Goes to War. Fellow Free Publicity subscriber Glenn
Canady discovered that his car polishing product -- 5 Star Shine
-- was being used by the U.S. Navy to keep the Aegis radar
equipment up and running in the face of saltwater, sea air and
other potentially damaging elements. Take a look at Glenn's
press release -- along with a great hit he earned in the San
Diego Union Tribune--by going to:

http://www.5starshine.com/press-coverage.html

Dan's Lucky Angel. We were charged with getting publicity for
the "My Little Angel" doll, so we sent one to a photographer in
Ireland, who took a shot of the doll "kissing" the lucky Blarney
Stone. We then sent the newly-lucky doll on to Olympic
speedskater Dan Jansen at Lillehammer. When the previously hard-
luck skater finally won his elusive gold medal, we took the
credit -- and got lots of press!

Here's how to tie-in with a news event:

1. Be prepared. If something happens that can offer the
possibility of your involvement, you'll need to act quickly.
Make sure you have press materials prepared beforehand so they're
ready to go when needed. Obviously, you can't predict news
events, but you can begin examining your product, service or area
of expertise to discover the types of events that may occur and
the role you can play. Put together a strong bio that details
your background and expertise. Make a list of the news editors,
assignment editors and producers at, respectively, your local
newspaper, TV stations and talk radio stations.

2. Be appropriate. This means two things, actually. First,
don't force a fit where none exists. If the world is focused on,
say, a manned mission to Mars, your carpet cleaning business
probably has nothing much that it can do to tie-in. There has to
be some legitimate connection, or else you'll be laughed out of
the newsroom (on the other hand, if it's proved that the germs
behind some fast-spreading respiratory illness can live in
carpeting, you're just the person to talk to the press about how
to kill germs hiding in carpets). The second measure of what's
appropriate is common sense and decency. Jumping on a tragedy
with a hype-filled press release is just plain ghoulish. In the
aftermath of something truly awful, go to the press only if you
have something unique, helpful, non-promotional and newsworthy to
offer.

3. Be timely. If you have something of immediate value to offer
(e.g. you've written a book about a major figure who's just
died), time is of the essence. Work from the media list you've
already prepared and hit the phones. Tell the reporters, editors
and producers who you are and the kinds of insight you can offer
about the current situation. Since seconds count, offer to stop
by with a copy of your book, or to email or fax your press
materials. If you really are an expert on the subject of the
breaking news story, you're doing the journalist a huge favor
right now, so don't be shy.

4. Be timely, part 2. The other side of the coin: You have a
story that might fit in with what's happening, but it's lighter,
softer and less timely (5 Star Shine is a great example. It fits
with world events, but it's not hard news). In these cases, wait
until the dust has settled. The first few days covering any big
story, the media is interested solely in the hard stuff. The
who, what , when , where and why info. If you can help with
that, great. If not, hang on until the media machine needs more
fuel. After a little while, there will be huge blocks of time to
fill, breaking news will dissipate and the media will begin
turning to lighter stuff to fill the void. Consider that, just
in the past few weeks, you've begun hearing about such things as
the "Talking Iraqi Information Minister Doll". Expect much more
to come.

5. Be creative. For non-tragic events, taking a fun approach
often works wonders. Consider the Mir idea (it was already
determined the station would land in the water, so there was no
element of potential tragedy involved. If there was a chance
that people could have gotten hurt, the promotion wouldn't have
been such a great notion). Or think about how ice cream
companies that get mileage out of naming flavors for newsmakers,
or fashion designers who send out lists of fashion hits and
misses for major Hollywood events or DJ's who do things like
sleeping in a billboard until the hometown team breaks its losing
streak. When there no lives at stake and the story is purely for
fun, be as creative and "out there" as you can to tie in.

6. Be smart. One very important caveat has to be mentioned:
unless you specifically cater to a particular audience -- all of
whom are in agreement a particular issue -- don't take sides
politically. No matter how strongly you may feel about a
certain issue, if a segment of your potential or existing
customer base may feel differently, you're taking a major gamble
by choosing sides. If you want to poke fun at politicians,
include both Democrats and Republicans. Unless your area of
expertise requires it, steer clear of divisive issues such as
religion, abortion, gay rights, etc. Using your business as a
personal political soapbox can come back to haunt you. This
isn't about "wimping out", it's common business sense. Customers
are hard enough to attract and keep -- there's no point in going
out of your way to alienate them by showing disdain for their
beliefs.

By Bill Stoller

Smashing the Myth of the Press Release

2008-07-14T21:24:00.005-07:00

A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and adored.

The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous musician.

Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got him the contract and made him famous.

You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.

Which brings us to the press release.

Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and wait for Oprah to call.

It's a cruel joke.

Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly worthless.

I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e- mail or a phone call).

If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are MORE important than a press release in generating publicity:

1. A newsworthy story. This is the equivalent of our musician's talent. It's the very basis for your publicity efforts. Without it, your press release means nothing. To learn about how to develop a newsworthy story, take a look at http://publicityinsider.com/questions.asp and scroll down to "Is my company/website/life really newsworthy?"

2. Learning to think like an editor. Oh, what an edge you'll have in scoring publicity over all those press release worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and you'll do great. I've got an entire article on the subject at http://publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp Go there now and absorb it all. Trust me, it will make a world of difference.

3. Relevance. Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of oxygen.

4. Persistence. Sending out a press release and waiting for results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back at them with a different story angle.

Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be well on your way to success.

By Bill Stoller

35 Quick Tips for Writing A Press Release

2008-07-14T21:24:00.003-07:00

Layout
1. 1-2 pages in length.
2. Double-space.
3. 1.5 to 2 inch margins.
4. Use company stationary with logo and slogan.
5. Avoid bright or dark-colored paper.
6. Center "News Release" at top.
7. Place a "release date" under "News Release".
8. On second page, type "page 2".
9. Use company stationary with logo and slogan on page 2.
10. Leave out "release after" date on second page, all
else should be the same.
11. At end of press release, type "-30-" or "# # #".
12. Include both black & white, color, and a variety of font
sizes (but no more than four).

Format
13. Inverted pyramid (biggest point or major message first).
14. Straight to the point at the beginning.
15. First and second paragraphs devoted to your main
message.
16. Secondary information comes AFTER main message.
17. No pussyfooting around, be clear up front, at the very
beginning.
18. Don't go on and on.
19. In the third section, establish a connection with you.
20. Use a problem/solution format.
21. Comparing and contrasting ideas can be inside the
problem/solution format.
22. Be careful of your facts, spelling and grammar
23. Only one news release per e-mail or envelope.

Information to Include
24. Newsworthy information, not sales copy
25. All the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How elements.
Their order depends on level of importance.
26. Enticing headline which summarize the material/news.
27. Photos if available, or where they can be accessed
in press section of your web site. No stock images.
28. No cover letter.

Distribution
29. Don't send press release out in a mass e-mailing
30. Don't pester contacts
31. Editors will not distribute anything sloppy, difficult
to read, or understand.
32. Mail release by first class mail.
33. Don't use any type of labels, including your return
address.
34. Add "PRESS RELEASE" and "Release Date:" on outside of
envelope.
35. Places to send press releases: writers@[magazines];
writers@[newspapers]; trade journals in your industry;
print magazines on the topic; online agencies that
distribute news releases.

By Catherine Franz

8 Ways to Use Local Publicity to Drive Your Business

2008-07-14T21:24:00.001-07:00

While scoring a
nice story in BusinessWeek or USA Today is something to
celebrate, there are times when you need to grab attention a bit
closer to home.

If your business draws its clientele from a specific town, city
or region, focusing your energy on getting an elusive national
publicity hit may be overkill, especially when getting publicity
where you need it -- in your home town -- is often so much
easier.

Let's look at some techniques you can use to reach potential
customers right where you live, through your local papers, radio
and TV stations.

1) Get to Know Your Business Editor.

Unless you live in a very large city, it should be fairly easy to
get in touch with the business editor at the main newspaper
covering your region. A simple call to introduce yourself and
let the editor know that you have some news to share is a good
start. Remember some of the golden rules of calling a
journalist, though: be respectful of his or her deadline (don't
call an editor in the late afternoon as deadlines approach) and
always start with "is this a good time to talk?" before kicking
into your pitch. In smaller markets, it may even be possible to
develop a personal relationship with a business editor, by
visiting the office or taking the editor to lunch. The bottom
line is this: keeping abreast of local businesses and finding
interesting stories to tell about people in the community is the
essential part of any business editor's job. He'll be thrilled
to hear from you if you can provide something new and fresh in
those areas.

2) Keep the Releases Flowing.

Once you've built a relationship with a business editor, keep it
growing by providing a regular dose of fresh news about your
company. Won an award? Hired a new executive? Investing in some
interesting new equipment? Scored a big new contract? Let the
editor know with a well-written, hype-free release. Don't feel
the need to pump out a release for every little thing but, if
it's something really newsworthy, keeping the editor in the loop
will help spur coverage on a regular basis.

3) Write a Letter to the Editor or an Op-Ed Piece.

If something occurs locally (or even nationally) that relates to
your business, let your voice be heard with a letter to the
editor or a longer "op-ed" opinion piece.

As a businessperson, your opinion matters when the subject
relates to your field of expertise.

Write a Regular Column. Many smaller publications (such as weekly
newspapers) are on the lookout for ongoing, well-crafted content.
You can fill their needs - and promote your business -- by
offering a regular column. Chances are, you've seen features
along the lines of "Ask the Handyman" or perhaps a health column
from a local doctor. Can you create a similar feature that taps
your knowledge or expertise? If so, craft a few sample columns
and present them to the editor of a publication in your area. You
might even suggest that you don't wish to be paid if your contact
information (your web URL, number, etc.) is included with each
column. You'll be providing great no-cost content for the paper
and generating strong local exposure -- and credibility -- for
your business.

4) Conduct a No-Cost Seminar.

Financial planners and real estate pros have known for years that
free seminars are a great way to drum up business and get local
publicity. Try developing a one or two hour seminar in your
field of expertise and offer it to the public. Make it meaty --
it can't simply be a promo pitch. Here's some ideas to get your
creative juices flowing:

* Remodeling company: "Remodeling projects that do the most to
increase your home's value"

* Doctor: "The latest research on extending your life-span --
explained and simplified"

* Stockbroker: "How to retire rich"

Promote your seminar by sending releases to the local media.
Keep your release entirely non-promotional. Highlight your
seminar as a public service, not as a commercial event. (Tip:
have someone videotape your seminar and offer the tape as a free
gift for future potential customers!)

5) Connect with Kids.

Local media outlets always enjoy stories that involve schoolkids.
Offer to visit a local school and talk to the students about an
important topic connected with your business or, better yet,
invite a class to come and visit your place of business. (If you
choose the latter, make sure that your business is somewhat
visual. Kids seeing how sheep get sheared or books get printed
makes for a good visual. A bunch of children standing in an
office looking at accounting tables doesn't.) Craft a release
beforehand -- this one probably works best with features and
lifestyle editors. Suggest that they send a photographer down to
cover the event. Also, it wouldn't hurt to get in touch with the
person at your local school district who handles media relations,
as they may prove very useful in drawing attention.

6) Partner with a Politician.

No matter how hungry you are for good press, I can guarantee
there's someone even hungrier -- an elected official. If you can
team up with a local politician for a charity, educational or
public service program, chances are you won't have to lift a
finger to get coverage. Your friendly representative, state
senator, mayor or council member will gladly work the press to
generate attention. A caveat: if you're going to hook up with a
politician, it's probably best to do it with someone who's not
considered a highly ideological or divisive figure, and try to
keep the topic as noncontroversial as possible. Let common sense
be your guide.

7) Get on the Air.

Radio stations are an underappreciated avenue for publicity.
Spend a few days listening to all the stations that serve your
area and seek opportunities to get on the air. Look for general
interest talk shows, locally-produced news programs and community
affairs programs. When you find something that seems
appropriate, contact the station and ask for the name of the
producer for that particular show or segment. Then, give that
person a call. Tell the producer what you have to offer and why
you'd make a great guest. And here's a bonus radio tip: offer
your products or services as on-air contest prizes for commercial
stations, or as pledge-drive premiums for public radio stations.

8) Make your Website a Local Resource.

Chances are, you've already got a website. Why not devote part
of it to your community? Set up a local message board to
discuss topics relating to your field. Have a local "Ask the
Expert" section where community members can get advice. Provide
local news, sports or weather. Donate part of your site to a
local organization (e.g. offer to post youth soccer scores and
news), donate part of a given day's web-based sales to local
charity. The possibilities are endless, so be creative and, oh
yeah, be sure to tell the local media about what you're doing!

By Bill Stoller