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February 27, 2004
Want More Publicity? Turn It Into An Event! Lessons From The Passion
I have a good friend named Jeff who drives me crazy because he constantly focuses on two things
1. Use the concept of scarcity to your advantage
2. Whenever possible, turn your message into an event
Why does this drive me crazy? Because I have to force my mind to think this way.
And because he's right.
Let me give you an example of Jeff's principles in action.
Posted at 03:26 PM
What's That Again? Britney's Fact Checker
When asked about the perks of being famous, singer Britney Spears intoned,
"I get to go to a lot of overseas places, like Canada."
Posted at 03:23 PM
TV Talk Show Tips
Want to get on the morning TV talk shows with a story that would appeal to bachelors? If so, "Cold Pizza" on ESPN might be your first choice.
Or do you have a story that would appeal to a more conservative audience in Middle America? If so, Fox & Friends would probably be your best bet.
How about a long, soft fuzzy feature story that might look out of place during the week? Pitch it to one of the weekend morning shows when softer news usually prevails.
Posted at 03:20 PM
February 19, 2004
What Blinders Are You Wearing?
We all know about blinders, those little flaps that go to the side of a horse's eyes to keep them from being distracted by the things going on around them.
Sometimes I wish I had a pair I could put them on my kids to keep them focused on the homework in front of them, instead of everything else that's going on around them.
Blinders can be a very good thing, but they can also be terribly destructive, especially when applied in business.
Let me give you a couple of examples.
Posted at 01:45 PM
What's That Again? Howard Dean's Wife
This headline appeared several weeks ago in a Vermont Paper:
"Dean appears with his wife, Jimmy Carter"
Sometimes using an "and" works better than a comma. It clarifies things...
Posted at 01:41 PM
Pitching Stories: The Vital First 30 Seconds
Joan Stewart recently asked some interesting questions:
When you call a reporter to pitch a story, what are the first words out of your mouth?
The fact that you wrote a book?
An apology for bothering the reporter because you know he's so busy?
Or, heaven forbid, a little idle chit-chat just to warm up the conversation?
If you're guilty of any or all of the above, no wonder you aren't getting interviews and the publicity you want.
Posted at 01:39 PM
February 13, 2004
Heroes and Villains
Wouldn't it be nice if real life were like the movies?
In the movies, it's almost always easy to tell who's a hero and who's a villain. Heroes have long flowing white hair and can swing onto charging mammoths with a single grab of the hand. Villains have deformed faces, scary music playing in the background, and they drool alot.
Unfortunately, these cues don't show up as often in real life. For example my state's primary election is Tuesday, but I haven't seen any of the candidates drooling lately (one's mouth emits screams, but not drool...). Nor does Martha Stewart, or even those idiots at Worldcom who mangled my perfect 20 year record of never having a losing year in my IRAs.
So how do you tell who's the bad guy? Obviously, we have to look for other cues.
What does this have to do with PR?
Posted at 01:27 PM
What's That Again? Bias In The Judiciary
One of the women currently running in our county for a position as a judge is named, I kid you not, Bias.
Her signs say:
Elect (The print is really small)
Judge (small)
Bias (huge)
Apparently she didn't know that it's fairly easy to change your name - you just have to pay a small fee and go before a judge...
Posted at 01:23 PM
Ethics and Villains
The above article focused on how to achieve hero status.
Please notice that I didn't talk about how to approach things with the press if the person/company you work for is a villian.
That's because I wouldn't do it, period.
My suggestion if someone comes to you and asks you to spin their wrongdoings so that they look good with the press?
Posted at 01:21 PM
Phone Numbers on Websites: Part 2
In a quick tip this week we discussed the importance of always placing your phone number on your website.
But a couple of alert readers took that a step further.
They pointed out that you always need to put a non-toll-free number on your site, in addition to your toll-free number, so that those who live outside of your country can easily reach you.
And if you put in a number that spells something, make sure that you show the numbers too - not all cellphones and phone internationally put the letters on the numbers.
That said (application time here), if anyone is interested in PR coaching services, I'd be happy to discuss it with you. You can reach me at 1-888-BREAKTHROUGH (101PublicRelations.com is a division of Breakthrough Consulting), which is 1-888-273-2584, or at 262-639-2270.
Coaching runs $350 per hour (minimum 1 hour), discounted if you buy 5 hours at a time. We can deal with any issues/questions you may have in the areas of PR, Marketing, or Internet Marketing, including strategic and/or tactics.
Posted at 01:19 PM
February 09, 2004
A Reporter's Pet Peeve - Why Reporters Aren't Calling You
One of the most interesting things about writing a newsletter about PR is that it puts me on both sides of the fence - reporter and PR seeker.
As a reporter, I just ran up against one of my pet peeves.
One that people do all the time, and
One that just cost someone a glowing story about them and their business.
Oh well...
That peeve? Not putting a phone number on your website!
So here I am, working on deadline, and the only way I have to reach you is via email?
Wrong, you're out of the story. There's no way I'm waiting for you to get back to me.
Why don't people put their number on their site? Because they don't want to get any calls? Guess what - you're getting exactly what you wanted, no calls.
Remember - the web is the #1 resource for many reporters. So if your phone number isn't there, we won't call you!
Posted at 12:26 PM
February 06, 2004
Stealing Thunder: The Art of Getting Noticed Instead of Someone Who Deserves It More
I love watching elections, not because I am particularly "electorally" astute, but because they're so "PR-ally" informative.
The most interesting thing this week has been the way that Howard Dean has virtually stolen the thunder from Edwards and Clark in the frigid state of Wisconsin.
As of a week ago, many of the pundits suddenly turned their attention on Wisconsin as a true battleground state - the next state where Edwards and/or Clark might be able to revitalize their campaigns by defeating Kerry in a state that wasn't naturally ceded to any one candidate (they're discounting this week's Southern elections because Kerry doesn't have a strength there.)
We Wisconsiners love it - actually feeling like someone's paying attention to us for something other than the Packers and/or cheese. I wonder somewhat about this ("Hey, let's have the cheeseheads decide who's going to get to run for the President of the most powerful nation in the world") but Wisconsin's about to get its 15 minutes of fame.
But what most people don't recognize is that Dean is running a clear 5th in Wisconsin polls.
Posted at 05:14 PM
What's That Again? Cultural Experiences
This caption was recently seen below a picture of a group of students and their teacher sitting on a doorstep in front of a building:
"Students at Polk's Spanish class got a taste of Mexican flavor recently when they walked down to the Taco Bell"
Maybe we should change the law's name from "no child left behind" to "no teachers left behind"...
Don't you just love slow news days in small towns?
Posted at 05:10 PM
Special PR Webinar Coming Next Week
One of the most interesting parts of newsletter writing is to see which articles spur your interest and comments. I can always tell when we've touched a nerve, either good or bad, from the number of emails we receive in response.
And one of the most responsive subject matters has been the area of how to generate publicity using online tools.
I was recently talking with one of my friends, Jason Potash, about this, and we cooked up an idea of putting together an online seminar about this and other PR-related topics.
Jason's just the right guy to talk with, because he's got an amazing program, called Pick Their Brains, where he brings top experts together on a wide range of topics for a 2-night knowledge-explosion.
We're doing one on PR this next Tuesday and Thursday nights (Feb. 10th and 12th)
Posted at 05:09 PM
Audio PR Training Tools We Recommend
Media Training: How to Get Your Point Across
Reporters have their own agendas for interviewing you. And their goals are probably not the same as yours! Listen to this seminar and you'll learn how to steer the conversation to your point of view - and make sure the reporter sees the wisdom in following your game plan!
Secrets of Perfect Pitching to Reporters
Pitching a story to reporters does not have to be difficult. Learn how to pitch a story with confidence and the techniques to use to get reporters to listen to and accept your pitch.
How To Create Information Products For Profit, Credibility And Promotion
Ask anyone who creates their own products, and they will tell you that the ones you create yourself will bring in the most money. Learn how to create the best products for sale.
Secrets for Getting Through To The Media Online
One of the best ways to reach reporters is through email and other online resources. Learn how to talk to the media online and get the word out.
How To Get Onto Drive Time Radio
Learn why drive time radio is so important to your PR campaign, who to call at the stations, how to pitch stories to them, what to expect from a drive-time radio exposure, and more.
Posted at 05:05 PM
February 02, 2004
How To Use Google News To Get More PR
By now you've probably met Google News.
If you haven't, you probably should. Surf on over to http://news.google.com and look around for awhile.
Google News is one of the most useful applications of web technology today. It is a totally automated service, that continuously scans over 4500 different online news sources and compiles / summarizes their content into a single location.
Posted at 02:41 PM
What's That Again - Shirtless?
Remember the sign from the 60's that stores used to keep improperly dressed people out? It featured a big NO then had a list going down the right like this:
NO Shirt
Shoes
Service
It seems that some Wisconsin retailers just don't get how that sign really works - here's the sign that we've been seeing around here lately (as if anyone would go shirtless at 30 below...)
NO Dogs
Shirts
Shoes
So are they really saying that shirts and shoes are prohibited in their store? Perhaps the vice squad may have some interest here...
Posted at 02:38 PM
PR Lessons Learned From The Superbowl
This year's Superbowl seems to have been a rousing event, powered by the game being close and 80 million people seeing more skin than normally shown on prime time TV.
By now you know that halftime featured Justin Timberlake ripping away part of Janet Jackson's costume, revealing a shot of her breast, as they were singing the phrase "I'm gonna have you naked by the end of this song."
This has created a storm of controversy, including the head of the Federal Communications Commission ordering an investigation, calling the incident a "classless, crass and deplorable stunt."
Justin Timberlake called it a regrettable "wardrobe malfunction".
CBS (the game's broadcaster) and MTV (which produced the halftime show) claimed they had no idea it would happen. (right!)
The halftime entertainment also featured repeated groin grabs by cast members.
Posted at 02:36 PM
Recommended Audio CD's
Secrets for Getting Through To The Media Online
One of the best ways to reach reporters is through email and other online resources. Learn how to talk to the media online and get the word out.
How To Get Onto Drive Time Radio
Learn why drive time radio is so important to your PR campaign, who to call at the stations, how to pitch stories to them, what to expect from a drive-time radio exposure, and more.
Legal Issues You Must Know When Writing Articles For Fee or For Free
Copyright has a lot of regulations. Some are well known, others not so well. When you deal with information, especially your information, you need to know your rights if someone takes something of yours.
Electronic Media Kits: How to Create Them, Deliver Them and See INSTANT Results
Learn what you need to successfully generate more publicity through putting an electronic media kit on your website; what goes in it, what you shouldn't include, how to get visitors to see it, and more.
How To Teach Your Boss The Value Of PR
Do you need to convince your boss of the power of PR? This powerful audio CD teaches you ways to help your boss "see the light", give you more support, and maybe even become a raving fan of PR and your role in creating more PR for your company.
How To Turn Amazon Into A River Of Gold
Amazon is a huge force in building the popularity of not only a book, but its author. This CD teaches how to maximize your presence and sales at Amazon.com to build your business, future advances, and your PR pulling power.
How To Syndicate Your Content
One of the most powerful ways to build your expert status is to have it syndicated out to dozens, even hundreds, of newspapers/magazines around the world. Syndication means that you publish your piece once, and it gets carried in many other media vehicles who have subscribed to (and pay you for) the right to publish your work. This can also be a nice source of extra income.
Posted at 02:33 PM
