If you have not read Joan Stewart’s Publicity Hound Newsletter, now is the perfect time to subscribe. I have been an avid fan of Joan’s for many years. In fact, when I was the Education VP for the Florida Speakers Association, Joan was at the top of my list of professional speakers we JUST HAD TO HAVE that year. She was and still is fantastic. She knows her stuff and can help anyone with their public relations plans.
Each issue of the Publicity Hound includes a great tip shared by Joan (this week was how not to pitch a reporter). It also includes a column called “help this hound” in which her readers write in to share their PR challenge and the other readers can respond with advice and ideas. The latest issue Kelly Moore asked “How to Become a Newspaper Columnist,” which received some great advice. You can read all the responses at http://tinyurl.com/2vkjod
Joan also shares Media Leads and one of my favorites, The Hound Joke of the Week!
To subscribe, go to http://www.publicityhound.com/.
This week Joan is also giving her readers a wonderful ebook called Best of Publicity Hound’s Tips of the WEEK 2007 which you can read more about and grab your own copy at: http://www.publicityhound.com/free_publicity/Bestof2007.html.
Tell her Heidi sent you….
December 27th, 2007
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“The more exposure you get, the more exposure you will generate.” Marilyn Ross
Want to get more BANG for your public relations “buck” (exposure)? If you’ve been mentioned or quoted in a magazine or other print material you can further capitalize on the great exposure by repurposing the item in several ways. Repurposing or recycling pr often turns one hit into multiple opportunities. Were you or your company mentioned in a newspaper or magazine article recently? Savvy public relations people are always looking for ways to turn one hit into multiple hits. Here’s how:
1. Post articles you have written and those written about you on your Web site. In some cases you will have to get permission from the media, and if you permission is not granted, most of the time you can post the title with a link to the entire feature.
2. Post news releases sent to the media on your website.
3. Post speaking engagements on your website. Create a Calendar and let your audience know when and where you will be speaking. Be sure to send a media release to the appropriate publications about the speaking engagement. I send to local newspapers, business associations and my vendors.
4. Post all media coverage or at least the media name on your website. This gives you more credibility especially when reporters visit your website to learn more about you. I can mean the difference between getting coverage and not getting it.
5. When you appear on air (TV and radio, for instance), ask the producer or host “who else do you know who might be interested in my topic and having me as their guest?” You never know, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
6. If you get national exposure, be sure and write a news release about it for your local media, trade publications, professional newsletters etc. And vice versa.
7. Make reprints of the article and include them in your media kit. Again, be sure you have permission to do so. Some publications do not allow this unless you pay them a fee.
8. When you do post something new, be sure and let your customers and clients know about it, such as a special email or in your newsletter.
9. Whenever you are written about you can post a line in your signature file “as featured in….” with a link to the article. You never know when someone will click on the link, and pick up the phone to “expose you” again!
10. Write testimonials for companies whose products you love and use – You just might get into their advertising – also if you include a picture, you have just raised the chances of your testimonial getting used.
Use a clipping service (see the PR Media Resources Pages for a list - http://www.womensmediasummit.com/pr-media-resources/) to get copies of the actual media mentions.
To find out what the media may be saying about you, subscribe to a service that alerts you when your name or company name are mentioned, such as “Google Alerts” - http://www.google.com/alerts or Yahoo Alerts (http://alerts.yahoo.com/config/set_notification?.t=n). If you get coverage, be sure to thank the publication – send them an email or a note. You never know when the phone will ring and the reporter will call you for the “rest of the story.
Want to know more about recycling publicity and how to capitalize on media exposure? Check out the Media & Public Relations Audio Program TODAY!
December 14th, 2007
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Finding and interviewing experts who support your message or enhance your brand can also get publicity for your company or organization! That is, when you choose the RIGHT Experts to interview and the RIGHT Topic to cover.
What do I mean by that?
The right expert will help draw attention to your company or cause because she or he will already have a following of their own, as well as a good reputation. Remember the saying “reputation by association?” In this case it couldn’t be more true. Because if you have a good reputation, it will be easier to enlist the help of those with whom you connect and enlist to be interviewed. In addition to a good reputation, she or he will also have a loyal following of her or his own. In additon, the right expert will have name recognition with the media which helps to get the media’s attention.
The right topic means one that is timely, of interest to a specific group of people and worth the media’s time in seeking out.
How will you know when and how to find the right expert? Do what I do. Surf the internet. Read magazines in the topic area you are interested in pursuing. Ask for referrals both online and offline. When you find the right expert(s) contact them. Start by asking for an interview. I can tell you in the four+ years I have been interviewing experts only a handful have turned me down. And it is almost always because she or he does not have the time. Most of whom, invite me to contact them again in the future. Only twice in the hundreds of times I have contacted people has the person said, “no, your audience is not my target audience.” I respect that.
Which brings me to another point. If you do your homework, the right expert is right for your organization and your organization is right for her. It must be a win-win for both parties as well as whomever would benefit from reading, hearing or seeing the interview once been produced. I have made the mistake of contacting women (and men) who were totally wrong for my audience and once we had the opportunity to chat, it became clear.
Here are a few other tips when looking for experts:
When you are not absolutely 100% sure the interviewee would be perfect for your audience and your message, do a pre-interview. Make time to spend a few moments to get to know the person you are going to interview and it will soon become apparent if the “fit is in.”
Start at the top! Don’t be afraid to contact someone just because you think she or he is “out of your league.” When I first started looking for women to interview I connected with women who I really didn’t think would respond, let alone say “yes.” And surprisingly, most of them have been gracious and generous with their time and talent.
Make more than one contact. Especially when it comes to email. On more than one ocassion, my guest experts have thanked me for taking time to follow up on the initial contact, because they had lost track of the original message.
Next! Although I am a strong proponet of the “never give up” theory, I also know that spending valuable time pursuing one person can mean the difference between the “next right expert” being unavailable because I didn’t contact her sooner. You have to decide when to move on.
Contact the Media. Once you find the RIGHT Expert, start making contacts with the media to let them know about the interview. This could be in the form of an email (if you know that’s the way your media connections wish to be contacted). Send a media release to them and to any organizations or companies that would also be interested in reading, listening to or watching this interview.
Here are some resources you can use to find experts:
ExpertClick.com
National Speakers Association
Experts.com
December 11th, 2007
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Media Interviews, Press Release, PR and Media Tips |
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