A new survey by a group of business communicators shows that if you aren’t referring to an Associated Press stylebook when writing press releases, letters to the editor or anything else for the media, it shows you really don’t know how to play the publicity game. The AP stylebook is the journalist’s bible. It includes all the rules dictating things such as the… Read More
Publicity tip–Attend business journal meetings on how to use the paper as a prospecting tool
If the business journal in the town where you live invites you to attend a meeting at the paper where you’ll learn lots of tips on how to use the newspaper as a sales tool, you’d be crazy not to go. Thanks to Publicity Hound Carol Rehak of Milwaukee, Wisconsin for tipping me off to the invitation… Read More
Publicity tip: Know when it’s OK to use stock photos in your PR campaign
Ann Van Wagener, design editor at the Poynter Institute, reminds journalists about the many places on the Internet where they can find stock photos when they’re desperate for images. Many can be downloaded for only a few bucks from sites such as Istockphoto, and they’re royalty-free. Her blog item is a good reminder for Publicity Hounds… Read More
Publicity tips–Learn the strategy behind promoting your product, service, cause or issue to Craigslist
My head is spinning. I just got off the phone with Nancy Mills of Los Angeles, The Spirited Woman workshop leader who just taught me two hours worth of tips on how promote my business using Craigslist, the wildly successful free online classified ad forum. We have another two-hour coaching session tomorrow and another hour after that.… Read More
Publicity tip–What to do when the media won’t cover a runner, walker coming through your town
When I worked in the world of newspapers more than 10 years ago, we’d get the occasional call from a publicist telling us that somebody was walking, or running, or getting down on his hands and knees and pushing a peanut with his nose through our town, and they wanted us to cover it. You can guess what our answer… Read More
Publicity tip–Author needs people to share their good, bad stories about pay raises
Executive recruiter Norman Lieberman is writing a book on how to get a significant pay raise and wants to interview people about their experiences with raises–good or bad. “Plus, for a very select few people, I will offer to help them secure a great pay raise in return for use of their story. In order… Read More
Publicity tip–To improve your pitches, think like a freelance writer
Mike Spinney of The Horn Group has the perfect solution for PR people who are stuck with drab, uninspired ideas that turn into lifeless pitches. Think like a freelance writer, his blog post says. “Forget about the bland brochure-speak that the client regurgitates and think about the story as if your next paycheck depends upon selling your… Read More
Publicity tip–PR pro customizes nine press releases for one event
When you write a press release, how many different versions do you write? Just one? You’ll kick yourself when you hear about what Publicity Hound Kathi Petersen does. When Kathi told me she wrote nine versions of one release for a fund-raiser she was publicizing, I thought she was kidding. Then she told me about… Read More
Publicity tip–Get inside the minds of journalists by reading Al’s Morning Meeting which offers story ideas worth stealing
Ever wish you could get inside the minds of journalists to watch how they think? Puzzled about what journalists consider news because it bears no resemblance with what you think is newsworthy? How would you like an inside track on what could be the next hot story of the day? And wouldn’t it be cool… Read More
Publicity tips–Avoid boring press conferences, ground-breakings, ribbon-cuttings, check-passings,
When Harley-Davidson unveiled plans last week for a $95 million museum here in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel splashed a big beautiful color photo of the museum on the front page. Since the museum isn’t built yet, but bikers and other visitors appear in the foreground of the photo, I’m guessing that what I saw… Read More